The Early Novel

Characteristics of the Early Novel

Early novels contained some kind of plot, although the main purpose was to share personal human experience. The author might want to poke fun at certain conventions (satire) or simply make a comment on society and its norms.

Typically these early novels would take the form of a:

• memoir
• allegory
• or romance

First Novel Ever Written

The first novel ever written in the world could be The Tale of Genji (1008) by Lady Murasaki, and, at 750,000 words, is also one of the longest. The story is set at the Imperial Court and follows the life of Prince Genji and his descendants. It contains vividly portrayed characters and lively descriptions of court life, with themes covering human relationships and the transience of life. It has also influenced Japanese literature ever since it was written.

However, in English Literature, the origins of the novel lie closer by, and if by 'the first novel' we mean the first Modern Novel, we should probably look to the 18th century. This was when the novel began to be taken seriously and was viewed as a 'respectable' art form.

History of English Novels

The word 'novel' was originally another term for novella, meaning 'new' in Italian. Chaucer introduced the concept of the serialised novella to England with his Canterbury Tales (1387-1400) even though it is almost completely written in verse.

'Novel' or 'novella' by the mid-17th century had come to mean romantic tales of illicit love, perhaps with some adventures and sensation thrown in for good measure: as long as it was entertaining, it sold. There were exceptions for there are some writers who used the form to express their own views on humanity, justice and philosophy. Two of these were Aphra Behn and Daniel Defoe, who have each been credited (by critics such as Ian Watts in his work The Rise of the Novel ) with writing the first novel in English.

Aphra Behn and Daniel Defoe

Aphra Behn was an English professional writer, playwright and occasionally a secret agent in the service of Charles II. In 1688 she produced her last work Oroonoko (1688), the story of an enslaved West African prince who is transported to Suriname. It is told in the first person by a female narrative, and describes the injustices of slavery and colonialism. It became something of a bestseller and was adapted for stage several times. The novel is written in a documentary style, and its concept of the 'noble savage' lay at the heart of the movement for the abolition of slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries - even though Behn did not fully oppose slavery. Oroonoko is not considered the first ever English Novel because critics argue it is too short and resembles a novella.

Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe in 1719. The story is told in the first person by Robinson who directly experiences shipwreck, isolation and survival on a desert island until rescued by pirates twenty-eight years later. Although the book shows signs of little planning, it does combine allegory, memoir, romance and a convincing, realistic portrayal of personal human experience, all of which together make it a 'novel'.

The term novel was interchangeable with novella or novellae (meaning a collection of stories) until the late 18th century when the term 'novel' began to be used to mean longer, more serious works of fiction.

For example, Robinson Crusoe (1719) by Daniel Defoe, although popular, was not called a novel when it was first published and was described by Defoe himself as 'the stories of' or 'the adventures of' Crusoe. It contained all the elements of the novel but was not understood as such until later on.

The Age of the Early Novel

It was not until the 18th century however that the novel evolved into a popular genre in Europe with novelists such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Madame de Stael, Jean-Jacque Rousseau, and Samuel Richardson.

The English novel developed further over the course of the 18th century and came to be recognised as serious literature with the works of:

• Samuel Richardson - Pamela (1740), Clarissa (1748), Sir Charles Grandison (1754)

• Henry Fielding - Shamela (1740), Tom Jones (1749)

• Tobias Smollet - The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle (1751),The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771)

• Laurence Sterne -The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy (1759-67)

Many of these early novels were called 'Histories' instead of 'novels'; the term 'novel' in the modern sense of the word came more into use towards the late 18th century.

These early authors, while very different in personal style, covered many aspects of life experience, from poor to rich, from youth to old age, from amoral to moral, and described this experience in a realistic, credible way that readers could understand and engage with.

Characterisation in the Early Novel

They also wrote realistically about complex characters who were each given detailed personalities, inner thoughts and opinions - these works began to look inside the characters and their inner lives and so broke with the tradition of generic types of earlier literature.

