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Moll Flanders
instruction for the modest reader looking to live an honest life.
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION He references “the Advocates of the Stage,” who have argued
through the ages for the usefulness of plays when “applied to
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF DANIEL DEFOE virtuous Purposes.” Beginning in the 16th century, plays
Defoe was born in the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate in London performed in public settings (such as theaters) were thought to
to James Foe, a successful candle-maker and butcher, and his carry messages of excessive humor and vice, which some
wife, Anne, who died when Defoe was just 10 years old. Defoe’s feared would poison society and lead to increased sin and
father was a Presbyterian dissenter—meaning he did not follow crime. Additionally, there was some concern over playwrights,
the Church of England—and even though it was illegal to who were often of the lower classes, representing royalty and
worship outside the Church of England, Defoe was educated at the upper classes, and some worried that plays and the theater
a dissenting academy in London, where he most likely attended would lead to the feminization of society, since men and boys
a Unitarian church. After his schooling, Defoe became a often played women’s roles. In 1642, London theaters closed
merchant, dealing mostly in wool and wine, and he married entirely and the official stance on plays aligned with that of the
Mary Tuffley, a wealthy merchant’s daughter, in 1684. Defoe Puritans: the theater exposed citizens to “lascivious Mirth and
was accused of marrying Mary for her dowry, but though it is Levity” and made them more susceptible to sin and immorality.
said they had a rocky union, they were married for 47 years and London theaters remained closed until 1660, at which time the
had eight children together. In 1685, he joined the Monmouth English monarchy was restored, and theaters as they are
Rebellion, which attempted to overthrow King James II of known today opened. The “Advocates of the Stage” that Defoe
England, but Defoe was later pardoned. After Mary II and mentions in Moll Flanders supported the theater as a form of
William III were crowned as Queen and King of England in moral instruction and warning, which is exactly how Defoe sells
1689, Defoe worked as a trusted adviser and spy for King Moll’s story—as a cautionary tale. Defoe’s note situates Moll
William. By 1692, Defoe was bankrupt and later arrested and Flanders within a historical context that was still very
jailed for excessive debts. After he was released from prison, conservative in its views of sin and virtue (especially for
Defoe travelled for a bit before returning to England in 1696. woman) but that was becoming more open to considering
Around this time, Defoe began writing—mostly political, depictions of sin—so long as they served a moral purpose.
economic, and social essays and pamphlets—and published An
essay upon projects, a series of writings on society and RELATED LITERARY WORKS
economics, in 1697. In 1703, Defoe was arrested for his
political and religious views—like his father, Defoe was a Defoe’s novels Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders are seen by
nonconformist—and he was sent to Newgate Prison, the same many as the earliest English novels. Defoe’s novels, while not
prison where Moll Flanders is held in Defoe’s novel of the same always received well in his day, paved the way for other major
name. He was later released and went on to write over 300 novels of the 18th century, such as Samuel Richardson’s
essays, novels, and pamphlets. He published his most famous epistolary novel, Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded and Laurence
work, Robinson Crusoe
Crusoe, in 1719; however, the book was Sterne’s Tristram Shandy. Early English novels such as these
originally published with Robinson Crusoe as the author as well influenced generations of English novelists, including Charles
as the title character and was received much like a travel Dickens, who went on to write some of the Victorian era’s most
journal. Defoe wrote Moll Flanders in 1722, but the book was famous novels, like Gr Great
eat Expectations
Expectations, David Copperfield
Copperfield, and
published without an author and was assumed to be an Oliv
Oliver
er T
Twist
wist. Defoe’s Moll Flanders is, above all, a critique of
autobiography. It was not until 1770, many years after Defoe’s 17th- and 18th-century English society, a tradition that is well
death, that he was credited as the book’s author by a London established in English literature. Other works that remark on
bookseller. He wrote one of his last books, The Complete English the state of English society include Down and Out in P Paris
aris and
Tradesman, a political work that also focuses on trade, London and 1984 by George Orwell, as well as Aldous Huxley’s
economics, and marriage, in 1726. Defoe died of a likely stroke Br
Brav
avee New W
World
orld. Moll Flanders also explores marriage and the
in 1731, at which time he was penniless and still running from role of women in society, a theme that is central to works
creditors. He was 70 years old. including Anna KarKarenina
enina by Leo Tolstoy, George Eliot’s
Middlemar
Middlemarch ch, and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
KEY FACTS
In the preface of Moll Flanders, Defoe claims Moll’s
story—which is full of “Debauchery and Vice”—is useful • Full Title: The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll

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Flanders, Etc. Virginia to be sold as a servant, and Moll is left alone. Moll lives
• When Written: 1722 with some relatives for a time, but she ends up in a band of
• Where Written: London, England
traveling Egyptians, who leave her in Colchester when she is
just three years old. The local parish assumes Moll’s care, and
• When Published: 1722
they place her in the service of a nurse, who is employed by the
• Literary Period: Enlightenment or Neoclassical church to care for children until they are old enough “to go to
• Genre: Novel Service, or get their own Bread.” The nurse tenderly cares for
• Setting: England and the American colonies during the 17th Moll through her childhood and raises her with the utmost
century attention to manners, and she even keeps Moll from going to
• Climax: Moll is arrested and sent to Newgate Prison Service—working as a servant or maid, as most women of the
lower class are expected to do—which Moll dislikes the idea of
• Antagonist: 17th-century society
doing. When Moll is teenager, her nurse dies, and Moll is taken
• Point of View: First-person in by the lady, a woman of high social standing and wealth, and
her family. There, Moll falls in love with the older brother, the
EXTRA CREDIT lady’s handsome eldest son, who promises to marry Moll as
Great Balls of Fire. Defoe was just a boy during the Great Fire soon as he inherits his estate. Of course, the older brother has
of London, which started at a bakery on Pudding Lane and no intention of marrying Moll—she is of the lower class and
burned through most of London from September 2 to isn’t considered a suitable match—but he strings her along with
September 6, 1666. The Fire was devastating, and of the declarations of love and gifts of money. Once their relationship
80,000 people living in London, 70,000 were left homeless. turns sexual, which Moll only agrees to because he has
When the fire was finally out, Defoe’s house and two others promised her marriage, the older brother grows distant. He
were the only homes left standing in Defoe’s neighborhood. ultimately leaves her, and Moll is forced to marry his younger
brother (who has also fallen in love with Moll despite her social
Multiple Identities. During Defoe’s career, in which he wrote status) or she will be put out in the street.
hundreds of essays, pamphlets, and novels, he was known to Moll and the younger brother are married for five years and
have used at least 198 pen names, including T. Taylor, Andrew have two children, but she never loves him and dreams of being
Morton, and Heliostrapolis, secretary to the Emperor of the with the older brother. At the end of five years, the younger
Moon. brother dies, and Moll is again left alone. She leaves her
children with the lady and, with a bank of about £1,200, goes
out into the world. Moll is still young and beautiful, and she has
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY many suitors, but she has vowed “to be well Married or not at
all.” She soon marries the linen-draper, a man she believes to be
Defoe begins with a preface to Moll Flanders’s “private wealthy and of high moral standing; however, after spending
History,” in which he concedes that Moll’s story may not be much of Moll’s money, he runs off to France to avoid debtors’
believable to some readers, as many of the characters’ names prison, and Moll is again left alone. As Moll must also evade the
and circumstances have been concealed. Moll will explain her linen-draper’s creditors, she decides it is best to move to a
reasons for hiding her identity in the beginning of her story, but neighborhood where no one knows her and change her name,
for now, readers must be content with their own opinions so she goes to the Mint (a sanctuary in London for debtors) and
about what’s to come. Defoe also admits that Moll is a woman answers to the name Mrs. Flanders. Moll’s bank is down to
of “Debauchery and Vice,” and her story is one of wickedness £460 (still a considerable amount of money in Moll’s time), and
and corruption. However, great care was taken to make her she soon marries a wealthy plantation owner—even though she
story suitable for the public, and readers who approach the is still technically married to the linen-draper. The plantation
story with “virtuous Purposes” are likely to find great moral owner has an estate in Virginia, and Moll finally agrees to
instruction within it. accompany him to the American colonies.
Moll claims her real name is well-known in the records of Moll and the plantation owner move to Virginia, where they live
Newgate Prison and Old-Baily in London, so it is necessary that with the plantation owner’s mother, a delightful woman who
she use an alias, as some matters of criminal significance are often tells stories of her younger days in London. Moll’s new
still pending there. Moll is born to a convict mother in Newgate mother-in-law tells Moll quite openly that she is a transported
Prison, where, after stealing a few pieces of fabric, her mother criminal—which is no shame in America—and Moll realizes that
was sentenced to death. However, Moll’s mother “pleaded her she is looking at her own mother. What’s worse, Moll’s
belly” (that is, asked to be spared due to her pregnancy) and her husband, the plantation owner, is her half-brother, and they
sentence was commuted to transportation to the American have already had three children together. Moll lives with her
colonies. When Moll is just six months old, her mother is sent to

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secret for years, but she does confide in her mother, and after moral life, a kind minister gets her sentence reduced to
Moll’s relationship with her husband/brother deteriorates so transportation to America. While Moll is in prison waiting to be
much that he threatens to commit her to a madhouse, she deported, James, who has been making his living as a thief, is
finally tells him the truth. He slips into a deep depression and also arrested and sent to Newgate. James’s case, however, is
twice attempts suicide before finally consenting to send Moll weak, and it seems likely to be dismissed due to lack of
back to England. Moll finds herself alone again in London, this evidence. James agrees to be voluntarily sent to the American
time with her bank reduced to £300, so she decides to go to colonies, and after a tearful reunion, James and Moll vow to go
Bath, a city in England known for its public spas. She begins an to America together and change their lives for the better.
affair with the gentleman, a married man whose wife has been When they finally arrive in Virginia, Moll immediately goes to
committed to the madhouse, but he ultimately has an attack of see about her mother and quickly learns she has died. Moll also
conscience over their adulterous affair and leaves Moll after learns that her brother still lives on his plantation with
several years and three children. Alone again, Moll’s bank has Humphry, his son with Moll, and the entire town knows about
increased to £400, but she is now 42 years old, and her options their scandalous history. Moll also discovers that her mother
for a future husband are sparse. has left her a sizable inheritance and a plantation, which has
Concerned about her future and with no one to advise her, been kept in operation by Humphry. Moll isn’t sure what to
Moll takes her money to a banker and asks him to manage her do—she wants to claim her rightful inheritance, but she doesn’t
affairs. The banker is a kind man and agrees to help Moll. The want James to know about her past. In the meantime, Moll and
banker’s wife has been cheating on him, and he asks Moll to James build a successful plantation, and Moll decides to
marry him as soon as his divorce is final. Moll, not completely contact her brother. She sends him a letter, but Humphry
against the idea of marrying the banker, travels first to intercepts it and immediately comes to see Moll. He greets her
Lancashire, where she meets James, the man who will become as a loving son and tells her all about her plantation, which is
her fourth husband. James says he is a rich Irishman, and Moll sure to bring her £100 per year in profits. Moll returns to the
has convinced him that she is a wealthy widow; however, once plantation she shares with James, and when her brother dies a
they are married, Moll and James discover that they are both year later, she finally tells James all about her past. James
penniless. Having equally deceived each other, and both happily accepts Moll and her past, and they live many more
looking for a more suitable match, Moll and James part years together, prosperous and happy. When Moll is almost 70
amicably, and Moll returns to London, where she discovers she years old, she returns to England with James, and the two live
is pregnant with James’s child. Unable to present herself to the the rest of their years “in sincere Penitence, for the wicked
banker—who still wishes to marry her—Moll boards with a Lives [they] have lived.”
midwife, who promises to see Moll through her pregnancy. Moll
gives birth to a son, and the midwife helps her to place the baby
with a family in the country for a sum of money. Then, with
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS
most of her £400 bank still intact, Moll sets out to find the
MAJOR CHARACTERS
banker.
Moll Flanders – Moll is the protagonist and narrator of Moll
Moll and the banker are married for five years and together
Flanders. Moll is born in Newgate Prison to a convict mother.
they have two children, but the banker falls ill and dies after a
She is raised by a kind nurse and later taken in by the lady, an
dishonest business associate steals most of his fortune. Alone
upper-class woman, and her family, where Moll falls in love with
again and without any money in her bank, Moll returns to her
the older brother of the family. He promises to marry her, but
friend the midwife, who agrees to let Moll board in her home at
after their relationship turns sexual, his affection wanes. Moll is
a reduced rate. There, in a state of absolute poverty and
ultimately forced to marry his younger brother, Robin, or be put
destitution, Moll embarks on a life of crime and prostitution.
out on the street. Robin dies after they get married, and Moll is
Moll becomes a successful thief and pickpocket, and she
left with little money and fewer options. Moll is married four
watches lesser criminals meet their ends at the gallows of
more times, including to a linen-draper and a plantation owner,
Newgate. Moll steals indiscriminately from wealthy women,
the latter of which turns out to also be her brother. When
children, and aristocrats, and she even steals a man’s horse,
Moll’s fifth and final husband, the banker, dies, Moll moves in
although she doesn’t know what to do with it or how to sell it,
with her friend, the midwife, and begins a life of crime. She
so she is forced to take it back. Moll’s criminal career is
starts as a pickpocket and moves on to shoplifting, and she even
incredibly lucrative and her bank grows to nearly £700, but she
burgles a house or two. She runs scams and frauds and works
is ultimately arrested for stealing fabric from a London home
occasionally as a prostitute. As Moll’s bank grows, so does her
and sent to Newgate Prison.
desire for more. She begins stealing things she doesn’t need
Moll is found guilty at Newgate Prison and sentenced to death, and can’t use, like a horse and a trunk too large to move, and
but once Moll repents her sins and vows to live a pious and she is finally arrested and sentenced to hang at Newgate

