Moll Flanders
Daniel Defoe
Publisher: Passerino
Summary
Moll Flanders is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1722, and its full original title is quite long:"The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, etc. Who was Born in Newgate, and during a Life of continued Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, five times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother), Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv’d Honest, and died a Penitent."Moll Flanders is the story of a clever and resourceful woman who, born in a prison (Newgate), struggles through poverty, marriages, love affairs, and criminal activity in 17th-century England. Throughout her life, she becomes a thief, a prostitute, and even unknowingly marries her own brother. Eventually, she is caught and transported to Virginia, where she turns her life around, finds success, and repents for her sins.The novel is told in the first person, as if Moll herself were narrating her memoirs, and it offers a fascinating view of crime, class, and gender in early 18th-century society.Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist, and trader, best known for pioneering the English novel. He is most famous for "Robinson Crusoe" (1719), one of the first major novels in English literature, and "Moll Flanders" (1722).He lived through a period of immense political, social, and economic change, and his works often blend realism, adventure, and moral reflection.
Available since: 06/20/2025.
