Moll Flanders (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

Historically Interesting, but probably not for casual readers

Moll Flanders / 978-1-411-43270-3 Defoe's novel, Moll Flanders, one of the first true English novels follows the "true" story of a lower-class woman who - eventually - turns to a life of petty thievery and prostitution partly as a means to live, and partly as a means to a middle-class life of relative riches and ease. This thin little novel is a fairly quick read and the story pacing moves at a quick clip as we read through the salacious and scandalous life of this matron is not particularly clever nor particularly beautiful, but she is persistent, dogged, and increasingly amoral enough to make a life for herself just above the level of extreme and desperate poverty. Through the course of her life, Moll takes several husbands, bears multiple children, and chooses to view her life with pride and detachment, rather than with the shame she 'ought' to feel. In this regard, Moll is perhaps the most modern of the historical novel characters, because she views the societal norms which would compel her to pious poverty with a jaundiced eye and recognizes that the 'shameful' things she does to survive, the gentry do on a much wider, if more socially acceptable, scale. ~ Ana Mardoll

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Moll Flanders

A mother's behavior affects the child's behavior as well as their own. The child look up to their parents as role models because they think that their parents do everything the right way and never make any mistakes throughout life. But it is not true that your parents do not make any mistakes because they make mistakes everyday like everyone else does. When anyone who makes a mistake, they usually learn from that mistake and does not do it again. In the novel, Moll Flanders, which was written by Daniel Defoe, the mother was convicted of a felony and then when the daughter, Moll was growing up she got into trouble because she did not know any different. However, the full title of the novel, Moll Flanders gives an appropriate summary of the plot, which was 'The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, Etc. Who was born in Newgate, and during a life of continuing 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 Years a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, lived Honest and died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums.' When Moll was a baby, she was transported to America and she was raised by a kind widow who taught her manners and needlework. Moll was abandoned by her first lover, she then compelled to marry his younger brother. He died after a few years, and she marries a draper who soon flees the country as a fugitive from the law. She marries yet again and moves to America, only to find out that her husband was actually her half-brother. After she found out that she married her half-brother, she left him in disgust and returns to England. Where she becomes the mistress of a man whose wife had went insane. He renounces his affair with Moll after a religious experience. Moll next marriage offer was from a banker whose wife had been cheating on him. But he had to obtain a divorce and meanwhile Moll travels to the country. When she goes back to the country, she marries a rich gentleman in Lancashire. The rich gentleman turned out to be poor as she was and they separated. Moll then returns to marry the banker, who had succeeded in divorcing his wife. He died shortly after they were married. She in poverty for several years and then begins stealing. Moll soon become an expert thief and a local legend. She was eventually caught, imprisoned, and sentenced to death. She reunited with her Lancashire husband in prison at Newgate, who was also been arrested. They both got their sentences reduced, and they are transported to the colonies, where they begin a new life as plantation owners. When she was in America, she rediscovered her brother and her son and claims the inheritance her mother had left her. Prosperous and repentant, she returns with her husband to England at the age of seventy. In conclusion, Moll Flanders, the novel did have an affect on Moll Flander's behavior. I did not care for this novel because the mother was not around to raise her child. I also did not care for this novel because of all the marriages, divorces, and crimes that Moll Flanders committed to. I do not believe in that kind of life style.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A book every woman should read!

A poet friend got me this book because it was one of her favorites. I admit it took me a bit to get into it. But it is quite a story and bears a lot of reflection. I really enjoyed the story -- all the challenges in life that Moll has and meets. A resourceful, wise, and practical woman can survive anything. I highly recommend this to all women.

Highly Recommended

Surprisingly, this was not as dry or dull as I thought it would be. I couldn't put it down.

Not half bad

Moll Flanders is funnier than I expected it to be. I definitely recommend it for pleasure reading or for AP classes.

Moll Flanders!

'It is true that the original of this story is put into new words' thus Defoe tells us in the Authors Preface that he has re-written the original manuscript delivered to him by Moll. Of course since there was no original manuscript or no real Moll , except for a model for her he might of met while in Newgate prison, Defoe is creating fiction within fiction. This is just one of the many devices Defoe uses to depict Moll to the reader as a real person not just a literary creation. To put it into terms of an artist's canvas on easel, many writers of classic masterworks are say like Monet or Picasso, Defoe's work reminds of Rembrandt. Moll comes to life in these pages and seems to be a person of history instead of fiction. Moll Flanders is the first English novel. Some would point to Robinson Crusoe written three years prior yet the time before and after the Island in 'Crusoe' seems to fit the Tall Tale genre. Moll Flanders is more of what the 'novel' evolves into. Moll is born in Newgate prison. Her mother, a thief, after pleading her belly and delivering Moll into this world is deported to the colonies in America. Moll is passed around even living and travelling with Gypsies for awhile. During her early years she relies on men to keep her afloat because in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries a woman alone had few good options for survival and Moll is nothing if not a survivor. On into middle age Moll turns thief to make ends meet. In one scene she is going to a house fire to see what can be had in the panic and confusion ,since she had luck that way once before, and a maid throws a mattress out of an upper story and it lands on Moll knocking her out. She is horrified later thinking about what if they threw more goods out onto the mattress, Moll reflects she would have been 'inevitably killed; but I was reserved for further afflictions'. Defoe paints in the moral degradation of the thieving life on all involved including Moll. She is caught finally and rises out of Newgate a penitent heading for America where she does turn her back on crime even though Defoe in his preface tells us she only pretends to be penitent and humble. This novel is a favorite of mine and having made my preference known I will be objective as I can under those circumstances and claim Moll Flanders as Defoe's magnum opus.

an amazing book-loved it till the very end

Moll Flanders, is an epic following of a womans life from birth to the end of her life. Her character, is deep and moving-you even end up feeling sorry for her even though she does some horrible things in her life she never repents-until the very end.It is an amazing book-defoe is excellent!! Strongly reccomend it-it will move you deeply.

Interesting plot and style!

This book is the earliest novel that is British that I have read. Though long, it is really intersting. The story line is good, but as well, the style used it really neat. Little things like there are no chapter divisions, and there are quotation marks. It is neat discovering these little things, and seeing how writing style has really evolved.

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