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Prison. In prison, under the direction of the minister, Moll pursue her. He flirts with Moll and compliments her, and then
repents her life of crime, and her life is spared. She reconnects he throws Moll onto her bed and “violently” kisses her. He
with her fourth and favorite husband, James, and builds a professes his love and gives her five Guineas before leaving.
happy and prosperous life with him after they are transported Afterward, the older brother continues his advances and
to the American colonies. When Moll’s sentence is up, she promises he will marry Moll after he inherits his estate. Moll is
returns to England with James, and they spend the rest of their doubtful, so by way of convincing her, the older brother gives
days “in sincere Penitence” for their lives of debauchery and her 100 Guineas and promises to give her 100 more every year
vice. Moll represents sin and immorality in the novel, but Defoe until they are married. Their relationship grows sexual, and the
implies she only turns to dishonest behavior because she has older brother, who never intended to marry Moll, stops talking
few options as a woman in 17th-century England. Moll does about marriage all together. When his younger brother Robin
repent and claims to be sincere, but Defoe suggests that falls in love with Moll, the older brother convinces her that
whether Moll is remorseful or not matters very little. Poverty is Robin is the better choice. It may be years before he comes into
a powerful motivator, and when she is faced with starvation, his fortune, the older brother says, and marrying Robin is the
Moll has no choice but crime. perfect way for Moll to restore her reputation. He gives Moll
The Midwife – The midwife is Moll’s friend. The midwife is a £500 “to make [her] some Amends for the Freedoms” he took
pickpocket early in life, but after she is arrested and with her, and tells her he will look upon her as a sister. Moll and
transported to Ireland, she becomes a midwife and Robin marry, and a few years later, the older brother marries a
procuress—meaning she is prostitute who also delivers babies woman from London. The older brother underscores the
and provides other, usually illegal, services. The midwife connection between sex and money in the novel. From the first
ignores her sentence and returns to England early, where, near-sexual encounter the older brother has with Moll, he pays
thinking pickpocketing too risky, she continues her work as a her; and when he leaves her, he pays Moll for taking her virtue
midwife. After Moll becomes pregnant with James’s baby, she is and potentially ruining her reputation—a priceless asset in
introduced to the midwife, and the midwife cares for Moll at 17th-century England. From early on, it is clear to Moll that sex
her London brothel throughout the rest of Moll’s pregnancy. and money are intimately connected, and in a society that
The midwife arranges for a woman to take Moll’s baby for a offers women limited opportunities to provide for themselves,
yearly sum, and Moll goes off to marry the banker, but she sex becomes a form of currency for Moll.
comes back after the banker dies. Moll boards with the midwife The Irishman/James – James is Moll’s fourth husband. Moll
and they become friends. The midwife introduces Moll to her meets James in Lancashire, and she believes him to be a
“Comrades”—the midwife’s criminal associates—and sets her up wealthy estate owner from Ireland. Shortly after they are
to learn the pickpocketing trade. Moll and the midwife live married, Moll and James learn that they are both poor, each
together for years, and the midwife encourages Moll’s life of having lied to the other about being wealthy. Moll doesn’t know
crime. The midwife has for years made her living off facilitating it, but James is a highwayman, and he makes his living robbing
jobs for her Comrades and acting as a pawn broker, and Moll is travelers and stagecoaches. Moll and James are exceedingly
a cash cow. Moll grows into a successful thief, and once the disappointed. They are in love, but they both vowed to marry
midwife is set for life, she suggests Moll retire. Moll won’t hear for money, so they agree to separate. James and Moll travel
of retiring, however, and she starts stealing more and more. together back to London, where he leaves her just outside of
Moll is finally arrested and sent to Newgate Prison, where she town. Moll doesn’t see him again until she marries the banker in
is found guilty and sentenced to hang, and the midwife is Brickill, where, from the window of her room, she watches
devastated. She has watched many of her Comrades hang, but James and two other men go into a house across the street. She
Moll is her friend, and she can’t bear to see her die. When later learns that three highwaymen have struck, but Moll tells
Moll’s life is spared, the midwife is overjoyed and begins to the authorities the suspects in question are fine men from
reflect on her own wicked past. She grows sincerely Lancashire, not highwaymen, and James is able to escape. Moll
remorseful—at times more than Moll—and abandons her later sees James at Newgate Prison, where they are both held
criminal life. The midwife represents sin and repentance within for theft. Luckily, James’s case is weak, and he is able to escape
the novel. She lives a life of sin and vice, sees the error of her death in exchange for being deported to the American colonies.
ways, and repents. While Moll’s remorse may be doubtful at the James and Moll are transported to Virginia, where they buy
novel’s end, the midwife is depicted as genuinely penitent. their freedom and purchase a plantation near the colony of
The Older Brother – The older brother, who remains nameless, Carolina. They live a happy and prosperous life there until
is the lady’s son, Robin’s brother, and Moll’s first lover. The James is 68 years old, at which point they both return to
older brother is handsome, charming, and incredibly wealthy. England. Moll and James live the rest of their lives in England
After Moll comes to live with his family, the older brother is “in sincere Penitence, for the wicked Lives [they] have lived.”
immediately taken by her beauty, and he quickly begins to James serves as an example of a hardened criminal who sees
the error of his ways and repents; however, it is never clear if

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James’s remorse is sincere, especially since he breaks the law brother’s brother, and Moll’s first husband. Robin falls in love
by returning to England at the end of the novel. with Moll when she comes to live with his family, and even
Moll’s Brother/The Plantation Owner – In London, Moll meets though he knows his family will resent him marrying a woman
the wealthy plantation owner from Virginia, and he quickly from the lower class, he vows to do so anyway. Moll, however, is
begins courting her. The plantation owner is led to believe by in love with the older brother, and it is unclear if Robin ever
Moll’s friends that Moll has a large fortune, but Moll makes him discovers this. Robin professes his love and proposes to Moll
promise to love her even if she is poor. After they are married, multiple times, but she always resists him. The lady believes
the plantation owner learns that Moll doesn’t have much that Moll refuses to marry Robin out of respect for the lady and
money at all, but he truly loves her and doesn’t mind. Moll and her husband, so the lady encourages her to marry Robin. Moll,
the plantation owner move to his estate in Virginia, where they of course, is still in love with the older brother; however, he has
live with his mother and sister. Moll soon discovers that she no intention of marrying her, and if she doesn’t marry one of
and the plantation owner are really half-siblings (his mother lady’s sons, Moll will soon be out on the street. Moll and Robin
turns out to be her own biological mother), and she keeps the marry, and the older brother gets Robin so drunk at the
secret from her husband for two years, during which time their wedding that he passes out before he and Moll can
relationship begins to suffer. Moll treats the plantation owner consummate their marriage. The next morning, Moll lies and
“like a Dog” and refuses to go to bed with him, and he threatens says that they did have sex, successfully hiding the fact that the
to send her to a madhouse. When Moll finally tells the older brother took her virginity long ago. After five years of
plantation owner the truth, he becomes lethargic and marriage and two children, Robin dies, leaving Moll alone.
depressed, and he twice attempts suicide. He sends Moll back Because of her relationship with Robin, Moll learns that
to England, and they never see each other again. The plantation marriage during the 17th century is a “politick Scheme for
owner lives with his and Moll’s son, Humphry, in Virginia for the forming Interests, and carrying on Business,” and that love has
rest of his life and dies a senile old man. Moll’s marriage to the nothing, or very little, to do with it.
plantation owner is another example of immorality and vice in Moll’s Mother – Moll’s mother was a convict in Newgate
the novel. Moll secures him with deception, and their Prison at the time of Moll’s birth. Mother is sentenced to death
incestuous relationship is the very picture of sin; however, for stealing a few pieces of fabric, but because she is pregnant,
neither Moll nor the plantation owner know they are related her sentence is commuted to transportation to the Colonies.
until well into their relationship, and Moll firmly maintains that When Moll is six months old, Mother is deported to Virginia,
sins committed in ignorance don’t count. where she is sold as an indentured servant. Mother later
The Bank
Banker
er – The banker is Moll’s fifth husband. Moll meets marries her master, who is a good man and gives her a good life.
the banker in London, when she hires him to advise her and They have two children, the plantation owner and Moll’s sister,
manage her bank, and he is immediately interested in her. and operate a successful plantation. After her husband dies and
Because his wife has been unfaithful to him, the banker the plantation owner marries Moll, Moll comes to live on
petitions for a divorce and asks Moll to marry him. She declines Mother’s plantation, not knowing that they’re at all related.
and goes to Lancashire, but she leaves her money with him, and Mother tells Moll stories of her early life, at which time Moll
they keep up a correspondence. The banker obtains a divorce discovers she is Mother’s daughter and has married her own
from his wife, after which she commits suicide, and he again half-brother. When Moll tells Mother the truth, Mother
asks Moll to marry him. While the banker doesn’t know it, Moll suggests Moll keep her secret and live as man and wife with the
is already married to James. They have already separated, but plantation owner. Mother stands to lose just as much as Moll if
Moll is pregnant with his child. After Moll gives birth, she gives their secret gets out, as the scandal of their incestuous family is
her child up and marries the banker. They have two children sure to ruin everyone’s reputation. Mother supports Moll when
and are married for a handful of years, until the banker grows she decides to tell the truth anyway, and she promises to leave
lethargic and dies after a dishonest business associate tricks Moll money in her will. Mother helps Moll return to England
him out of most his fortune. Until his death, the banker is a “safe and later dies an old woman on her plantation. In her will,
harbour” for Moll, and he provides her with a stable and happy Mother leaves her plantation to Moll, which allows Moll to live
life. Moll wishes she had married a man like the banker from the a very comfortable and happy life with James.
beginning. That way, perhaps her life wouldn’t have come to The Drunk Man – Moll meets the drunk man at the
crime, vice, and sin. The banker underscores the connection Bartholomew Fair in London. The drunk man is rich and
between poverty and immorality in the novel. While Moll is obviously intoxicated, and he takes to flirting heavily with Moll.
married to the banker and is not faced with poverty and They have sex, after which she takes his gold watch and money
starvation, she has no need to break the law or behave in and slips out the door. Moll returns home and tells the midwife,
immoral ways. who, after a hearty laugh, insists she knows the man. The
The Y
Younger
ounger Brother/Robin – Robin is the lady’s son, the older midwife goes to see him and finds him depressed and worried

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he has contracted a venereal disease. She gives back his watch and it illustrates the immorality of adultery.
and facilitates a meeting between him and Moll, at which time The Minister – After Moll is sent to Newgate Prison for theft
he tells Moll that since they have already committed the sin and is sentenced to death, the Minister comes to see her in her
once, he doesn’t see the harm in doing it again. The drunk man cell. He quotes scripture and asks Moll to repent, which she
is married, but he continues paying Moll for sex, which allows does sincerely for the first time in her life. While Moll has long
her to live rather comfortably. After about a year, he stops since considered much of her “wicked” life a sin, the Minister
calling on Moll, and she never sees him again. The drunk man helps Moll to see the true error of her ways, and she gives
illustrates vice and immorality in the novel, and he also herself over to the mercy of God. The Minister is so moved by
underscores the lengths women are forced to go to support Moll’s genuine remorse that he convinces the authorities to
themselves in 17th-century England. Furthermore, the reduce Moll’s sentence to transportation to the American
character of the drunk man and Moll’s association with him colonies, and Moll’s life is saved. The Minister even tries to get
highlight the ease with which sins can be repeated—once the Moll’s sentence commuted altogether, but he is told to quit
thing is done once, it becomes easier to commit the next time, while he is ahead. The moment Moll repents with the help of
which basically sums up Moll’s entire career as “a Thief and a the Minister is “the best part of [Moll’s] Life, the most
Whore.” Advantageous to [her], and the most instructive to others.” The
The Linen-Dr
Linen-Draper
aper – The linen-draper is Moll’s second husband. Minister represents piety and forgiveness, and he underscores
Moll meets the linen-draper in London after the death of her the importance of morality and penitence in Defoe’s novel.
first husband, Robin. She never loves the linen-draper, but she The Nurse – The nurse is Moll’s caretaker from the time Moll is
does find him agreeable, and she is led to believe he is quite three years old until she is a teenager. The nurse takes in
wealthy. At the end of two years, however, the linen-draper has orphaned children on behalf of the local parish, and she
spent much of Moll’s money and is arrested for his excessive tenderly cares for them until they are old enough to either “go
debts. As it turns out, he isn’t wealthy at all and is just another to Service”—work as maids, cooks, or other positions of
poor tradesman. He manages to escape from the bailiff’s house service—or care for themselves. The nurse is kind and
where he is being held, but before he does, he tells Moll to take attentive, and she is from a good family. She enjoys art, and she
whatever money she can dig up and run. As his wife, she, too, is makes sure that all the children under her care are able to read
wanted for his debts. The linen-draper runs to France and and dance. When Moll is eight years old and ordered into
never sees Moll again. After the linen-draper runs off, Moll is Service, the nurse agrees to keep her on, and she promises Moll
left alone without money or means to obtain a legal divorce. that she will never have to go to Service. The nurse dies after a
Moll is married three times after her marriage to the linen- sudden illness, and Moll goes to live with the lady. The nurse
draper; however, since she is never officially divorced from him, represents piety and virtue in the novel, and she serves as an
none of her subsequent marriages are legal. Thus, Moll is an example of morality and goodness.
adulterer for most of the novel, yet another sin to add to her
Humphry – Humphry is Moll’s son with her third husband, the
growing list of offenses. Like most of Moll’s husbands and
plantation owner. Humphry is the only one of Moll’s 12
lovers, the linen-draper is an example of immorality and vice,
children to be mentioned by name, although even Humphry’s
and he serves as a warning for honest readers, whom, Defoe
name isn’t revealed until he is well into adulthood. Moll
hopes, will use the book for moral instruction.
abandons Humphry after she discovers his father is really her
The Gentleman – The gentleman is a married man and Moll’s half-brother, and she doesn’t see her son again for over 20
lover. The gentleman is introduced to Moll by her landlady years. After Moll is transported to Virginia from Newgate
when Moll lives in Bath, and he first claims to have the utmost Prison, she sends her half-brother a letter, which is intercepted
respect for Moll and her virtue. He offers Moll money with no by Humphry. Humphry has been maintaining the plantation
strings attached and seems to be sincerely concerned for her Moll’s mother left Moll in her will, and despite her long
wellbeing. He even tells Moll that he can be trusted with her absence, he happily welcomes Moll as a mother. Humphry is a
virtue “naked in Bed,” but the moment Moll offers to have sex kind man who cares for his aging and senile father, and he never
with him, the gentleman jumps at the chance. Like most of the marries. At the end of the novel, Moll hires Humphry to
men in Moll’s life, the gentleman is chiefly interested in her for continue managing her plantation, and they enjoy a pleasant
sex, and his claims to respect her are presumably just a ploy to and easy relationship as mother and son.
get close to her. Moll and the gentleman have a longstanding
The Lady – The lady is the mother of the older brother and the
affair, and they have three children together. He eventually falls
younger brother, Robin. After the nurse dies, the lady takes
ill and has an attack of conscience, after which he refuses to
Moll in. The lady and her family are wealthy and of the highest
continue seeing Moll. He gives her £100 and leaves her. The
standing in society. When Robin falls in love with Moll and
affair between Moll and the gentleman serves as an example of
insists on marrying her, the lady is less than pleased. As a
the moral instruction Defoe mentions in the novel’s preface,
member of the lower class, Moll is not, in the lady’s opinion, an

