Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: A Classic Tale of Survival

If you have the slightest interest in the 18th century and life and moral beliefs during this era, I believe you'll enjoy this historical classic very much.


The entire book is told in the voice of the first person, that of Moll Flanders, who is first known in the book as "Mrs. Betty". Moll Flanders has a very unusual life and she begins her story with her birth to a felon mother. Because Moll's mother is in jail, she is raised in her early years by a kindly widow, who teaches Moll how to do needlepoint.


Moll later goes to live with a large wealthy family and is given all of the opportunities and advantages that the children of this genteel family have, that is, to learn French, singing, music and dance. Moll would not otherwise have had these wonderful educational opportunities because of her initial low place in society. But eventually, one of the brothers seduces Moll, who has grown to be a "beautiful well-made young gentlewoman," which is a chain of events that Moll believes would ruin her.


"First, I was apparently handsomer than any of them; secondly, I was better shaped; and thirdly, I sang better, by which I mean I had a better voice; in all which you will, I hope allow me to say I do not speak my own conceit, but the opinion of all that knew the family.

"I had with all these the common vanity of my sex, vis., that being really taken for very handsome or, if you please, for a great beauty, I very well knew it, and had as good an opinion of myself as anybody else..."


She ends up marrying the younger brother, who is much more concerned and caring of Moll's reputation. But alas, he dies after being married for a few years. Moll quickly marries a draper next, but that is short-lived too, since he must flee the country as a fugitive. Not too long after this, Moll marries yet again, but soon learns that her husband is, unfortunately her half-brother. (Don't you hate it when that happens?)


But most of all, Moll is a survivor. What she lacks in her early years as far as being savvy of the ways of the world, she quickly learns and makes up for. She is smart and quickly realizes and understands the motives of those around her. Moll marries several times and has many lovers along the way. She never seems to really marry for love, but for security, which she also never achieves….for very long. Finally, Moll is forced to live in poverty, a state she dislikes immensely. Therefore, she begins her new life as a thief, which is easy for her. Moll becomes somewhat of a legend because of her success at her new profession, but she is finally apprehended, thrown in jail and given the death sentence. Through a fortunate turn of events, Moll is given a reprieve in the form of a reduced prison sentence and is sent to finish her time in the colonies.


Through it all, I found I still liked the character of Moll Flanders. The way that Defoe narrates Moll's voice is one that makes the reader sympathetic to the plight of this woman who has had so much hardship as well as luck her entire life. She is basically a good person, who must compromise herself to basic survival tactics.


Defoe was a part of the time that is the 18th century, a time which loved moralizing. All of the characters ideas came from sensation and reflection. Moll thinks that it is easy to be virtuous when you are rich, but she wants respectability. This was her ambition. She has no small value on herself either, but money and sex are joined, especially when the older brother who seduces her pays her after their secret trysts. Ultimately, Moll has a pragmatic view of life. Through the eyes of Moll Flanders and Daniel Defoe, this book is an interesting look into the mores of a time gone by.


I liked the style of writing very much of Daniel Defoe. Although I first read this book back in college, it being another one of my class assignments, I wanted to read it again, remembering how much I'd enjoyed it the first time I read it. Like the other book I recently re-read, McTeague, I had forgotten lots of the interesting details, so it felt like I was reading it for the first time. Defoe's eloquent style is of his time. The language and style is somewhat formal and it takes a bit of practice and concentration because the narrative is not as casual a style as a book written in our generation might be.

"Thus I gave myself to ruin without the least concern and am a fair memento to all young women whose vanity prevails over their virtue."

"Immediately he calls for his best wig, hat and sword, and...he prepares to go into his coach."


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Author Daniel Defoe was born in London about 1660, but after being a businessman for many years, with only moderate success, he began writing fiction. He first wrote political pamphlets against the Tories, which angered them. He also wrote the hugely successful "Robinson Crusoe". He enjoyed writing and for some years lived quite well as a result of his popularity, but gradually again fell upon bad times and finally died alone in 1731.




~Thanks for reading~



©: gkm.



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