# Letter 397: Mr. Lovelace to Miss Clarissa Harlowe explained — Clarissa

> Chapter companion for Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.

## What happens

Lovelace writes a desperate letter to Clarissa, begging for her forgiveness and offering to marry her on her own terms. He acknowledges his baseness and her purity, expresses remorse, and pleads for a chance to atone through future good conduct, warning that her refusal will drive him to despair.

## Themes in this chapter

### Suffering and Redemption

Lovelace seeks redemption through Clarissa's forgiveness, framing his suffering as a path to moral reform.

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

Lovelace's professed remorse may be a manipulation, contrasting his declared sincerity with his past deceit.

## Character check-ins

### Robert Lovelace

Writes a pleading letter to Clarissa, expressing remorse and offering marriage.

### Clarissa Harlowe

The recipient of Lovelace's letter; her forgiveness is sought as essential to his redemption.

### Lord M.

Mentioned as one of those Lovelace despises for presuming to control him.

### Lady Sarah Sadleir

Referenced alongside Lord M. as someone Lovelace scorns for trying to dictate to him.

### Miss Charlotte Montague

Mentioned as one of Lord M.'s sisters whom Lovelace despises.

## Key lines

> Your angelic purity, and my awakened conscience, are standing records of your exalted merit, and of my detestable baseness: but your forgiveness will lay me under an eternal obligation to you.

Your pure character and my guilty conscience prove how virtuous you are and how vile I have been; yet if you forgive me, I will be forever indebted to you.

_Lovelace acknowledges Clarissa's virtue and his own guilt, seeking forgiveness as a binding favor._

> For to be reprobated finally by you, will leave me without expectation of mercy from above!

If you ultimately reject me, I will have no hope of divine mercy.

_Lovelace equates Clarissa's forgiveness with God's pardon, emphasizing his desperation._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters/letter-397-mr-lovelace-to-miss-clarissa-harlowe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters