# Letter 76: Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe explained — Clarissa

> Chapter companion for Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.

## What happens

Clarissa writes to Anna Howe, expressing her distress over the impending meeting with Mr. Solmes and sharing Lovelace's urgent warnings and proposals for her escape. She reiterates her determination to never marry Solmes and pleads for Anna's prayers as she faces the dreaded interview.

## Themes in this chapter

### Female Agency and Virtue

Clarissa asserts her refusal to marry Solmes, insisting she would rather die, demonstrating her struggle to maintain autonomy and virtue against familial coercion.

### Family Obligation and Rebellion

Clarissa is torn between obedience to her father's authority and her own will, as she contemplates avoiding the forced meeting through illness or escape.

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

Lovelace's promises of rescue and settlements contrast with Clarissa's awareness of his manipulative tendencies, highlighting the gap between appearance and reality.

## Character check-ins

### Clarissa Harlowe

The letter's author, expressing her anxiety and resolve regarding the forced meeting with Solmes.

### Anna Howe

The recipient of the letter, to whom Clarissa entrusts her papers and confides her fears.

### Robert Lovelace

Mentioned as having written to Clarissa, pressing her to escape and threatening violent intervention.

### Mr. Solmes

The suitor Clarissa is being forced to meet; she finds his presumptuous preparations abhorrent.

### Colonel Morden

Clarissa hopes for his arrival to mediate a reconciliation.

## Key lines

> I will sooner die than be that man's wife.

Clarissa declares that she would rather die than marry Solmes.

_This emphasizes her absolute rejection of the forced marriage._

> I have deposited a letter for Mr. Lovelace; in which 'I charge him, as he would not disoblige me forever, to avoid any rash step, any visit to Mr. Solmes, which may be followed by acts of violence.'

Clarissa has written to Lovelace, ordering him not to take any violent action against Solmes or her family.

_She attempts to prevent Lovelace from escalating the conflict._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters/letter-76-miss-clarissa-harlowe-to-miss-howe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/clarissa_se/chapters