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appropriate match for her son, and the lady considers kicking Moll’s Sister – Moll’s half-sister is the daughter of Moll’s
Moll out. However, when Moll claims to resist Robin’s advances mother. She is born in Virginia after Moll’s mother is
out of her sincerest respect for the lady, the lady changes her transported to the American colonies. Moll’s sister lives with
mind about Moll. The lady begins to encourage the marriage, Moll’s brother on his plantation in Virginia.
and she enlists the help of the older brother to convince Moll. The Ma
Mayyor’s Wife – The mayor’s wife is a socialite in
Robin dies five years into his marriage to Moll, and after Moll Colchester. After the death of the nurse, the mayor’s wife
leaves town, the lady takes charge of Moll and Robin’s two invites Moll to live with her and her family, but Moll declines
children. and instead chooses to live with the lady.
The Male Comr
Comradeade – The male comrade is one of Moll’s
partners in crime. Fearing her identity has been compromised,
Moll begins dressing as a man and takes to working with the THEMES
male comrade. Moll and the male comrade pull off several
robberies together—their specialty is relieving distracted In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color-
shopkeepers of their goods—but he never suspects Moll isn’t a coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes
man. The male comrade is arrested for a botched robbery, but occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have
Moll manages to get away. He is sent to Newgate Prison, where a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in
he attempts to turn Moll in for a reduced sentence; however, he black and white.
tells authorities that his partner’s name is Gabriel Spencer, and
when the police are unable to find a man by that name, the male POVERTY AND MORALITY
comrade is punished severely and presumably hanged. Like the At its core, Daniel Defoe’s Moll Flanders serves as a
couple, the male comrade serves to underscore the extreme sort of cautionary tale and moral guidebook for
danger involved in Moll’s life of crime. readers. Protagonist Moll Flanders lives, for the
The Shopk
Shopkeeper
eeper – Moll is falsely accused of robbing the most part, a life of crime. Moll is a thief and a prostitute, and
shopkeeper’s store in London. The shopkeeper confirms Moll when she isn’t actively breaking the law, she is lying and
wasn’t the woman who robbed him, but Moll is detained by his deceiving nearly everyone she meets. She is married five times,
two men and held against her will. A constable arrives and has an incestuous relationship with her brother, and gives birth
ultimately lets Moll go, but she insists on taking the shopkeeper to several children, all of whom she abandons. Moll is born in
before the magistrate, so that she might be compensated for London’s Newgate Prison to a convict mother, and it seems as if
her slight. The magistrate apologizes to Moll for the she is destined to follow in her mother’s criminal footsteps;
inconvenience, but he refuses to order her compensation. On however, this doesn’t mean that Moll doesn’t struggle with her
the advice of the midwife, Moll sues the shopkeeper and is morality. Each time she breaks the law or is otherwise
awarded £150 and a suit of black silk. The shopkeeper is dishonest, she feels appropriately guilty—at least until she
another one of Moll’s scams, and he further highlights the breaks the law or lies again. As a member of the lower class,
dishonesty Moll turns to in order to support herself. Moll has few opportunities or choices in life, and she is often
forced to break the law or resort to dishonest means to survive.
The Couple – The couple are a crime team whom Moll briefly
Defoe draws a direct parallel between crime and poverty in
works with as a thief in London. The couple (a man and a
Moll Flanders and ultimately argues that morality, like many
woman) aren’t married, but they steal together and sleep
together. They pull off a few robberies with Moll, but when they things, is a luxury that the lower class often cannot afford.
ask her to break into houses, she refuses. Breaking into houses Whenever Moll behaves in an immoral way, she is quick to point
is something Moll is hesitant to do, and the couple is ultimately out her own sins and express her guilt, which suggests Moll is
arrested and hanged for the crime. Like the male comrade, the often acting against her true moral compass. When Moll is
couple highlight the risk Molls runs each time she steals. young, she falls in love with the older brother, the son of the
The Landlady – The landlady owns the house where Moll wealthy lady who takes Moll in, and they have a longstanding
boards in Bath. The landlady does not “keep an ill House,” but affair. He initially promises to marry her but later refuses to do
she doesn’t have “the best Principles.” In other words, while the so, and Moll is forced to marry his younger brother or be put
landlady does not keep a brothel, she is a prostitute. Moll and out on the street. Moll never loves her husband, and she
the landlady become friendly, and she introduces Moll to the constantly thinks about his brother. “In short, I committed
gentleman. After Moll becomes pregnant with the gentleman’s Adultery and Incest with him every Day in my Desires,” Moll
child, the landlady finds her a midwife and allows Moll to rest at admits, “which without doubt, was as effectually Criminal in the
her house during her pregnancy. Nature of the Guilt, as if I had actually done it.” In this case, it is
only Moll’s thoughts that are immoral, but she still feels guilty.
When Moll marries her third husband, she later discovers that
MINOR CHARACTERS

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he is also her half-brother; however, she lives with this secret life of crime are closely related to her gender. As a woman in
for two whole years, because she has nowhere else to go. “I liv’d 17th-century England, Moll has very few options in life. She
therefore in open avowed Incest and Whoredom, and all under does not enjoy the same freedoms and privileges as men, such
the appearance of an honest Wife,” Moll says, “and made my as access to education or the right to own personal property. A
Husband, as he thought himself even nauseous to me.” Moll woman’s choices are limited to “going to Service” (working as a
knows her marriage is wrong, and it makes her sick to her servant or maid) or marriage, and Moll quickly learns that
stomach, but again, she can’t do much to change the situation. marrying for love is another luxury she can’t afford. For Moll,
After Moll’s fourth husband, James, leaves Moll alone and marriage is simply a business arrangement—a way for her to
pregnant, she is forced to “Lye-Inn”—women of Moll’s time secure social standing and wealth—and she is married five
where expected to completely remove themselves from society times throughout the course of novel. Moll’s marriages are
during pregnancy—at a brothel. “This was a strange Testimony mostly are a series of disasters, and after they fail to secure her
of the growing Vice of the Age, and such a one, that as bad as I wealth or status, she turns to a life of crime. With his portrayal
had been my self, it shock’d my very Senses, I began to nauceate of gender and society in Moll Flanders, Defoe highlights the
the place I was in, and above all, the wicked Practice,” says Moll. sexist nature of 17th-century English society and ultimately
Again, Moll is forced into an immoral situation that makes her argues that women, especially women of the lower class, have
makes her sick to her stomach. few options for social mobility.
Moll repeatedly reminds the reader of her poverty and implies From a very young age, it is expected that Moll will eventually
that she wouldn’t break the law or behave dishonestly if she “go to Service,” which underscores the limited opportunities
had more money and opportunity. As Moll embarks on her life available to women of her socioeconomic status. Moll spends
of crime, she begs the reader not to continue reading “without much of her childhood under the care of a nurse, who is funded
seriously reflecting on the Circumstances of a desolate State” by the church to keep orphans like Moll until “a certain Age, in
and to remember “the wise Man’s Prayer, Give me not Poverty which it might be suppos’d they might go to Service, or get their
lest I Steal.” Moll doesn’t break the law and live an immoral life own Bread.” When Moll is just eight years old, the courts order
because she is an inherently immoral woman; rather, she her into Service. At such a young age, Moll can do little but run
breaks the law and lives an immoral life because she has few errands “and be a Drudge to some Cook-Maid,” so she begs her
choices and little opportunity to do anything else. Moll admits nurse to keep her. Moll promises to work instead for her nurse,
that she regrets many of her immoral decisions. Her choices, and “Work very hard,” which she indeed does, giving the nurse
however, are made with immorality on one hand and “the every penny from her needlework and sewing. No matter what,
terrible prospect of Poverty and Starving” on the other. “But as it is expected that as a girl, Moll will be in the “Service” of
Poverty brought me into it,” Moll says of her immoral choices, another. Moll dreams of being a “Gentlewoman,” which to her
“so fear of Poverty kept me in it.” Moll’s choice is clear, and she means working for herself and earning enough to keep herself
must resort to crime and dishonesty in order to survive. Moll out of Service. “Poor child,” the nurse says, “you may soon be
explains that there are certain temptations that people are such a Gentlewoman as that, for she is a Person of ill Fame, and
powerless to resist. “As Covetousness is the Root of all Evil,” has had two or three Bastards.” A “Gentlewoman” turns out to
Moll says, “so Poverty is, I believe, the worst of all Snares.” Moll be a polite term for a prostitute, and, the nurse thus implies,
is caught in a trap of poverty, and Defoe explicitly states that prostitution is the only way in which Moll will ever be able to
the only way for her to get out is by stealing and other work for herself.
dishonest means. As Moll has a “thorough Aversion to going to Service,” her only
By the end of the novel, Moll is living comfortably with her ex- other (legal) option is marriage, which further highlights her
husband, James—who is also a reformed criminal—and they limited choices as a woman. Moll quickly learns that marriages
spend the rest of their days “in sincere Penitence” for their are “the Consequences of politick Schemes for forming
“wicked Lives.” Moll’s atonement may be genuine, but it is likely Interests, and carrying on Business, and that LOVE had no
she would return to her life of crime and dishonesty if not for Share, or but very little in the Matter.” In short, marriage
her newfound wealth. For Moll, “Vice [comes] in always at the (especially for women) is not about love; marriage is about
Door of Necessity, not at the Door of Inclination.” It is poverty securing the best possible social and financial status. After the
and limited opportunities that lead Moll to a life of crime, not a death of Moll’s first husband, Robin—a man she didn’t love but
lack of moral fiber. was forced to marry to keep from becoming homeless—she is
“resolv’d now to be Married or Nothing, and to be well Married
GENDER AND SOCIETY or not at all.” In other words, Moll has accepted the fact that she
must get married, but she will only marry a wealthy man. Moll is
Just as Daniel Defoe draws a parallel between
married a total of five times and gives birth to 12 children, but
poverty and morality in Moll Flanders, he likewise
she is never able to secure herself any real wealth or social
implies that Moll’s circumstances and subsequent

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status through marriage, and she secures even less love and says, “was to go quite out of my Knowledge, and go by another
happiness. It is only after marriage that Moll takes her “Estate in Name: […] Mrs. Flanders.” Moll’s only choice, she realizes right
[her] own Hands” and supports herself, but she must do so away, is to move where no one knows her and assume a false
through dishonest means. name. After several failed marriage attempts, Moll is forced to
Moll does eventually manage to find financial security—and enter a life of crime to support herself, and it is during this time
some happiness and love—and she even does it without that Moll’s criminal friends give her the name Moll Flanders.
marriage or breaking the law, but that security comes about “For it was no more of Affinity with my real Name, or with any
through pure chance. After Moll’s biological mother dies, she of the Names I had ever gone by, than black is of Kin to white,
leaves Moll a modest fortune, which allows Moll to live happily except that once, as before I call’d my self Mrs. Flanders,” Moll
with her ex-husband James—Moll’s fourth and favorite says. In other words, Moll’s new name has next to nothing to do
husband, whom she only left because he didn’t have any money. with her previous identities, but because Moll is entering into a
Without the chance fate of her inheritance, Moll would be new life of crime, she likewise needs a new name to go with it.
stuck in a cycle of loveless marriage, petty theft, and Moll is not the only character whose identity changes
prostitution, which highlights the restrictions women face in throughout the novel, and many of the characters are not who
17th-centruy England; most women, Defoe implies, have little they appear to be, which also suggests that identity is not static
chance for such a happy outcome. or easy to understand. For instance, Moll thinks her second
husband, the linen-draper, is a wealthy gentleman, but he turns
IDENTITY out to be just another poor merchant. “Well, at last I found this
amphibious Creature,” says Moll, “this Land-water-thing call’d, a
In the preface to Moll Flanders, Daniel Defoe
Gentleman-Tradesman.” Despite being of low social status, the
immediately draws attention to identity. He
linen-draper lives as Moll’s aristocratic husband for two years
concedes that it may be difficult for readers to
before finally exhausting much of Moll’s money. Her description
believe his story, as many of the characters’ names and
of him as an amphibian highlights the way his identity shifts to
circumstances are concealed, but Defoe offers no solution to
match his environment, just as a creature like a frog can belong
this problem. In the opening pages, the novel’s protagonist,
equally on both land and water. After Moll marries her third
Moll Flanders, says she must conceal her identity because of
husband, a wealthy captain who owns land in Virginia of the
her criminal history— “after which there is no Occasion to say
American colonies, she finds out that he is really her half-
any more about that,” Defoe writes. There is thus a sense of
brother, born after Moll’s biological mother was exiled to the
mystery surrounding identity in the novel, and Defoe neglects
colonies as punishment for petty theft. “I look’d upon him no
to give many of the characters names. Characters are often
longer as a Husband, but as a near Relation, the Son of my own
identified instead by the roles they fill in Moll’s life—such as
Mother,” Moll says. Just like Moll’s second husband, her third
mother, husband, or brother—and if their names are known,
husband turns out to be someone else entirely. Moll’s fourth
they are rarely used. Even Moll’s own name describes what she
husband, James from Lancashire, has “the Appearance of an
is, not who she is: “Moll” is 17th-century slang for a low-class
extraordinary fine Gentleman; he was Tall, well Shap’d, and had
woman of ill repute, and “Flanders” is a reference to the
an extraordinary Address,” Moll recounts; however, this is all
Women of Flanders, once known as the best prostitutes in
just appearance. Like Moll’s, James’s real identity is that of a
England. Plus, that name matches only 12 years of her long and
penniless fraud looking for a wealthy spouse.
varied life. Identity in Moll Flanders cannot be boiled down to
one’s name or even one’s role in society, and through the novel The true identity of Defoe’s protagonist is never revealed, and
Defoe underscores the complexity of identity and ultimately she asks that readers refer to her simply as Moll Flanders. “[S]o
argues that one’s identity is constantly changing and evolving. you may give me leave to speak of myself under that Name,”
Moll explains, “till I dare own who I have been, as well as who I
Moll changes her name several times throughout the book,
am.” This explanation of Moll’s identity suggests that she isn’t
adjusting as her life changes, which suggests that identity is not
the same person she was in her earlier years, and again implies
static but rather changes with the circumstances of one’s life.
that personal identity more generally is always shifting.
Moll is an orphan, and after the nurse who cares for her dies,
she goes to live with a wealthy lady and her family in
Colchester, where Moll is known as Mrs. Betty. Betty, a SEX AND MONEY
reference to the chambermaid in Alexander Pope’s famous Much of Daniel Defoe’s Moll Flanders revolves
poem The Rape of the Lock
Lock, is a generic name used strictly by around sex and money. In 17th-century England,
Moll’s Colchester family. After Moll’s second husband, the personal wealth is the very foundation of social
linen-draper, leaves her deep in debt and without the means to status and importance. In Moll’s experience, “if a young Woman
obtain a legal divorce, she finds it necessary to again change her have Beauty, Birth, Breeding, Wit, Sense, Manners, Modesty,
identity. “Upon these Apprehensions the first thing I did,” Moll and all these to an Extream; yet if she have not Money, she’s no

