Revising Mary Astell: Anna Howe’s Reflections on Marriage in Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa

In Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa (1747–48), Anna Howe’s criticisms of the power inequities in courtship and marriage echo Mary Astell’s arguments in Some Reflections upon Marriage (1700), occasionally replicating the author’s language. While scholars often associate Anna with feminist arguments for women’s autonomy, I argue that Anna acts as a surrogate voice for Astell, revealing Richardson’s concerns about the implications of female autonomy represented in Anna’s similar claims to prefer the single life to marriage. Over the course of the novel, Richardson revises Anna’s opinions about marriage, especially her scepticism about the likelihood she can be happy once married to Mr Hickman. In the same way, Richardson’s revisions to the 1730 edition of Astell’s Reflections demonstrate his attempt to bring Astell’s opinions closer to his own. Placing Anna’s thoughts on marriage alongside Astell’s Reflections illustrates Richardson’s engagement with her ideas throughout his career as an author and printer.