Clarissa · Chapter
Letter 65: Miss Howe, to Miss Clarissa Harlowe explained
Anna Howe explains her recent silence due to being forced by her mother to accompany her to visit a dying cousin, Mrs.
What happens
Anna Howe explains her recent silence due to being forced by her mother to accompany her to visit a dying cousin, Mrs. Larkin. She describes the tedious journey, her disdain for Mr. Hickman's foppish behavior, and her mother's favoritism toward him. Anna reflects on death and duty, and promises to investigate Lovelace's activities, teasing Clarissa about her feelings for him.
Themes in this chapter
Female Agency and Virtue
Anna asserts her independence and wit in her interactions with Mr. Hickman and her mother, while also grappling with filial duty.
Friendship and Loyalty
Anna writes to Clarissa out of concern and loyalty, despite her mother's disapproval of their correspondence.
Family Obligation and Rebellion
Anna reluctantly obeys her mother's command to travel, but resents the imposition and secretly maintains her correspondence with Clarissa.
Characters to notice
- Anna Howe
Writes to Clarissa explaining her absence and detailing her frustrations with her mother and Mr. Hickman.
- Clarissa Harlowe
Recipient of the letter; Anna teases her about her feelings for Lovelace.
- Mr. Hickman
Escorts Anna and her mother; Anna mocks his fussy and obsequious manner.
- Mrs. Howe
Forces Anna to accompany her to visit her dying cousin; favors Mr. Hickman.
- Robert Lovelace
Mentioned in the context of Anna's teasing and her plan to investigate his behavior.
Key passages
“My mother was sent for on Sunday night by her cousin Larkin, whom I mentioned in one of my former, and who was extremely earnest to see her.”
Anna's mother was urgently summoned by her cousin Larkin, who was very ill and wanted to see her.
Explains the reason for Anna's delayed correspondence.
“I told him, that I supposed he was afraid, that the double solemnity in the case (that of the visit to a dying woman, and that of his own countenance) would give him the appearance of an undertaker; to avoid which, he ran into as bad an extreme, and I doubted would be taken for a mountebank.”
Anna sarcastically told Mr. Hickman that his overly fine attire made him look more like a quack doctor than a mourner.
Illustrates Anna's sharp wit and disdain for Hickman's pretensions.
“Our courtship-days, they say, are our best days. Favour destroys courtship. Distance increases it. Its essence is distance.”
Anna reflects that courtship thrives on distance and aloofness, not on familiarity.
Reveals Anna's views on romantic relationships and power dynamics.