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Body.” That is, all the virtues in the world add up to nothing if The name “Moll” is slang for a woman of ill repute, such as a
they’re not accompanied by wealth. Of course, Moll is a poor prostitute, which is precisely why they give her that name.
orphan and doesn’t have any money, so she must find Again, in Moll’s case, it’s impossible to separate sex and money
alternative means to security. Additionally, according to Moll, it if she wants a stable, independent life. From the moment Moll
is necessary “for all women who expect any thing in the World meets the Gentleman, she knows he is just what she needs to
to preserve the Character of Virtue.” In other words, a woman’s lift herself out of her life of poverty. “I resolv’d to let him lye
worth is based on purity and virginity, which Moll finds difficult with me if he offer’d it,” Moll says, “but it was because I wanted
to feign after five marriages. Broke and without a husband, Moll his help and assistance, and I knew no other way of securing
turns to crime to survive, and she spends 12 years as a “whore.” him than that.” Here, Moll explicitly says that without money,
For Moll, sex is a sort of currency, both in her marriages and in she has only her body and sex, which she must use to get what
her career as a prostitute, and she uses it to secure her place in she needs; she literally doesn’t know of any other options for
society. Through Moll Flanders, Defoe highlights the intricate securing stability.
relationship between sex and money and ultimately argues that After Moll’s fifth and final husband, the banker, dies, she is
women like Moll can rarely separate the two—and that ultimately left on her own again. Afterward, Moll works almost
society’s expectations for women’s wealth and virginity are exclusively as a thief and a prostitute, until she is finally
thus an impossible standard. arrested near the end of the novel and thrown into Newgate
From the moment Moll falls in love for the very first time, there Prison. For Moll, sex and money can never be separated, even
is a definite connection between sex and money, which though society might claim that it’s necessary for women to
suggests the two are inseparable. When the older brother, the preserve their virginity. Through Moll’s story, Defoe implies
son of the wealthy lady who takes Moll in, kisses Moll, he that women like Moll are in an impossible double bind: they
throws her down and kisses her “most violently.” He only stops must have money and they must preserve their sexual purity,
when he hears someone coming, at which time he professes “a but in many cases, those two apparent virtues are in direct
great deal of Love for [her], […] and with that he put five conflict with one another.
Guineas into [her] Hand, and went away down Stairs.” This is
one of Moll’s first romantic encounters with the older brother,
and she is already, in effect, paid for it. Moll’s relationship with SYMBOLS
the older brother grows sexual and he promises that he will one
Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and
day marry her, but Moll doubts it. By way of convincing her, “he
Analysis sections of this LitChart.
pulls out a silk Purse, with an Hundred Guineas in it,” and gives
it to Moll. “I’ll give you such another,” the older brother says,
“every Year till I Marry you.” Again, there is a direct connection MOLL’S BANK OF MONEY
between money and sex implied in the older brother’s promise
Moll keeps a secret “Bank of Money” throughout
of marriage. Of course, the older brother has no intention of
most of Moll Flanders, and it symbolizes security
marrying Moll, and he gives her even more money when he
and Moll’s ability to care for herself. The bank of money shrinks
finally admits it. “I here offer you 500 £, in Money, to make you
and grows during Moll’s long life, and it keeps her from starving
some Amends for the Freedoms I have taken with you,” he says
and having to work as a servant. Moll’s bank is closely
to Moll. He has taken Moll’s virtue by having a sexual
associated with sex, and it begins to build during her
relationship with her, and he makes it clear that the going rate
relationship with the older brother, who gives Moll money
is 500 pounds.
before they have sex. When the older brother leaves Moll, he
Later, after Moll turns to prostitution, sex becomes currency in pays her £500 for her virtue, and Moll has a significant amount
a more literal way, which further highlights the connection of her own money for the first time. When Moll’s marriages and
between sex and money in the novel and in 17th-century affairs fail, she stops each time to take stock of her bank, which
England more generally. After the death of Moll’s first husband, is sometimes modest, and sometimes nearly dry. After Moll’s
Robin, she moves to a place where no one knows her and fifth and final husband, the banker, dies, Moll has less than
changes her name. Moll dresses up “in the Habit of a Widow, £200 in her bank. She lives on her money until it runs out, and
and call’d [herself] Mrs. Flanders.” In London, there is a long when Moll is faced with starvation, she turns to a life of crime.
association between Flemish women (women from Flanders) She works as a pickpocket, a shoplifter, and a prostitute, and
and prostitutes, and Moll obviously knows this. By calling her bank quickly expands to include over £700 and various
herself Mrs. Flanders, Moll implies that she is not opposed to items of value. When Moll is arrested and sentenced to
prostitution as a way to secure herself wealth and status. Moll transportation to the American colonies, she brings her bank
admits that her name is a nickname given to her by her with her, but she leaves £300 with the midwife in London. Moll
“Comrades”—her friends in crime and, likely, other prostitutes. goes to Virginia with her fourth and favorite husband, James,

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where they build a happy and prosperous life after buying their
freedom. Safe and secure in her life with James, Moll no longer her identity to avoid arrest. Defoe is again unconcerned if
fears homelessness or starvation, and she sends for the the author’s secrecy makes it difficult for readers to believe
midwife to spend her remaining bank on supplies for the the story and take it “for Genuine.” Moll’s true identity is
plantation Moll shares with James. In her happiness and never revealed, which indicates that her identity shifts so
newfound wealth, Moll is finally secure enough to let her bank much over the course of her life that it is ultimately
go and set aside her criminal past for good, suggesting that unknowable.
wealth brings not only material security but also emotional
freedom and the ability to live a moral life.
It is true, that the original of this Story is put into new
Words, and the Stile of the famous Lady we here speak of
QUO
QUOTES
TES is a little alter’d, particularly she is made to tell her own Tale in
Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the modester Words than she told it at first; the Copy which came
Penguin edition of Moll Flanders published in 1989. first to Hand, having been written in Language more like one
still in Newgate, than one grown Penitent and Humble, as she
afterwards pretends to be.
The Preface Quotes
The World is so taken up of late with Novels and Related Characters: Moll Flanders
Romances that it will be hard for a private History to be taken
for Genuine where the Names and other Circumstances of the Related Themes:
Person are concealed, and on this Account we must be content
to leave the Reader to pass his own Opinion upon the ensuing Page Number: 37
Sheets, and take it just as he pleases.
Explanation and Analysis
The Author is here suppos’d to be writing her own History, and
in the very beginning of her Account, she gives the Reasons This passage also occurs in Defoe’s preface, and it is
why she thinks fit to conceal her true Name, after which there important because it implies Moll isn’t an entirely moral
is no Occasion to say any more about that. woman and it casts doubt on the sincerity of her remorse.
Here, Defoe explains that Moll had to rewrite her story and
“put [it] into new Words.” Moll is a former criminal and an
Related Characters: Moll Flanders ex-convict, and her language the first time around was
apparently too rough. Women during Defoe’s time were
Related Themes:
expected to be modest and refined, and Moll’s story is
neither. Moll’s “Stile,” or way of writing, has been changed
Page Number: 37
somewhat to contain “modester Words” fit for public
Explanation and Analysis consumption.
This passage occurs in the very beginning of Moll Flanders, Defoe claims Moll’s original draft—“the Copy which came
and it is significant because it identifies the novel as a first to Hand”—was written in the language of “Newgate,”
narrative and introduces the theme of identity to the book. the London prison in which Moll is born and later serves
In 1722, when Moll Flanders was first published, the English time. Prison language conjures thoughts of harsh words and
novel was a rather new and increasingly popular concept. obscenities, and such language would have been considered
While there were several “Novels and Romances” by highly distasteful and taboo during Defoe’s time. The
Defoe’s time, Moll Flanders is generally accepted as the first second draft of Moll’s story, the one that became Moll
“private History”—a narrative that may or may not be true. Flanders, is in the language of the “Penitent and Humble,”
Defoe seems unconcerned if his readers believe the story which Moll “afterwards pretends to be.” Moll grows
or not, and he leaves each reader to “pass his own Opinion.” remorseful for her crimes and sins toward the end of the
Defoe explains that he is not the author of the novel. The book, but she is hardly humble, and her penitence is never
novel is written by a woman who sees fit to conceal “Names completely believable. The word “pretends” meant
and other Circumstances,” including her own. The author, something more like “profess” or “aspire to” during Defoe’s
known as Moll Flanders, later admits that she is a criminal, time, so it does not necessarily mean that Moll is faking her
still wanted for many of her crimes, and she must conceal remorse, but doubt remains through much of the book.

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The Pen employ’d in finishing her Story, and making it what The Advocates for the Stage have in all Ages made this the
you now see it to be, has had no little difficulty to put it into great Argument to persuade People that their Plays are
a Dress fit to be seen, and to make it speak Language fit to be useful, and that they ought to be allow’d in the most civiliz’d,
read: When a Woman debauch’d from her Youth, nay, even and in the most religious Government; Namely, That they are
being the Off-spring of Debauchery and Vice, comes to give an applyed to virtuous Purposes, and that by the most lively
Account of all her vicious Practises, and even to descend to the Representations, they fail not to recommend Virtue and
particular Occasions and Circumstances by which she first generous Principles, and to discourage and expose all sorts of
became wicked, and of all the progression of Crime which she Vice and Corruption of Manners; and were it true that they did
run through in threescore Year, an Author must be hard put to so, and that they constantly adhered to that Rule, as the Test of
it to wrap it up so clean, as not to give room, especially for their acting on the Theatre, much might be said in their Favour.
vicious Readers to turn it to his Disadvantage.
Related Characters: Moll Flanders
Related Characters: Moll’s Mother, Moll Flanders
Related Themes:
Related Themes:
Page Number: 39-40
Page Number: 37-8
Explanation and Analysis
Explanation and Analysis This quote appears near the end of Defoe’s preface, and it is
This passage from the preface explains Defoe’s difficulty in important because it establishes Moll Flanders as a novel of
dressing up Moll’s story, and it is significant because it moral instruction. “The Advocates for the Stage” is a
reflects the sexism that pervades most of the novel. Defoe reference to the state of London’s theater during the 16th
implies here that he is merely the book’s editor, “employ’d in and 17th centuries. During this time, theater and plays were
finishing [Moll’s] story,” and he says it wasn’t an easy job. thought by many to portray excessive vice and immorality,
Moll is a woman “debauch’d from her Youth” and is “the Off- and they were considered a bad influence on society and
Spring of Debauchery and Vice.” That is, she was born in a even outlawed for decades. However, there were others
prison and lives a life of crime and inappropriate sex, and the during this time who supported theaters and thought plays
novel is “an Account of all her vicious Practises.” As such, it were instructive and “useful” when “applied to virtuous
was difficult for Defoe to “wrap it up so clean, as not to give Purposes.” For some, plays “expose[d]” and “discourage[d]”
room, especially for vicious Readers to turn it to his vice and immorality, and that is exactly how Defoe offers
Disadvantage.” In other words, he had to work very hard to Moll’s story.
make sure Moll’s story doesn’t read like a how-to manual for The “most lively Representations”—that is, the most corrupt
criminal behavior and immorality. and immoral stories—“fail not to recommend Virtue and
Defoe depicts Moll here as someone deplorable, and he generous Principles,” which means that there is much to be
claims he had a hard time putting Moll’s story in “a Dress fit learned from Moll’s story. She is a thief and a prostitute, and
to be seen.” Women during Moll’s time where expected to she is guilty of incest, adultery, bigamy, and fraud. She
be refined, well mannered, and virtuous, so it’s nearly spends time in Newgate Prison, abandons 12 children, and
impossible to make Moll and her story fit that impossible steals and lies indiscriminately. In telling Moll’s story, Defoe
ideal. Regardless, both Moll and her story are forced to warns readers of the dishonesty and immorality of those
conform to the standards of 17th-century British society, around them, and he urges readers toward virtue by
which demands women fill a subordinate and incredibly showing them a vivid example of how not to behave in an
limited role of domestic work and piety. Without that upright and moral way.
appearance of virtue, Moll’s story could never be told at all.

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Moll’s Childhood Quotes

My True Name is so well known in the Records, or Related Themes:
Registers at Newgate, and in the Old-Baily, and there are some
things of such Consequence still depending there, relating to Page Number: 43
my particular Conduct, that it is not to be expected I should set Explanation and Analysis
my Name, or the Account of my Family to this Work; perhaps,
after my Death it may be better known; at present it would not This quote also appears in the beginning of Moll’s story, and
be proper, no, not tho’ a general Pardon should be issued, even it reveals her assumed name as “Moll Flanders,” which
without Exceptions and reserve of Persons or Crimes. introduces the novel’s connection between sex and money.
Moll’s alias is given to her by “some of [her] worst
Comrades”—the criminal associates Moll works with as a
Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker) pickpocket and shoplifter—but she claims most of them are
gone and can no longer do her “Harm,” meaning they can no
Related Themes: longer influence or encourage her to break the law. Most of
Moll’s comrades go “out of the World by the Steps and the
Page Number: 43
String,” which is to say they are hanged at Newgate Prison,
Explanation and Analysis just as Moll nearly is.
This quote appears in the very beginning of Moll’s story, and The name Moll Flanders is highly meaningful, and its
it is significant because it establishes Moll as a wanted signifiance would have been very obvious to readers during
criminal. “Newgate” is the prison in London during Moll’s Defoe’s time. “Moll” is slang for a low-class woman of ill
time, and “Old-Baily” is the courthouse across the street. repute, and “Flanders” is a reference to the “Women of
Moll can’t use her “True Name” in telling her story, because Flanders,” the Flemish women who worked as London’s
her real name is “well known” to those at Newgate and Old- most famous prostitutes during the 17th and 18th
Baily. Furthermore, Moll has “things of such Consequence centuries. Moll’s nickname describes who she is: a woman of
still depending there,” which means Moll is a wanted woman the lower class who often makes money through sex. Moll
and still sought by the law for her crimes. learns early on that sex is something that is expected of her
(even though she is also expected to be chaste and virtuous),
This quote becomes even more significant when considered
and she also learns it can be highly lucrative. Moll makes
in context with Moll’s remorse and penitence. Moll claims to
most of her money through sex in some way, either as a
be sincerely remorseful for her crimes and immorality, but
prostitute or in unspoken agreements with her husbands
her repentance is less than convincing. It is difficult for Moll
and lovers. For Moll, sex is a sort of currency, and her name
to sin and lie when she first begins breaking the law, but
reflects this from the start.
once she grows used to it, she has an easy time being a
criminal. She sees the error of her ways when she is
sentenced to death and given a last minute reprieve, but
even then, it takes her little time to return to her dishonest Had this been the Custom in our Country, I had not been
ways. Accordingly, Moll’s pending criminal cases are left a poor desolate Girl without Friends, without Cloaths,
suspect. She writes her story when her adventures are without Help or Helper in the World, as was my Fate; and by
over—after she has been arrested and repented—yet she which, I was not only expos’d to very great Distresses, even
still has open cases, which suggests Moll’s criminal life isn’t before I was capable either of Understanding my Case, or how
just a thing of the past. to Amend it, nor brought into a Course of Life, which was not
only scandalous in itself, but which in its ordinary Course,
tended to the swift Destruction both of Soul and Body.
It is enough to tell you, that as some of my worst
Comrades, who are out of the Way of doing me Harm, Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), Moll’s
having gone out of the World by the Steps and the String, as I Mother
often expected to go, knew me by the Name of Moll Flanders;
so you may give me leave to speak of myself under that Name Related Themes:
till I dare own who I have been, as well as who I am.
Page Number: 44

Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker) Explanation and Analysis

