Self-Destructing Syrena

The thing that struck me the most in Eliza Haywood's Anti-Pamela was the self-destructing habits of her main character and Pamela stand-in, Syrena Tricksy. There are several bad habits practiced by Syrena that lead to her being sent off to Wales and that would, should she continue them, lead to her further demise.

A Fool and his Money's Soon Parted

There are three main habits that Syrena has that would be detrimental to her status and well-being. The fist of these is the source of the other three, that is her following her mother's direction. At the beginning of the novel, Syrena is shown to have been instructed by her mother to seduce men with the goal of taking their money. This instruction sticks with Syrena throughout the text and is reinforced through her communications with her mother.

The second of these habits, most directly influenced by her mother, is her dependence on attention from a revolving door of men. Rather than find one man over whom she may find influence, Syrena is constantly attempting to gain sway over several men, which leads to her having to flee to another part of town after having been discovered by the men she tries to captivate. Perhaps, had she stayed with one man rather than seduce many, she may have avoided the fate of being shipped off to Wales.

The third is her spending habits, which are subsidized by her male companions. In multiple instances in the novel, Syrena tells of her having to sell garments and other goods to get money while she is between beaus, and is concerned with her ability to put together an outfit that would make her seem honourable enough to attract suitable men. If she was more cautious of her spending, she would be rather well off with the large sums of money she is seen acquiring through the novel.

Syrena's destructive habits throughout the text culminate in her being sent to Wales. It is difficult to say with certainty what may have happened to her following her exile; however, her deeply rooted habits would not easily be shaken regardless of her location. Although I may hope that she found her way out of these habits, it is highly unlikely, and she probably found herself in more trouble as she attempted to continue these behaviours in a more conservative environment.