Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded

For a fascinating glimpse into eighteenth-century morals and values, take a look at Samuel Richardson's Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded . A blockbuster of a bestseller in its day, Pamela recounts the tribulations of a poor housekeeper who is forced constantly to fend off the prurient advances of her employer. Her reward? Pamela is offered -- and accepts -- her lustful master's hand in marriage and is thrust into upper-class society.