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This quote appears in the early stages of Moll’s story, after money. The marriage market in London during Moll’s time is
she notes that some countries take care of orphaned tough, and only those with the best dowries are offered the
children, and it is important because it reflects Defoe’s best husbands.
argument that Moll’s life of immorality is the direct result of Women are expected to fill a very limited role in Moll’s
English society’s failure to care for orphaned children. society—they remain in the domestic sphere and usually
Moll’s mother gives birth to her in prison, and she is marry young—and they are expected to have “Beauty, Birth,
transported to America when Moll is just six months old. Breeding, Wit, Sense, Manners, Modesty, and all these to an
Moll is, quite literally, “left a poor desolate Girl without Extream.” Still, without money—without a sizable dowry to
Friends, without Cloaths, without Help or Helper in the offer her new husband—a woman is nothing. Moll, of
World.” She is taken in and cared for by strangers, but it course, doesn’t have any money, and as such, she has
seems Moll never really has a chance in life. nothing to “recommend” her to potential husbands, despite
If Moll had been cared for early in life—had caring for her beauty and fine manners. As a woman’s role is limited to
orphaned children and giving them the life they should have either marriage or working as a servant, Moll has little
had with their parents “been the Custom in [Moll’s] choice in the direction her life takes, but she is determined
Country”—Defoe implies that Moll might not have been to make her own money and provide for her herself.
destined “to the swift Destruction of both Soul and Body.”
Moll lives a tough life of poverty, crime, and prostitution,
and this “scandalous” existence takes its toll on her, Then he walk’d about the Room, and taking me by the
especially on her morality. Morality and ethics are of the Hand, I walk’d with him; and by and by, taking his
utmost importance in 17th-century English society; Advantage, he threw me down upon the Bed, and Kiss’d me
however, in Moll’s case, society is also the very reason why there most violently; but to give him his Due, offer’d no manner
Moll is unable to claim the moral high ground. of Rudeness to me, only Kiss’d me a great while; after this he
thought he had heard some Body come up Stairs, so he got off
from the Bed, lifted me up, professing a great deal of Love for
The Older Brother and Moll’s First Marriage me, but told me it was all an honest Affection, and that he
Quotes meant no ill to me; and with that he put five Guineas into my
I wonder at you Brother, says the Sister; Betty wants but Hand, and went away down Stairs.
one Thing, but she had as good want every Thing, for the
Market is against our Sex just now; and if a young Woman have Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Older
Beauty, Birth, Breeding, Wit, Sense, Manners, Modesty, and all Brother
these to an Extream; yet if she have not Money, she’s no Body,
she had as good want them all, for nothing but Money now Related Themes:
recommends a Woman […].
Page Number: 62
Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Lady, The Explanation and Analysis
Older Brother This quote appears early in Moll’s relationship with the
older brother, and it is significant because it reflects the
Related Themes:
novel’s connection between sex and money and suggests
Page Number: 58 that the older brother doesn’t have the best intentions for
Moll. The older brother waits for the perfect time to take
Explanation and Analysis “his Advantage” with Moll. He goes upstairs to her room and
This quote occurs when Moll is living with the lady and her waits for everyone to leave, and then he throws her on her
family, and it reflects the impossible ideal expected of bed and kisses her “most violently.” He offers Moll “no
women in the sexist society of 17th-century England. Moll manner of Rudeness,” but he clearly doesn’t respect her, as
relays this quote, which is spoken to the older brother by he is rough and jumps up the moment he hears someone
one of his sisters after he admits that he thinks Moll is coming. The older brother’s quick action implies he is
beautiful. The older brother’s sister warns him that Moll, a ashamed of his relationship with Moll—or, at least, that he
poor orphan, is only after “one Thing”: the older brother’s doesn’t want others to know about it.

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The older brother professes “a great deal of Love” for Moll with only the older brother’s purse. This purse turns into
and claims to have “an honest Affection” for her. Yet he Moll’s “Bank of Money,” which she keeps and builds
keeps their relationship a secret and gives Moll throughout the novel to care for herself, indicating that for
money—“five Guineas”—as a way to convince her that he disadvantaged women like Moll, virtue and money often
means “no ill” to her. This gift of money and the older come to be interchangeable.
brother’s “violent” kisses begin a connection between sex
and money that will last throughout the whole novel. The
older brother makes it clear that he is sexually attracted to Moll Marries the Linen-Draper Quotes
Moll, and he makes it known that he is willing to pay for it,
Upon these Apprehensions the first thing I did, was to go
introducing her to the harsh reality that offering sex will
quite out of my Knowledge, and go by another Name: This I did
often be her easiest path to financial security.
effectually, for I went into the Mint too, took Lodgings in a very
private Place, drest me up in the Habit of a Widow, and call’d
myself Mrs. Flanders.
My Colour came and went, at the Sight of the Purse, and
with the fire of his Proposal together; so that I could not
Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Linen-
say a Word, and he easily perceiv’d it; so putting the Purse into
Draper
my Bosom, I made no more Resistance to him, but let him do
just what he pleas’d; and as often as he pleas’d; and thus I Related Themes:
finish’d my own Destruction at once, for from this Day, being
forsaken of my Virtue, and my Modesty, I had nothing of Value Page Number: 108
left to recommend me, either to God’s Blessing, or Man’s
Assistance. Explanation and Analysis
This quote occurs after Moll’s second husband, the linen-
Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Older draper, leaves her. It highlights Moll’s evolving identity and
Brother also emphasizes the connection between sex and money
within the novel. After the linen-draper leaves, Moll is left in
Related Themes: debt and is in danger of being thrown in debtors’ prison.
Knowing this, Moll thinks it is best “to go quite out of [her]
Related Symbols: Knowledge”—that is, go to where no one knows her—and
change her name. Moll takes refuge at “the Mint,” a district
Page Number: 68 in London that is a jurisdictional interzone due to the coin
mint that used to operate there. In the district of the Mint,
Explanation and Analysis the local authorities don’t have jurisdiction and criminals
This quote occurs after the older brother proposes to Moll, can’t be arrested there, making it the perfect place for
and it is significant because it further underscores the debtors like Moll.
connection between sex and money in the novel. When the Moll calls herself “Mrs. Flanders,” a name that is also given
older brother proposes to Moll, he also gives her a purse of to her later in the book by her criminal associates.
100 Guineas and offers to give her 100 more each year “Flanders” is a reference to the Women of Flanders, the
until they are married. Moll swoons at the purse and Flemish women who were known as London’s best
proposal—her “Colour came and went”—and she is prostitutes at the time. By giving herself the name Mrs.
speechless. At the “Sight of the Purse,” Moll offers the older Flanders, Moll implies that she isn’t opposed to prostitution
brother “no more Resistance,” meaning she finally consents to support herself. As Defoe claims Moll was made to
to have sex with him. rewrite her story in more modest words, Moll’s sexual
As a poor orphan girl, Moll has no money and no dowry, encounters, especially those involving prostitution, are
which is the only thing society truly cares about, and all she subtle, and her name is a prime example of this. Much of the
has of value is her virtue—which is to say, her virginity. The inappropriateness has been scrubbed from Moll’s story, but
older brother takes that virtue, and he gives Moll 100 her name—which also serves as the title of the book—is a
Guineas in return. This trade, however, isn’t exactly fair, and clear indicator of Moll’s true behavior.
it leads to Moll’s “Destruction.” Without her virtue, Moll has
“nothing of value left to recommend [her],” and she is left

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This Knowledge I soon learnt by Experience, (viz.) That the
State of things was altered as to Matrimony, and that I was
Related Themes:
not to expect at London, what I had found in the Country; that
Marriages were here the Consequences of politick Schemes for Page Number: 121
forming Interests, and carrying on Business, and that
L o v e had no Share, or but very little in the Matter. Explanation and Analysis
This quote appears when Moll claims women should be
Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Older permitted to ask questions as to a man’s character and
Brother, The Linen-Draper, The Younger Brother/Robin fortune before consenting to marry him. It further
underscores the sexist nature of 17th-century English
Related Themes: society and highlights the ways in which Moll resists such
oppression. Women during Moll’s time are not permitted to
Page Number: 112 be picky when it comes to men, and it is considered in
extremely bad taste to ask about a man’s character or his
Explanation and Analysis
money. To Moll, this is ridiculous. She recommends asking,
This passage appears as Moll is looking for a new husband, regardless of social expectations, and she doesn’t think any
and it is significant because it establishes that Moll is reasonable man of “common Sense” should think any less of
looking to marry for money, not love. Moll learns this lesson her (or any other woman) for doing so.
through her own “Experience.” By this time, Moll has already
As a woman, Moll is taught to be grateful for the attention
had two husbands, neither of whom she loved. She first
or proposal of any man, but here Moll reveals just how
marries Robin to ensure she isn’t kicked out into the street,
unwise that perspective is. A woman who immediately
but she never loves him. He offers her stability, money, and
submits to men, either in marriage or in sex, is “the weakest
shelter, but that is all, and Moll is never really happy with
of all Creatures in the World.” According to Moll, women
him. Moll marries the linen-draper for money and stability,
should ask questions and say no more often, and any man
too, but he turns out to be even poorer than she is and
who expects otherwise has “a very contemptible Opinion of
looking for his own support.
[a woman’s] Capacities.” In other words, any man who
Both of Moll’s marriages by this time are based on money expects a woman to accept him without any questions asked
and security, and every subsequent marriage and long-term insults her intelligence and expects her to waste the “one
relationship she has hereafter is based on the very same Cast for her Life.” People only have one life to live, Moll
thing. “L o v e” (which appears with extra spacing, as if to argues, and marrying without asking questions leaves one’s
imply how far away she is from love) doesn’t figure into life to chance and makes marriage “like Death,” like a blind
Moll’s marriages at all, and she doesn’t seem to love any of leap of faith.
her five husbands as much as she loves her very first lover,
the older brother. The older brother takes advantage of
Moll, and he never intends to marry her, but she learns this Moll Marries the Plantation Owner Quotes
the hard way—just as she learns the truth about love and
He took my Carriage very ill, and indeed he might well do
marriage.
so, for at last I refus’d to Bed with him, and carrying on the
Breach upon all occasions to extremity he told me once he
thought I was Mad, and if I did not alter my Conduct, he would
No Man of common Sense will value a Woman the less for put me under Cure; that is to say, into a Madhouse: I told him he
not giving up herself at the first Attack, or for not should find I was far enough from Mad, and that it was not in his
accepting his Proposal without enquiring into his Person or power, or any other Villains to Murther me; I confess at the
Character; on the contrary, he must think her the weakest of all same time I was heartily frighted at his Thoughts of putting me
Creatures in the World, as the Rate of Men now goes; In short, into a Mad-House, which would at once have destroy’d all the
he must have a very contemptible Opinion of her Capacities, possibility of breaking the Truth out, whatever the occasion
nay, even of her Understanding, that having but one Cast for might be; for that then, no one would have given Credit to a
her Life, shall cast that Life away at once, and make Matrimony word of it.
like Death, be a Leap in the Dark.

Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), Moll’s

Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker) Brother/The Plantation Owner

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This quote occurs after Moll’s long-term lover, the

Related Themes:
gentleman, leaves her alone and with very little money, and
it is significant because it underscores the connection
Page Number: 140-1
between immorality and poverty within the novel. When the
Explanation and Analysis gentleman leaves Moll alone with a child and no way to take
This quote appears after Moll discovers that her third care of it, Moll is a “loose unguided Creature,” and she has
husband, the plantation owner, is also her half-brother, and no one at all to help her or give her advice. Moll knows what
it is important because it further underscores the sexism she “aim’d at, and what [she] wanted,” which means she
and misogyny that pervade much of the novel. While Moll is wants a husband and financial stability, but she doesn’t
aware of her husband’s true identity, he does not yet know know “how to pursue the End by direct means.” That is, Moll
the truth, so he grows irritated as Moll grows more distant. can’t seem to find a reasonable husband—they are all
His “Carriage” becomes “ill,” which means he begins to treat married, like the gentleman, or poor, like Moll’s other
Moll badly, and this situation comes to a head when Moll husbands.
refuses “to Bed with him,” which is to say Moll stops having In “a settled State of Living” with “a sober good Husband,”
sex with him. Moll’s husband is so angry she withholds sex Moll won’t have to steal, work as a prostitute, or live as a
from him that he accuses her of being “Mad,” and threatens mistress. If given the chance, Moll will be a perfectly
to “put [her] under Cure” in a “Madhouse,” or insane asylum. virtuous wife, but Moll is never given a decent chance.
Without marriage, one of the only options available to
During Moll’s time, men often had their wives admitted to
women in 17th-century England, Moll is left to fend for
psychiatric hospitals for perceived mental afflictions or as
herself, and she is frequently under the threat of poverty
an alternative to divorce, simply to be rid of them.
and starvation. Without the chance to settle down in a safe
Admittance to the madhouse was a real fear for women, and
household, Moll is forced to turn to crime. For Moll, vice and
it was a major way in which they were controlled and
sin come in “always at the Door of Necessity, not at the
oppressed by their male-dominated society. Furthermore,
Door of Inclination.” In other words, Moll breaks the law and
women in madhouses can never be taken seriously—or
sacrifices her morals to survive, not because she wants to or
reveal a bombshell truth like Moll’s marriage to her
is innately immoral.
brother—because everything they say is considered insane,
and no one gives “Credit to a word of it.” As such, with
threats of the madhouse, the plantation owner demands sex
from Moll in the most powerful way he can, which clearly Moll Meets the Midwife and Marries the Banker
shows that he sees sex as her duty as his wife. Quotes
O let none read this part without seriously reflecting on
the Circumstances of a desolate State, and how they would
Moll and the Gentleman Quotes grapple with meer want of Friends and want of Bread; it will
This was evidently my Case, for I was now a loose certainly make them think not of sparing what they have only,
unguided Creature, and had no Help, no Assistance, no Guide but of looking up to Heaven for support, and of the wise Man’s
for my Conduct: I knew what I aim’d at, and what I wanted, but Prayer, Give me not Poverty lest I Steal.
knew nothing how to pursue the End by direct means; I wanted
to be plac’d in a settled State of Living, and had I happen’d to Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker)
meet with a sober good Husband, I should have been as faithful
and true a Wife to him as Virtue it self could have form’d: If I Related Themes:
had been otherwise, the Vice came in always at the Door of
Necessity, not at the Door of Inclination […]. Page Number: 253-4

Explanation and Analysis

Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The
This quote appears right before Moll steals from a London
Gentleman
shop for the first time, and it highlights how Moll’s criminal
Related Themes: behavior is directly tied to her dire poverty. Before Moll
recounts the moment she takes a package from an
Page Number: 182 apothecary’s shop, she stops and begs the reader not to go
on “without seriously reflecting on the Circumstances of a
Explanation and Analysis

