The Fortunate Mistress

"The Fortunate Mistress", often referred to by the name of its protagonist, Roxana, is a powerful and candid exploration of social mobility, moral compromise, and survival in the early 18th century. Written by the pioneering novelist Daniel Defoe, the work chronicles the life of a woman who, left destitute after her husband deserts her, must navigate a world that offers few honest avenues for female independence. Through a series of calculated relationships with wealthy and powerful men acr...