Moll Flanders by Defoe
The title of the novel gives a summary to the plot:
‘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’
The source of this novel is real: This novel is based partially on Moll, a London criminal
whom Defoe met while visiting Newgate Prison.
A coming of age novel > starting from childhood.
The plot is realistic.
Summary:
Moll’s mother was a convict in Newgate Prison at the time of Moll’s birth
She is sentenced to death for stealing a few pieces of fabric.
During that period, anything you do which is against the law is severely penalized.
Women who give birth while imprisoned immediately lose custody of their children, who
are later placed into foster care.
Moll Flanders is the narrator of her mother story.
Her mother was imprisoned then moved to North America.
,Character:
1- The nurse: unnamed character, she treated Moll like her own daughter and taught her
needlework and manners
2-The family who took Moll and let her work as a servant after the death of the nurse
The family includes: No mention of the father.
Mother, girls > they were customers to the nurse.
They treated her nicely & allowed her to play in her free time, so Moll never really felt as a
servant.
Older brother: unnamed character he took notice of Moll & started harassing her.
He manipulate her, with the promise to marry her in the future. First lover
He basically, tells her to play safe & keep their relationship a secret.
He gives her money > at this point Moll started to develop the habit to save the money she
got from him.
Years later at the age of 17 which is basically the age of marriage he did not keep his
promise. Therefore, she realized he was not serious about her.
Younger brother (Robin): he propose to Moll and the older brother support it, he even tried
to convince Moll to marry his brother. Which ends up, with Moll accepting it.
, Within 5 years Moll gave birth to 2 children. But suddenly her 1st husband’s dies. Widow-1
Her in-laws offer her money in exchange for her leaving and keeping the children with
them. And she accepted it, in fact, she felt relieved to be free of the responsibility/burden of
caring for them as a widow.
Later she meets a Draper textiles: he left her and she was a widow now she is a divorcee-1
Moll finds herself in a difficult situation. Given the fact that she is married, she does not
have a spouse to protect and provide for her.
Later she meets an American guy, get married, and takes her to meet his family.
Her 3rd husband's mother-in-law tells her own experience before she comes to America. She
was so poor in London that she had to steal till the day she was caught by the officers, etc.
As Moll continue to listen she realized something terrible, the man she married to is
actually her half-brother! Her mother in law is actually her biological mother!
“And the next day, to confirm her suspicions, she tells everything to her Mother in law and
ask her if there was any pregnant women beside you that year? Regrettably, the answer was
NO, I was the only one. After everything is confirmed, Moll wanted to leave North America
and return to London, but her mother unexpectedly tells her to stay, forget everything, and
carry on as if nothing have happened.” Divorcee-2
P.s. they have a child together Humphrey
The title of the novel gives a summary to the plot:
‘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’
The source of this novel is real: This novel is based partially on Moll, a London criminal
whom Defoe met while visiting Newgate Prison.
A coming of age novel > starting from childhood.
The plot is realistic.
Summary:
Moll’s mother was a convict in Newgate Prison at the time of Moll’s birth
She is sentenced to death for stealing a few pieces of fabric.
During that period, anything you do which is against the law is severely penalized.
Women who give birth while imprisoned immediately lose custody of their children, who
are later placed into foster care.
Moll Flanders is the narrator of her mother story.
Her mother was imprisoned then moved to North America.
,Character:
1- The nurse: unnamed character, she treated Moll like her own daughter and taught her
needlework and manners
2-The family who took Moll and let her work as a servant after the death of the nurse
The family includes: No mention of the father.
Mother, girls > they were customers to the nurse.
They treated her nicely & allowed her to play in her free time, so Moll never really felt as a
servant.
Older brother: unnamed character he took notice of Moll & started harassing her.
He manipulate her, with the promise to marry her in the future. First lover
He basically, tells her to play safe & keep their relationship a secret.
He gives her money > at this point Moll started to develop the habit to save the money she
got from him.
Years later at the age of 17 which is basically the age of marriage he did not keep his
promise. Therefore, she realized he was not serious about her.
Younger brother (Robin): he propose to Moll and the older brother support it, he even tried
to convince Moll to marry his brother. Which ends up, with Moll accepting it.
, Within 5 years Moll gave birth to 2 children. But suddenly her 1st husband’s dies. Widow-1
Her in-laws offer her money in exchange for her leaving and keeping the children with
them. And she accepted it, in fact, she felt relieved to be free of the responsibility/burden of
caring for them as a widow.
Later she meets a Draper textiles: he left her and she was a widow now she is a divorcee-1
Moll finds herself in a difficult situation. Given the fact that she is married, she does not
have a spouse to protect and provide for her.
Later she meets an American guy, get married, and takes her to meet his family.
Her 3rd husband's mother-in-law tells her own experience before she comes to America. She
was so poor in London that she had to steal till the day she was caught by the officers, etc.
As Moll continue to listen she realized something terrible, the man she married to is
actually her half-brother! Her mother in law is actually her biological mother!
“And the next day, to confirm her suspicions, she tells everything to her Mother in law and
ask her if there was any pregnant women beside you that year? Regrettably, the answer was
NO, I was the only one. After everything is confirmed, Moll wanted to leave North America
and return to London, but her mother unexpectedly tells her to stay, forget everything, and
carry on as if nothing have happened.” Divorcee-2
P.s. they have a child together Humphrey