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desolate State.” In other words, Moll is destitute, and she becomes easy, like second nature, and Moll transforms into
has no friends, money, or food, and she asks the reader what a talented thief. In this way, Defoe illustrates how the life of
they would do in her shoes, with “want of Friends and want a criminal like Moll can get so out of hand.
of Bread.” The answer to Moll seems simple: steal or die.
Moll is initially ashamed of her need to steal (although this
shame doesn’t seem to stick), and she wants the reader to Moll’s Crimes Escalate Quotes
know this. She knows it isn’t easy to accept her or her sins, On the other hand, every Branch of my Story, if duly
and she isn’t looking for pity or a handout—she doesn’t want consider’d, may be useful to honest People, and afford a due
others to think “of sparing what they have”—she simply Caution to People of some sort or other to Guard against the
wants others to look “to Heaven for support” and remember like Surprizes, and to have their Eyes about them when they
“the wise Man’s Prayer, Give me no Poverty lest I Steal.” Moll have to do with Strangers of any kind, for ’tis very seldom that
doesn’t steal because she is an inherently immoral person; some Snare or other is not in their way. The Moral indeed of all
she steals to stay alive, and her plea here reflects Defoe’s my History is left to be gather’d by the Senses and Judgment of
argument about the link between poverty and crime. the Reader; I am not Qualified to preach to them, let the
Experience of one Creature compleatly Wicked, and
compleatly Miserable be a Storehouse of useful warning to
Moll and the Drunk Man Quotes those that read.
Thus you see having committed a Crime once, is a sad
Handle to the committing of it again; whereas all the Regret, Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker)
and Reflections wear off when the Temptation renews it self;
had I not yielded to see him again, the Corrupt desire in him Related Themes:
had worn off, and ’tis very probable he had never fallen into it,
with any Body else, as I really believe he had not done before. Page Number: 343

Explanation and Analysis

Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Drunk This quote occurs near the end of Moll’s story, after she has
Man repented her life of crime and sin, and it reinforces Moll’s
intention for her story to be used as moral instruction for
Related Themes:
responsible readers. According to Moll, “every Branch of
Page Number: 306 [her] Story” can “be useful to honest People.” Moll’s story is
full of sin and corruption, but it can “afford a due Caution to
Explanation and Analysis People of sort or other to Guard against the like Surprizes.”
This quote appears when Moll and the drunk man begin In other words, the world is full of sin and corruption, and
their relationship, and it is important because it reflects the Moll’s story teaches people what to look out for, and what
ease with which the same crime can be committed again, to avoid.
after it is committed for the first time. When Moll first It is impossible for one to keep an eye out and pay attention
meets the drunk man, they have sex and then Moll robs him. for vice and corruption at every turn, and there is always
He believes her to be a prostitute, and he keeps coming “some Snare or other”—that is, some scheme to catch
back and paying her for sex. As the drunk man sees it, after a honest people—to watch out for. Moll makes such “Snares,”
crime or sin is committed once, it doesn’t hurt to do it again. or sin, more visible, and in doing so, she provides a public
When repeating a crime, guilt fades away, and continuing service. Moll claims she isn’t “Qualified to preach” at
the thing is easy. readers—after all, she is just a repentant sinner—and she
Moll believes that if she had refused the drunk man, whom wants everyone to gather their own “Senses and
she doesn’t think has ever solicited a prostitute before, his Judgement.” What she is qualified to do is offer “a
“Corrupt desire” would have “worn off.” Without her Storehouse of useful warning to those that read” and help
consent, he would have forgotten all about the desire to sin, readers through revealing the errors of her own ways.
but repetition makes their sin comfortable and easy. This
passage has additional importance when put into context
with Moll’s life as a thief. When Moll first steals, it is
incredibly difficult; however, after the sin is repeated, it

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Moll in Newgate Prison Quotes Conclusion Quotes

This may be thought inconsistent in it self, and wide from Thus all these little Difficulties were made easy, and we
the Business of this Book; Particularly, I reflect that many of liv’d together with the greatest Kindness and Comfort
those who may be pleas’d and diverted with the Relation of the imaginable; we are now grown Old: I am come back to England,
wild and wicked part of my Story, may not relish this, which is being almost seventy Years of Age, my Husband sixty eight,
really the best part of my Life, the most Advantageous to having perform’d much more than the limited Terms of my
myself, and the most instructive to others; such however will I Transportation: And now notwithstanding all the Fatigues, and
hope allow me the liberty to make my Story compleat: It would all the Miseries we have both gone thro’, we are both in good
be a severe Satyr on such, to say they do not relish the Heart and Health; my Husband remain’d there sometime after
Repentance as much as they do the Crime; and that they had me to settle our Affairs, and at first I had intended to go back to
rather the History were a compleat Tragedy, as it was very him, but at his desire I alter’d that Resolution, and he is come
likely to have been. over to England also, where we resolve to spend the Remainder
of our Years in sincere Penitence, for the wicked Lives we have
lived.
Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The Minister

Related Themes: Related Characters: Moll Flanders (speaker), The

Irishman/James
Page Number: 369
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis
This quote comes after Moll sees the error of her ways and Page Number: 427
repents, and it is significant because it makes Moll’s
remorse appear sincere and genuine, despite the sin and Explanation and Analysis
corruption that pervades most of the novel. Moll is This quote occurs at the very end of Moll’s story, after she
concerned that those “pleas’d and diverted with the repents and is transported to the colonies, and it illustrates
Relation of the wild and wicked part of [her] Story” will both Moll’s remorse and the happiness she finally finds with
dislike the part of her story that details her remorse and James. Living in the colonies with James, Moll’s life is finally
penitence. She is pointing out that, since most of her story is “made easy,” and they live “with the greatest Kindness and
concerned with sex and crime, she fears this more reflective Comfort imaginable.” Most of Moll’s life has been a struggle
and serious section will be a disappointment to readers who full of crime and heartache, but she has finally found
were enjoying those earlier section. However, Moll happiness and security and left her life of crime behind. Moll
maintains, it isn’t a disappointment to her and shouldn’t be does return to England, after “the limited Terms of [her]
to any other moral person, either. Transportation,” meaning after her criminal sentence is up.
Moll’s reflection on her wicked life and her subsequent James returns, too, but the terms of his own transportation
remorse and penitence are, she says, “the best part of [her] are not up. James has been transported for life and can
Life, the most Advantageous to [herself], and the most never legally return, so when he goes back with Moll, he
instructive to others.” Furthermore, she believes anyone does so against the law. Moll and James live “in good Heart
who disagrees isn’t looking closely enough. For Moll, it is and Health” until a ripe old age, and they swear to spend the
impossible not to “relish the Repentance” as much as the rest of their lives feeling genuinely remorseful for the
crime, and she doubts readers really want a story in which immoral things they did when they were younger. James
Moll is hanged and killed having never repented. Moll and Moll claim to be sincerely repentant, but it’s also true
believes her true and complete “History” is better; her that they’re essentially rewarded with happiness and luxury
personal narrative expresses fully her sincere remorse and after living lives of crime. What’s more, they’re breaking the
the importance of reflecting on one’s sins and repenting, law just by returning to England, since James is forbidden
and she wants readers to appreciate these central points. from doing so. By ending on this somewhat ambiguous note,
Defoe leaves it up to readers to decide whether Moll’s story
is really a tale of “sincere Penitence.”

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.

THE PREFACE
It may be difficult, Defoe says, for readers to take the following Moll isn’t who she says she is, and her concealed identity
pages as genuine when names and circumstances are immediately makes her story appear mysterious. Since Moll
concealed; however, readers must pass their own opinion on originally wrote her story in the language of Newgate Prison
the following story. The author, Moll Flanders, is writing her (London’s main prison for over 700 years), the reader can infer that
story, and she will detail early on why she must conceal her she is some kind of criminal. This passage also suggests that Moll
identity. Defoe admits that the story was rewritten, and Moll isn’t really remorseful for whatever it is she has done, a question
was made to tell her story more delicately than she did at first. that will come up over and over again throughout the novel.
The first copy of Moll’s story was written in the language of
Newgate Prison, not as a remorseful woman, as she claims to
be.

For the one finishing Moll’s story, it was difficult to “put it into a Defoe’s claim that Moll’s story must be “put into a Dress fit to be
Dress fit to be seen.” Moll is a woman depraved from her youth seen” reflects the sexism that pervades most of the book. Society
and is the very “Off-spring of Debauchery and Vice,” but great expects women to be pictures of modesty and virtue, and Moll’s
care has been taken to avoid giving readers any “lewd Ideas.” It story—and by extension Moll herself—must be modified to fit that
is recommended that only those who will make good use of the ideal; that is, they must be dressed up in order to become
story read it, and such readers are likely to find they are more acceptable to polite society. Moll’s identity as one of “Debauchery
pleased with the moral than the actual story. As “the Advocates and Vice” and the “lewd Ideas” Defoe mentions suggest Moll’s story
for the Stage have in all Ages made this great Argument,” Defoe is one of sex and sin. In the 15th and 16th centuries, theaters and
maintains, there is something to be learned from wicked plays were often considered dangerous examples of vice that
stories. As such, there is something to be learned from every influenced people to sin. Those who supported the theater, however,
part of Moll’s story—if the reader wishes to make use of it. maintained that plays were valuable examples of what not to do.
Defoe suggests the same thing here and offers Moll’s story for moral
instruction, not entertainment.

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MOLL’S CHILDHOOD
Moll’s real name is well known in the records at Newgate and Newgate Prison and London’s courthouse sat at the corner of
Old-Baily—and some things of significance are still pending Newgate and Old-Baily Streets; thus, Newgate and Old-Baily are
there—so she has concealed her identity. It is enough for the synonymous with crime and criminals. As Moll has concealed her
reader to know that some of Moll’s “worst Comrades” (who can identity over things pending there, it can again be inferred that Moll
no longer hurt her, as they have left the world “by the Steps and is a criminal, and perhaps a wanted one at that. Moll’s “worst
the String”), gave her the name Moll Flanders. This name will be Comrades” were obviously criminals, as they went out by “the Steps
used, Moll says, “till I dare own who I have been, as well as who I and the String,” which is to say they were hanged for their crimes.
am.” Moll’s comment as to who she was and who she is now suggests
that identity evolves and changes over time, and she isn’t the same
person she used to be. Furthermore, the name Moll Flanders is itself
highly suggestive. “Moll” is English slang for a low-class woman of ill-
repute, and “Flanders” carries connotations of sex and prostitution,
as London’s most prominent prostitutes for years were Flemish
women (that is, women from Flanders). As Moll’s name was given to
her by people who knew her, it must have special significance, and
this suggests that Moll is both a criminal and a prostitute.

In some European countries, when a criminal is ordered to Defoe implies that England’s failure to care for orphaned children is
prison, death, or transportation, any children they have are directly to blame for the “destruction” of Moll’s “Soul and Body,”
taken into the care of the government until the children are which indicates that Moll’s morals are destroyed, as well as her
able to provide and care for themselves. Had this been the case physical wellbeing. Defoe suggests here that Moll is more a victim
in Moll’s country, had she not been left to fend for herself, than she is a criminal, and the fault lies with society.
perhaps her story would not entail “the swift Destruction both
of Soul and Body.”

Moll’s mother was a criminal, convicted of a felony for stealing Punishment was harsh in the 17th century, as evidenced by Moll’s
three pieces of fabric, and she is sentenced to death. She mother’s death sentence for stealing fabric. Pregnant women were
“[pleads] her Belly,” however, and Moll is born seven months given a stay of execution if they “pleaded their Belly” (that is, asked
later. In the meantime, Mother’s sentence is commuted to to be treated gently due to their pregnancy,), or they were deported
transportation to the Plantations, and she leaves Moll at just six to the American colonies to be sold as servants. Moll is just an
months old. Moll is taken in by family for a time, but she infant, and she is completely neglected and left uncared for, which
somehow ends up in the care of a wandering group of reflects, as Defoe suggests, a major problem in English society.
Egyptians. The Egyptians leave Moll in Colchester, where she is London churches often cared for orphans if the children were born
taken to the church. The church provides for Moll, but she is into that parish, but Moll—born in a prison with no church
too young—only three years old—to do any work. The affiliation—slips through the cracks. Women of the lower class are
Magistrates place Moll under the care of a nurse, who makes expected to “go to Service” when they come of age, which means
her living keeping children for the church until they are old they are expected to work as maids, cooks, or in other service
enough to “go to Service, or get their own Bread.” positions, and this reflects the limited opportunities available to
women during Moll’s time.

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The nurse also operates a school, in which she teaches children The nurse’s curriculum reflects society’s expectations of women.
“to Read and to Work.” The nurse, who comes from “good They are taught minimal academics—only reading—and otherwise,
Fashion,” also teaches the children about art, and she takes a they are taught to work, likely at domestic work such as needlepoint
good deal of care in her work. She is a pious and “Mannerly” and embroidery. The nurse’s “good Fashion” and “Mannerly” ways
woman, and she brings the children up just as if they had been suggest she comes from high society, and she is committed to
educated at a fancy school. When Moll is eight years old, the turning girls like Moll into women who fit society’s expectations:
Magistrates order her into Service; however, Moll has no well-mannered, modest, and pious.
intention of ever going into Service, so she begs the nurse to
keep her. Moll promises to work for the nurse, doing
embroidery and sewing, and she swears she’ll work hard.

All day long, Moll works and weeps, until the nurse asks her The fact that Moll is expected to go into Service at such a young age
why she is crying. Moll explains that she doesn’t want to go to underscores the oppression of women, especially lower-class
Service, where the other maids will surely beat her and make women like Moll, in English society. Those in Service are little more
her do difficult work. The nurse convinces the mayor not to than slaves, and they are clearly abused and exploited, as Moll fears
send Moll to Service until she is older, but for Moll, this isn’t violence and forced labor. While Moll doesn’t know it yet, a
enough. She never wants to go to Service. “What,” asks the “Gentlewoman” is a polite term for a prostitute, and the nurse
nurse, “would you be a Gentlewoman?” Moll explains she will; implies here that if Moll doesn’t go to Service, her only other option
she will make three-pence for embroidery and four pennies for is prostitution.
sewing. The nurse assures Moll that won’t keep her, but Moll
promises to work harder—and give all her money to the nurse.

Moved by Moll’s sadness and determination, the nurse agrees Clearly, Moll thinks being a “Gentlewoman” means not being poor
to keep Moll. The nurse relays Moll’s pleas to the mayor, who and going into Service. The mayor calls in his family to laugh at
calls in his wife and daughters to hear the story, and they all Moll’s story because, in her innocence, she has said she wants to be
laugh and laugh. A week later, the mayor’s wife comes to visit. a prostitute. The lady means just what she says—that Moll should
She asks Moll if she is the little girl who wants to be a work hard, since she only has a life of service ahead of her—but her
“Gentlewoman,” and Moll confirms she is. The woman smiles words take on new significance in the sexual context that Moll
warmly and gives Moll a shilling. “Mind [your] work,” the woman doesn’t yet understand. Furthermore, when she gives Moll a shilling,
says, “and learn to Work well.” Moll doesn’t realize, however, it creates a connection between sex and money that continues
that she does not have the same understanding of a throughout the book.
“Gentlewoman” as everyone else.

Moll continues her work, all the while talking about how she Clearly, the “Gentlewoman” Moll speaks of is the madam of a
will become a “Gentlewoman.” The nurse later asks Moll what brothel and a prostitute herself, since she is of “ill Fame, and has had
she means by “Gentlewoman,” and Moll explains that it is a two or three Bastards.” The nurse’s claim that Moll may soon be a
woman who supports herself without going to Service. Moll Gentlewoman just like the madam foreshadows Moll’s future life of
tells the nurse about a woman in town, who mends lace and crime and prostitution. This passage also reflects the limited
launders ladies’ hats. “She,” Moll says, “is a Gentlewoman, and opportunities of women, as Moll is stuck between a life of servitude
they call her Madam.” The kindly nurse explains. “Poor child,” or a life of prostitution, even though she dreams of simply working
she says, “you may soon be such a Gentlewoman as that, for she hard to support herself.
is a Person of ill Fame, and has had two or three Bastards.”