In other words, they moved away from the universal to focus on the detail, the everyday and banal.

Samuel Richardson's works broke away from the popular romantic fiction of the time: Richardson was concerned with moral behaviour in all of his novels and it was this that helped establish the novel as something separate from sensationalist fiction. He gave his characters a direct voice - they express their thoughts, fears and passions in the first person through their letters (all of Richardson's novels are epistolary) and the reader is allowed to enter their world and share their experiences.

Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, follows Pamela, a maidservant, in her prudent navigation of a relationship with her late mistress's son, until ultimately she marries him. The story is narrated mostly through Pamela's letters and journal entries to her parents.

An immediate bestseller, Pamela was widely imitated - although not always admiringly: Fielding published his satirical parody Shamela only 5 months after Pamela came out. In Shamela, also an epistolary novel, the virtuous Pamela is revealed to be in fact a very naughty woman who deliberately manipulates her wealthy master into marrying her. Fielding wrote his parody in protest at what he considered the moral hypocrisy of Pamela. It is possible that a certain amount of envy influenced the early critics of Richardson.

Clarissa and Sir Charles Grandison both contain similar storylines, with kidnappings and attempted seductions as recurring elements.

In Clarissa, parental control is added to the mix, which contributes to the fatal result - Clarissa, a young woman of virtue, resists the libertine Lovelace despite threats, kidnapping and violence. Ultimately, her health destroyed, she makes her will and dies in hiding. Lovelace is challenged to a duel and is fatally wounded, saying with his last breath " let this expiate! ”

Sir Charles Grandison rescues Harriet from abduction at a masked ball and leaves her in the care of his married sister. Although Charles and Harriet form an attachment, Charles has a previous understanding with Clementina, an Italian aristocrat. This is ultimately resolved when Clementina declares she cannot marry a non-Catholic. The novel ends with Charles marrying Harriet and their friendship with Clementina, who chooses to become a nun.

Fielding's Tom Jones was written in response to Sir Charles Grandison and follows the comic adventures of Tom Jones as he struggles to be united with his childhood sweetheart, Sophia.

Tom Jones, a foundling, is discovered at Squire Allworthy's house; the Squire, suspecting it is the child of one of his servants, adopts the boy.

Tom and Sophia, daughter of Allworthy's neighbour Squire Western, grow up together and develop a relationship, but Tom is banished after his rival Blifil lies about his character. Tom travels across half of England meeting a wide variety of characters before discovering his true parentage (he is in fact Squire Allworthy's illegitimate nephew). Finally, Tom is reunited with Sophie and they marry.

Smollett's The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle and The Expedition of Humphry Clinker are both satirical; Peregrine Pickle is a picaresque novel about the adventures of the scandalous rogue Pickle who later repents; it was less popular than Humphry Clinker owing to its viciousness and libellous passages.

Humphry Clinker also goes on a journey: Matthew Bramble, a rather cross but essentially kindhearted character, travels with family and servants around the UK. They meet various eccentric characters, and on the way home, Bramble encounters an impoverished and naive young man called Humphry Clinker. After several adventures, Bramble discovers this is his natural son. The novel ends with happy reunions and general contentment; it is one of Smollett's gentler novels and offers an up-close account of 18th-century society.

Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy is the longest shaggy dog story ever written; it has no real middle or end, as the beginning takes up two-thirds of the novel. Chronologically the story barely moves beyond the birth of Tristram. This first section is filled with details about his eccentric family members. It also contains surreal typography, including pages with rows of asterisks, blank pages, and diagrams. It is recognised as both unique and as an early 'stream-of-consciousness' work.

With these novels also came the concept of the subplot. This, in addition to length (Clarissa is considered one of the longest, if not the longest novel written in English), helped to distinguish the new 'novel' from the novella.

The narrative can take many forms, including omniscient, first or third person, shared narratives, journals, letters and diaries.