Clarissa · Chapter
Letter 146: Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe explained
Clarissa writes to Anna Howe in deep despair, revealing that she has received a letter from her sister Arabella that includes a father's curse.
What happens
Clarissa writes to Anna Howe in deep despair, revealing that she has received a letter from her sister Arabella that includes a father's curse. She feels her heart is broken and believes the curse extends beyond this life, urging Anna to shun and avoid corresponding with her as she feels utterly devoted to ruin.
Themes in this chapter
Family Obligation and Rebellion
Clarissa's anguish over her father's curse highlights the severe familial condemnation she faces for her actions.
Suffering and Redemption
Clarissa's broken heart and despondency reflect her profound suffering, with no hope of redemption in sight.
Characters to notice
- Clarissa Harlowe
Writes in deep despondency, feeling broken by a father's curse and her sister's cruel letter.
- Anna Howe
Clarissa's only friend, whom she urges to shun and avoid corresponding with her.
- Arabella Harlowe
Sent the unrelenting letter that provoked Clarissa's despair, containing the father's curse.
Key passages
“O my best, my only friend! Now indeed is my heart broken! It has received a blow it never will recover.”
Clarissa declares to Anna that her heart is shattered beyond repair.
Expresses the depth of Clarissa's emotional devastation.
“I have, at last, a letter from my unrelenting sister. Would to Heaven I had not provoked it by my second letter to my aunt Hervey!”
Clarissa regrets writing to her aunt, which prompted a harsh letter from her sister.
Shows Clarissa's self-blame and the chain of correspondence leading to her distress.
“The curse extends to the life beyond this.”
Clarissa believes her father's curse affects her eternal soul.
Highlights the religious and spiritual weight of the curse.