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When Moll is about 10 years old, she has begun to mature and The ladies in town are impressed with Moll because the nurse has
is rather pretty. She is humble and has fine manners, and the raised her to be the epitome of society’s idea of a woman. Moll is
ladies in town say she will grow into a beautiful woman indeed. pretty, humble, and well-mannered; however, this passage also
Moll continues to work, mending linen and lace, and she gives reflects the ways in which Moll resists society’s expectations of a
all her money to the nurse, who promises to hold it and give it woman. She is capable, determined, and independent. She makes
back when Moll comes of age. By the time Moll is 12, she makes her own money, buys her own clothes, and is nearly self-sufficient.
enough money to buy her clothes, pay the nurse for keeping Women are supposed to be dependent and reserved, but Moll is
her, and have some extra spending money. The ladies in town more than able to take care of herself—within the restricted role
also give her clothes, such as stockings, petticoats, and gowns. society has created, that is.
One lady in town is so impressed with Moll that she offers to
take Moll for an entire month. The nurse objects, and they
finally decide on one week. Moll spends the next week living
with the lady and her family, after which they are disappointed
to see her go.

By the time Moll is 14, she has grown even more beautiful. She The lady is wealthy and of the upper class, and Moll was exposed to
continues working for the nurse, which, since Moll’s “Taste of this luxury during her “Taste of Genteel” living. The nurse, by
Genteel” living at the lady’s house, isn’t as easy as it used to be. comparison, is poor, and Moll finds it difficult to return to poverty
In short time, the nurse grows sick and dies. The nurse’s after a taste of high-class living. Defoe implies that the nurse’s
daughter, a woman with six or seven children, comes to clean daughter keeps Moll’s money even though she knows it didn’t
out the house; however, she refuses to give Moll the money the belong to the nurse, but her six or seven kids suggest she badly
nurse was holding for her. Alone and frightened, Moll is pleased needs the money and perhaps only keeps it to take care of them,
when the maid of the lady with whom Moll previously spent a reinforcing the idea that dire circumstances can push people into
week arrives to get her. The mayor’s wife also offers to take her immoral behavior.
in, but Moll is more than happy to live with the lady and her
family.

THE OLDER BROTHER AND MOLL’S FIRST MARRIAGE

Living with the lady and her family, Moll enjoys the advantages This passage reflects the importance of money in society. “Virtue
of an education. By the time she is 18, Moll can write, dance, and Sobriety” are exactly what society thinks Moll has, but since she
and speak French, and she has a reputation of “Virtue and still doesn’t have any money, her refinement isn’t worth much. The
Sobriety.” The lady has two sons, and the older brother of the word “gay” denotes happiness, but it also had negative connotations
two is known as a handsome and “gay” young man. He tells Moll during Defoe’s time and was often used to describe rakes and men
(whom he calls Betty) how pretty she is every chance he gets, of poor reputation.
which Moll rather enjoys. His sisters warn him that Moll is only
after money, but they can hardly blame her. Even the most
beautiful and refined woman is nothing without money. The
younger brother, however, claims that, for the right woman, he
wouldn’t worry about money.

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One day, the older brother visits Moll in the room where she “Betty” was a generic name for a chambermaid in Defoe’s time,
does her work. He grabs her and kisses her several times. “Dear which again reflects Moll’s lower-class standing. Here, Moll implies
Betty,” he says breathlessly. “I am in Love with you.” Moll’s heart that she would have sex with the older brother, which would be
jumps with desire. She knows nothing of protecting her virtue, detrimental to her virtue in the eyes of society, but she doesn’t even
and if he were to offer, Moll would allow him to do whatever he think of protecting her virtue; it’s clear here that her life is governed
wanted to her. The older brother finds other opportunities to by social norms that she doesn’t even fully understand. The older
corner Moll in the house, kissing her and professing his love, brother’s “violent” kisses suggest he has power over Moll—or at least
and she doesn’t resist. One day, he again visits Moll in her room, thinks he does—and that sex is something owed to him. He gives
where he throws her to the bed and kisses her “most violently.” Moll money after passionately kissing her, which implies that sex is
Suddenly, he hears someone coming and jumps up. The older essentially Moll’s job and something that is expected of her. This
brother helps Moll to her feet, telling her again how much he connection between sex and money is directly at odds with society’s
loves her, and presses five Guineas into her hand before demands of “Virtue and Sobriety,” so this moment underscores the
leaving. impossible double-bind women are in; Moll needs money in order to
be considered respectable, but so far the only way she can get it is
by giving up her virtue—which would be seen as distinctly not
respectable.

Moll is more confused with the money than she is with the love. Moll has been made to clean up her story, which is why she can’t
She is a young woman who thinks herself pretty, and she has no politely mention what she did with the older brother; however, they
reason to doubt the older brother’s love for her. He soon do not have sex, since they don’t reach “the last Favour.” There is
returns—there was no one coming, he says—and quickly takes again a connection between sex and money, and as the older
to kissing her again. He tells Moll that he loves her passionately, brother strings Moll along with marriage proposals and brings her
and that he wants to marry her. He kisses her again, and they closer to actually having sex, he pays her—which is sure to keep her
go farther than Moll can politely mention; however, it does not coming back and get him what he wants.
reach “that, which they call the last Favour.” Then, the older
brother gives Moll a handful of gold and exits.

Moll, full of “Vanity and Pride, and but a very little Stock of Defoe suggests that Moll’s “Vanity and Pride” are also a source of
Virtue,” thinks only of gold and the older brother’s words. her undoing. Had Moll not been so vain, she may have noticed the
Careful not to draw suspicion, Moll goes to great lengths to older brother’s true intentions and realized that he is only taking
ignore him in the company of others, until the day he secretly advantage of her and has no intention of marrying her. The way the
passes her a note in the hall. He says he will publicly order Moll older brother and his family order Moll around reflects her low
on an errand the next day, and then he will meet her on her way standing in their house and society. She isn’t a servant or a maid
to town. Sure enough, the older brother orders Moll to town exactly, but she is certainly treated like one.
the next day on some petty errands, after which a man comes
to the door in a coach. He needs the older brother on urgent
business in town, the man says.

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The older brother hired the coach and the man the day before, While it isn’t explicitly stated, Moll and the older brother are
but no one knows this. He grabs his best wig and exits, but obviously talking about sex. There isn’t birth control during Moll’s
before he does, he whispers to Moll to get away as soon as she day, and she worries about pregnancy if she takes her relationship
can. Later, when they are together, the older brother tells Moll with the older brother to a sexual level. In telling Moll he will take
that he plans to marry her as soon as he comes into his estate. care of her and her children, the older brother entices her to sex, and
He promises to never leave her, but Moll hesitates. She has no then he pays her again. The older brother’s actions cement the
reason to doubt his feelings for her, but… “BUT WHAT my connection between sex and money for Moll—if she has sex with
Dear?” he asks. He asks if Moll worries about being “with child,” him, he will keep giving her money. 100 Guineas is a lot of money; it
and she admits she does. In that case, the older brother says, he is over £100 , and during Moll’s time, an entire family could live on
will take care of them both. Then, to prove his sincerity, he just £40 per year.
takes out his purse and gives Moll 100 Guineas and promises
to give her another 100 every year until they marry.

Moll swoons at the sight of the older brother’s purse and the Moll swoons upon seeing how much the older brother will pay her,
sound of his proposal, and she does not resist as he has his way which suggests she is as attracted to his money and the financial
with her. With this, Moll forsakes her virtue, and she is left with security and social status he represents as she is to the brother
“nothing of Value to recommend [her].” Afterward, Moll and the himself. Presumably, Moll has sex with him on the condition he
older brother have many occasions to repeat their “Crime,” plans to marry her. In Moll’s time, a woman’s worth is judged by her
until the younger brother confesses his own love to Moll. He virginity and chastity—the description of sex as a “Crime” reflects
wants to marry her, too, the younger brother says, but Moll the immorality of sex before marriage—and Moll is now essentially
firmly resists him. They are an unequal match, she says, and it worthless.
wouldn’t be the right way to repay the lady for taking her in.
Moll doesn’t, however, tell him the truth.

To Moll’s surprise, the younger brother does not hide his Marrying outside of one’s social class was frowned on in the 17th
feelings like the older brother, and he makes it plain to the lady century, which is why the lady begins to resent Moll once she
and the rest of his family that he is in love with Moll. Soon, the discovers her son is in love with her. It is customary for women to
lady and her family begin to treat Moll differently, and one of come to their husbands with a dowry, which Moll obviously doesn’t
the maids tells Moll that she will soon be asked to leave. Moll have. Moll doesn’t bring any money to the table, and she will only
isn’t surprised. Plus, since she expects to be pregnant at any cost them money instead. This passage also portrays the desperate
time, she expects to have to leave soon. The younger brother nature of Moll’s situation, as she is likely to become pregnant and
tells Moll that he will tell his family that he intends to marry her. homeless at any time but can do little to change her situation.
They may resent it, he says, but he is a lawyer and can take care
of Moll himself.

Moll has “no great Scruples of Conscience,” but even she Moll has “no great Scruples,” which suggests she is of poor moral
cannot imagine “being a Whore to one Brother, and Wife to the fortitude since she began having sex with the older brother. Moll
other.” Still, the older brother hasn’t mentioned marriage since frequently refers to herself as a “Whore,” which she becomes the
they began having sex. Moll doesn’t know what to do about the moment she takes the older brother’s money and has sex with him,
younger brother. She is sure she will soon be put out on the but Defoe implies that her choice is understandable; without
street, which must be no secret to the older brother. She begins money, she has no real social standing or ability to take care of
to think seriously for the first time and decides to tell the older herself. The older brother clearly has no intention of marrying
brother that she will soon be kicked out of the house. Moll—he hasn’t even talked about it—and he likely knows she will be
kicked out but doesn’t care.

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The first chance she gets, Moll goes to the older brother. She Moll likely doesn’t want the older brother to know about the
has been crying, and he asks her what’s wrong. Moll lies and younger brother because she fears it will negatively affect her
tells him that one of the maids must have discovered their affair relationship with the older brother. The older brother doesn’t take
and told the lady of the house, because now there is talk that any of this seriously (he smiles as Moll cries), which suggests he
Moll will be asked to leave. The older brother smiles. No one doesn’t really care about her and is just using her for sex. This is also
knows about their affair, he says. Then why, Moll asks, is she the first time Moll mentions the younger brother by name, and this
being treated so unfairly? It is the younger brother, Robin, he reflects her indifference toward him.
says, who has convinced everyone he loves Moll. She breaks
into tears, admitting the younger brother’s love. But, Moll says,
she denied him without giving him a reason.

It is bad enough the lady knows the younger brother is in love The older brother’s kiss and gift of money again underscore the
with Moll, but it will be much worse when the lady finds out connection between sex and money. What Moll is really saying is
Moll denied him. The lady is sure to suspect that Moll is in love that she can’t marry the younger brother because she has already
with another if she is turning down such a match as the had sex with the older brother. If she marries the younger brother, he
younger brother. The older brother asks Moll to do nothing for may find out she isn’t a virgin, which would likely be detrimental to
the time being and give him time to think. Moll reminds him their marriage—and to Moll’s security.
that she can’t possibly agree to marry the younger brother
when she is already engaged to the older brother; she already
thinks of herself as married to the older brother. He kisses her
and gives her more money, and then he leaves.

Days later, the older brother tells the younger brother that he The younger brother is convinced he will have Moll, which reflects
heard stories that the younger brother is in love with Moll. Yes, the overall sexism of the time. He wants her, so he plans to have her;
the younger brother admits. He loves her more than any how Moll feels about it doesn’t really matter. He doesn’t believe Moll
woman in the world, and he will have her. The younger brother will deny him because he is rich and she is poor, and Moll would be
doesn’t believe that Moll will deny him. Moll can’t believe it foolish to turn down such an offer. Still, the younger brother clearly
when the older brother tells her later. She must deny the loves Moll, since he is willing to endure the resentment that he will
younger brother, and she can’t imagine why he expects she likely experience for marrying outside his class.
won’t. The older brother says that he reminded his brother that
Moll is poor, but Robin claimed to love her still. Well, says Moll,
if the younger brother proposes marriage now, she will say no
and tell him that she is already married.

The older brother says that telling anyone about his An explanation will be expected from Moll, and her refusal to give
relationship with Moll is not a good idea, and she agrees. He one again reflects her resistance to the sexism of the time. It isn’t
asks Moll what she will say when she denies the younger anyone’s business why Moll turns down a marriage proposal, but
brother’s proposal. Moll doesn’t see why she owes anyone an society thinks otherwise. Society expects Moll to jump at the chance
explanation, but the older brother says offering no explanation to marry someone rich like the younger brother, but she isn’t
will be suspicious. Moll doesn’t know what to do, but the older interested—at this point, she still believes that that should be reason
brother says he has been thinking a lot about it. “Marry him,” enough.
the older brother says. Moll is shocked, but he says she should
at least consider it.

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Moll asks the older brother what happened to his love and The older brother implies that Moll may be able to hide the fact that
faith, and he admits that he did promise to marry her when he she is no longer a virgin if she marries the younger brother. Their
came into his estate, but his father might live another 30 years. marriage will be “a safe Station” (Moll will be financially secure), and
He says Moll never suggested marrying him any sooner—she she can “appear with Honor and with splendor,” meaning Moll can
knows it “might be [his] Ruin”—and she has never wanted for appear to be a virgin and therefore continue to seem worthy in
anything. Moll knows this is true, but she doesn’t say so. With society’s eyes. The older brother’s claim that he will count Moll a
the younger brother, the older brother says, Moll “may come “Dear Sister” has incestuous connotations, which foreshadow the
into a safe Station, and appear with Honour and with splendor incest that appears later in the novel.
at once.” It will be like Moll’s relationship with the older brother
never happened, and he will count her a “Dear Sister.”

Moll reminds the older brother that even though they aren’t Moll considers herself married to the older brother because they
legally married, she is his wife just as sure as if the ceremony have already had sex. Since sex consummates a marriage, sex at this
had passed between them. She can’t possibly stop loving him time was considered just as important as the actual marriage
and consent to love the younger brother instead. She would ceremony, if not more so. Therefore, in Moll’s mind, they are already
rather, Moll says, be his “Whore” than the younger brother’s married. Of course, Moll truly loves the older brother, but he is just
wife. The older brother is obviously pleased with Moll’s exploiting Moll for sex and placating her with money. Moll again
affection for him, but he tells her he has done nothing to break calls herself a “Whore,” which reflects the sexist nature of society;
his promise to her. He says they can remain friends, and then he she’s doing what she thinks makes sense to secure her future and be
asks Moll if she is sure that she isn’t with child. Moll says she is with the man she loves, but society would view her as immoral for
sure, and he stands to leave. doing so.

