An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews, or Shamela, as it is more commonly known, is a satirical novel believed to be written by Henry Fielding and first published in April, 1741 under the name of Mr. Conny Keyber. It is a direct attack at the then very popular novel Pamela (November 1740) by Fielding's contemporary and rival, Samuel Richardson and composed, just like Pamela, in an epistolary form.

Plot summary

Shamela is written as a shocking revelation of the true events which took place in the life of Pamela Andrews, the main heroine of Pamela. From Shamela we learn that, instead of being a kind, humble, and chaste servant-girl, Pamela (whose true name turns out to be Shamela) is in fact a wicked and lascivious creature, scheming to entrap her master, Squire Booby, into marriage. In this way Fielding exposes the multiple weaknesses of the Richardson's work (which he despised), and makes a good laugh of them too. Another novel by Fielding parodying "Pamela", albeit not so explicitly, is The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his Friend, Mr. Abraham Adams (February 1742) more commonly known as Joseph Andrews.

1741 novels | Epistolary novels | Satirical novels | English novels