WHAT A SENTIMENTAL NOVEL

Sentimental novel, broadly, any novel that exploits the reader’s capacity for 
tenderness, compassion, or sympathy to a disproportionate degree by presenting or
unrealistic view of its subject.

In a restricted sense the term refers to a widespread European novelistic 

development of the 18th century, which arose partly in reaction to the austerity and
rationalism of the Neoclassical period

The sentimental novel or the novel of sensibility is an 18th-century literary genre 

which celebrates the emotional and intellectual concepts of sentiment,
sentimentalism.
What is a sentimental novel

An emotionally extravagant novel of a kind that became popular in Europe

in the late 18th century. Partly inspired by the emotional power of Samuel
Richardson's Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), the sentimental novels of
the 1760s and 1770s exhibit the close connections between virtue and
sensibility, in repeatedly tearful scenes; a character's feeling for the
beauties of nature and for the griefs of others is taken as a sign of a pure
heart.

Oxford Reference
 In the sentimental novel, sympathy serves as the basis for
sociability because it keeps egoism in check and reminds
people of their duties to one another. The sympathetic
response also provides characters in sentimental novels with
superior moral guidance.

Sentimental
TODAY
Pamel a

These ideas about sympathy come out o moral sense philosophy of the eighteenth
century and these ideas have been employed properly in Pamela character when she
  The sentimental novel also provides a theory of why there is injustice to start with.
 A dearth of sympathy, especially in those who wield power over others, is the primary
 source of injustice in the sentimental novel.

And that has been shown clearly in Pamela novel when we are introduced to the
character of Mr. B who has a social rank and power and tries to misuse his power over
Pamela . Mr. B makes a physical advancement towards Pamela without any
consideration .
 Male characters in sentimental fiction very often trivialize the qualities that mark the feminine
sphere, most especially feeling. They instead ally themselves with the
rationality that distinguishes the masculine sphere. 

Mr. B ( the male character) continues to make advances towards Pamela ( the female
character), including trying to kiss her while she undresses for the evening after hiding in
her closet. The feelings which are the most important thing to the woman has no value in
the male character of Mr. B who is doing his best to fill his desire over others’ feelings
 Both men and women cry in sentimental novels, although women do so more readily than men.
In general, women are more often more alive to sympathy.
The fact that men are less ready to cry has implications since socially men have
power over others. 

The same thing happens with the characters Mr . B and Pamela. Mr. B has nothing to
sympathize with him , but we as audience are most sympathized by Pamela character
because she is in a weak position that obliges us to do so.
 Male characters in sentimental fiction very often trivialize the qualities that mark the feminine 
sphere, most especially feeling. They instead ally themselves with the rationality that
distinguishes the masculine sphere.

. 
Mr. B ( The male character) continues to make advances towards Pamela ( the female),
including trying to kiss her while she undresses for the evening after hiding in her closet.
He reduces the importance of her feelings to her
This novel meets widely all the requirements of the sentimental novel, which
emerged in the eighteenth century, whose main aim is to prompt an emotional
response from the audience:

The extremely sentimentalist situations are a device to prompt sympathy towards the
character and her virtuous attitude upon extreme situations.
 Virtue is one of the most prominent themes of the
sentimental novels and is rewarded at the end of the novel

Pamela reflects perfectly the way virtuous women are supposed to behave at that
time by putting their duty, integrity and chastity before passion and lust, which must
be avoided until marriage, shaping the proper conduct of women and virtuous
relationships. Eventually, Pamela is rewarded for her virtuous behavior when Mr B
proposes marriage to her.
 . Sentimental fiction sets out to shape moral character, revive the
Sympathies Without sympathy

 Sentimental Novel is characterized by men seducing virtuous women.

 The foundations of sentimental discourse, its theory of social cohesion and

justice are feminine virtue and sympathy. The sentimental novel creates a
place to imagine a world shaped by these principles, beginning in the home
and extending into public life, while also providing a critique of the kind of
public life that devalues these principles.