Afterward, Moll falls ill with a fever. She is confined to bed for The older brother risks angering his family and losing his inheritance
five weeks, and her recovery is so slow that the doctor fears if his affair with Moll is discovered, in which case his reputation and
she will slip into a “Consumption.” The doctor claims that Moll’s status as a member of the upper class will be ruined. During Moll’s
“Mind [is] Oppress’d,” and he suspects that she is in love. The time, a “consumption” was known as a long, lingering illness, one
younger brother tells his family that if Moll were in love with that was often vague and nondescript. Consumption was often
him, he would gladly help her recover, and the older brother associated with depression and other forms of mental illness, which
begins to suspect that his brother knows about his relationship is why the doctor suspects Moll is in love.
with Moll. Moll assures the older brother that she has said
nothing of their affair, and she further says that she detests the
idea of marrying Robin and will never consent. “Then I am
Ruin’d,” the older brother says.

Weeks later, Moll is fully recovered, but she still suffers from Obviously, Moll isn’t being honest here. She cared nothing about the
bouts of melancholy and sadness. One day, Moll decides to tell lady’s consent when she agreed to marry the older brother. Moll is
the lady of the house about the younger brother’s proposals. clearly trying to manipulate the lady and get into her good graces
She tells the lady that Robin asked her several times to marry again, so she won’t be kicked out. Moll has little money and no way
him, but she resisted him each time, telling him that such a to support herself—unless she goes into Service, which Moll has
relationship cannot come to pass without the consent of the already said she absolutely will not do.
lady and master of the house. The lady is both shocked and
touched by Moll’s honesty. It seems, the lady says, that Moll has
treated them much better than they have treated her.

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Later, the lady of the house sits down with the younger brother Moll’s behavior doesn’t really reflect true respect for the lady,
and asks him about his proposals to Moll. It is true, Robin illustrating the deterioration of Moll’s morals. Before having sex with
confirms: he has asked Moll to marry him several times, and she the older brother, Moll was of superior moral standing, but her
has always resisted him. The lady listens and declares the morals go steadily downhill from the moment she loses her virginity.
resentment Moll has been forced to endure in the house is not Here, Moll deceives the lady to serve her own interests. Whether the
Moll’s fault. Moll’s behavior reflects true respect, the lady says, sex itself is immoral is debatable; however, the behavior the sex
and she values Moll more because of it. Soon, the lady begins to leads Moll to is certainly immoral, which reinforces Defoe’s point
encourage a marriage between Moll and Robin, and she even that virtuous readers can learn what not to do by studying Moll’s
recruits the older brother to convince Moll. story.

The older brother visits Moll in her room, where he gently Virginity and chastity are so important in society that Moll will be
kisses and hugs her. He tells Moll that she has the consent of ruined if she is found out. Here, the older brother puts a price on
the lady and the entire house to marry the younger brother. If Moll’s entire future and worth and basically pays her for potentially
Moll doesn’t, the older brother says, he fears that she will “be ruining her reputation. £500 is a lot of money (one could live in
sunk into the dark Circumstances of a Woman that has lost her relative luxury at £300 per year), but he insults Moll and reduces
Reputation.” He begs her to marry Robin, and then he gives her her worth to her body and sex—a common message in Moll’s sexist
£500. “To make you some Amends for the Freedoms I have society.
taken with you,” the older brother says. He adds that if Moll
refuses to marry Robin, their relationship can never be again
what it once was.

Afterward, Moll considers her life as “a meer cast off Whore,” Presumably, the older brother gets the younger brother drunk on
and she is terrified. She had never really considered the danger purpose, so he is less likely to notice that Moll is not a virgin. Moll
of her situation. If she is eventually dropped by both the older again calls herself a “Whore,” which society considers any woman
brother and the younger brother, she will be left to fend for who has sex out of wedlock to be, and this again underscores the
herself with nothing and no one to support her. With these extremely sexist and misogynistic nature of 17th-century England.
thoughts, Moll agrees to marry Robin, but she never loves him. This insulting view of women is so ingrained in society that even
On their wedding night, the older brother gets the younger Moll believes it about herself.
brother so drunk that he can’t remember whether their
marriage was consummated. Moll lies and assures him it was.

Moll lives with the younger brother as his wife for five years, Moll’s words suggest guilt over marrying the younger brother while
and they have two children together. Each time Moll is in bed being secretly in love with the older brother. Despite the slow
with her husband, she dreams of being with the older brother. deterioration of Moll’s morals, she clearly feels bad about her
“In short,” Moll says, “I committed Adultery and Incest with him decision to marry Robin (which she was forced to do by a sexist
every Day in my Desires,” which is just as criminal as actually society), and this suggests she isn’t innately immoral; she was simply
doing it. The older brother marries and moves to London, and doing what she had to do to survive. However, Moll also “happily”
at the end of five years, the younger brother dies. He was a kind abandons her children, which suggests that Moll’s morals are
man and a good husband, but Moll’s finances have not lacking. Conflicting actions such as these make it impossible to
improved by much. Hidden in her private bank, Moll still has decide if Moll is truly repentant at the end of the novel, or if she was
most of the money given to her by the older brother, about just an immoral opportunist all along.
£1,200, but that is all. The children are “taken happily off of
[Moll’s] Hands” by the lady and her husband, and she is free.

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MOLL MARRIES THE LINEN-DRAPER

Moll is still young and attractive, and she has many suitors, In short, Moll is looking for a wealthy husband; she isn’t looking for
including a linen-draper, the brother of her landlady. Still, Moll love after her experiences with the older brother. At first she
isn’t impressed with any of the men she dates. She isn’t obviously thinks the linen-draper has money, but the fact that he
concerned with love at all—not after losing so badly in love with spends all her money implies he isn’t wealthy at all. Moll is caught in
the older brother—and she resolves “to be well Married or not the trap of a “Gentleman-Tradesman,” a man she thinks is wealthy
at all.” Still, it isn’t long before she is caught in the “Snare” of the but who is just a poor tradesman. Moll’s amphibious description of
linen-draper, a “Land-water-thing call’d, a Gentleman-Tradesman,” him reflects his slippery identity and ability to deceive her.
and she marries him. The linen-draper quickly takes to
spending all the money Moll saved, and within two years, he is
bankrupt.

The linen-draper is arrested for his sizable debts, and Moll goes According to the law, the linen-draper’s debt are legally Moll’s debts
to see him at the Bailiff’s House where he is being held. He since she is his wife, and she could be thrown into debtors’ prison
apologizes for the state he is leaving Moll in and tells her to because of him. Moll keeps her personal bank throughout the book,
take whatever money and valuables are left and run. He wishes and the hidden stash of money is symbolic of security and Moll’s
her well, and Moll leaves, never seeing him again. Later, the ability to care for herself. 500 pounds is a lot of money, but it must
linen-draper breaks out of the Bailiff’s House and flees to last Moll her whole life. The only way for Moll to increase her
France. Moll is left with only £500 in her bank and nowhere to wealth is to marry again or go into Service, and since Moll doesn't
go. The only child she had with the linen-draper died in infancy, have a way to divorce the linen-draper, it will be hard for her to
but since she is still legally married, Moll’s options are limited. marry again.

Fearing creditors, Moll goes to the Mint, poses as a widow, and The Mint was a district in London so named because coins were
changes her name to Mrs. Flanders. She has little money, no once manufactured there. The actual mint was closed in the 1500s,
friends or family, and no idea what she will do. Moll sees but the area remained a jurisdictional interzone, meaning it was
nothing but “Misery and Starving” before her, and she vows to ruled over by a lord and the established law didn’t have jurisdiction
get out of the Mint, where the people and conditions are there. Criminals can’t be arrested at the Mint, so it is a sort of
terrible. Moll leaves the Mint and lives for a time with a kind sanctuary for wanted debtors like Moll. Moll’s circumstances are
widow, but the widow soon remarries, and Moll is again on her bleak—she has only “Misery and Starving” ahead of her—and she is
own. desperate to get out. Moll’s assumed name, Mrs. Flanders, connotes
sex and prostitution. At the time, it was said that London’s best
prostitutes were Flemish women (that is, women from Flanders),
and by calling herself Mrs. Flanders, Moll implies she is willing to
resort to prostitution to improve her circumstances.

Living in London, Moll discovers that marriage is “the This passage reflects the sexist and classist nature of Moll’s society.
Consequence of politick Schemes for forming Interests, and Marriage isn’t an expression of love; it is an expression of one’s
carrying on Business,” and it has nothing at all to do with love. wealth and place in society. Women are considered another piece of
She also learns that women don’t have “the Privilege” to turn property owned by men, only it is the women who must pay, either
down marriage proposals and should consider themselves in the form of a dowry or with their virtue, and always with the
lucky just for being asked. Women can’t question a man’s expectation of sex. A man can be poor and of little character, but a
character or fortune before agreeing to marriage, but men woman has no right to question him.
enjoy this right. The men go “Fortune Hunting” without
“Fortune themselves to Demand it, or Merit to deserve it.”

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Women have much to gain, Moll explains, by holding their Moll is practical and reasonable in her approach to marriage, and
ground and saying no. There are few good men available these her opinion here implies she respects herself, since she doesn’t want
days, and women have good reason to be cautious. Those to settle for just any husband; however, Moll’s sexist society doesn’t
women who easily give themselves to marriage without allow Moll such control, not even over her own life and future. Moll
questioning the fortune or character of their husbands place has a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a good man,
their entire lives in “a Lottery” with 1,000 to one odds. No good but she is expected to take whoever will have her, which reflects the
man will condemn a woman for enquiring about his character “contemptible Opinion” of women in Moll’s society.
and wealth upon a proposal, Moll claims, and any man who does
has a “very contemptible Opinion” of the woman he expects to
take marriage on like a leap of faith.

MOLL MARRIES THE PLANTATION OWNER

It is nothing but cowardice and fear of being “an old Maid” that The “Woman’s Snare” again highlights the sexist nature of Moll’s
brings many women to marriage, Moll says, and this is “the society. Woman are forced to marry against their will to avoid being
Woman’s Snare.” Still, in Moll’s current circumstance, the thing marginalized by society and downgraded to spinster status. Moll’s
she needs most in the world is a husband. Of course, she has reasons for marriage, however, are financial. She’s running out of
next to nothing of value—only £460 in her bank, some money, and she wants a rich husband. While Moll doesn’t start the
expensive clothes, a gold watch and some jewelry, and £40 rumor that she is rich, she doesn’t deny it either, and she secures the
worth of linen. She moves in with the friends of an plantation owner through deceptive means.
acquaintance, who start a rumor that Moll is their cousin from
out of town and that she’s worth at least £1,500. Moll soon has
her choice of suitors, and she picks out a handsome plantation
owner without much difficulty.

The plantation owner courts Moll and frequently professes his Writing sonnets and confessions of love on windowpanes with a
love to her. He promises to love her forever, and Moll pretends diamond was a common courtship practice during the 17th
to doubt his sincerity, claiming he only loves her for her century. Here, by writing on the glass, Moll tricks the plantation
fortune. One day, the plantation owner visits Moll in her room. owner into promising to love her even if she doesn’t have any
He takes off his diamond ring and uses it to write upon the money. He assumes she is just joking to make him prove his love; he
windowpane: “You I Love, and you alone.” Moll takes the ring. has no idea that Moll is deceiving him and really is poor.
“But Money’s Virtue; Gold is Fate,” she writes. He takes the ring
back. “I scorn your Gold, and yet I Love.” She writes again: “I’m
poor: Let’s see how kind you’ll prove.” The plantation owner
promises to love Moll even if she is poor, but Moll can tell that
he doesn’t really believe she is poor.

One day, Moll asks the plantation owner how and where they Moll equates going to the American colonies with criminal behavior,
will live if they are married. She has heard he owns an estate in which is why she calls moving there being “transported”;
Virginia, but Moll does not wish to be “transported.” He openly deportation was a common punishment for criminals at the time.
and easily speaks to Moll of his affairs and finances. He has The plantation owner is obviously wealthy, and he seems to be a
three Virginia plantations, he says, which provide him a decent and honest man. He isn’t trying to hide anything (like Moll
comfortable living of about £300 a year. But, he says, that is), and he doesn’t wish to force her into anything against her will.
number will obviously go up if they are married. As for Virginia,
he would not dream of making Moll live there unless she freely
chose to.

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Moll tells the plantation owner that she has learned the actual The plantation owner’s description of Moll as a “bargain” again
value of her fortune, and it is not quite £500. He seems reflects the sexism of the time. He is clearly fond of Moll, but he
unconcerned. It is true he expected more, but he does not refers to her as an object to be bought, not as a feeling person equal
regret his “bargain.” The only difference, he says, is now he to himself. Moll is honest here about her money, although she is
won’t be able to keep Moll as well as he had hoped. They get vague and says no more about it for some time. Society expects Moll
married, but the plantation owner says nothing of Moll’s to turn her money over to her husband, and the law says it legally
fortune and does not ask for the money, until Moll decides it is becomes 100% his from the moment they are married.
time for her to bring it up herself. The plantation owner asks
Moll to tell him plainly if she has nothing; he will not feel
cheated if she is poor. After all, she did write on the glass that
she was poor, so he should expect it.

Moll gives the plantation owner £160, and a few days later, she This passage again speaks to Moll’s lack of morals, as she openly
gives him about 100 more in gold. A week later, she gives him admits to cheating the plantation owner into marriage. But Moll
£180 and £60 in linen. At last, Moll tells him that is all she also slips in a warning as to her poor moral choices, which supports
has—her entire bank. The plantation owner is so relieved that Defoe’s initial claim that Moll’s story is morally instructive.
Moll has any money at all that he never complains about the
sum. “And thus,” Moll says, “I got over the Fraud of passing for
Fortune without Money, and cheating a Man into Marrying me
on pretence of a Fortune.” However, Moll adds, a fraudulent
marriage is the most dangerous thing a woman can do, and it
opens her up to a host of problems and ill treatment.

In short time, the plantation owner begins to talk of returning The plantation owner’s claim that he is disappointed in Moll’s
to Virginia alone. Life there is pleasant and inexpensive, he says. fortune but not in Moll is meant in good humor, but it subtly
Moll is thankful that he accepted her fortune, and she knows highlights the fact that Moll has not lived up to expectations, and
that he is only looking to save money because of her, so she that she is somehow considered less because she doesn’t have much
agrees to go to Virginia. The plantation owner is overjoyed. He money. This again reflects the sexist and classist nature of the times,
may be disappointed with his wife’s fortune, he admits, but he as Moll’s worth as a woman and a wife is directly related to her
isn’t disappointed with his wife. He promises that his house in wealth.
Virginia is very nice and well furnished. His mother lives there,
as well as his sister, and they are his only living relations.

Moll and the plantation owner’s trip to Virginia is long and The trip from England to America during this time was extremely
dangerous. Their ship is hit with two big storms, and they are dangerous and often took well over a month to complete. Illness and
even robbed by a pirate. Finally, they arrive in Virginia, and Moll weather often claimed lives, and pirates were common as well. Here,
finds the plantation owner’s mother delightful. She often tells Mother means to differentiate between people of color sold as
Moll stories of the Colonies and their people, and she even tells slaves and white people transported to the Colonies as criminals
old stories of England. Mother claims that very few people and sold as servants. Transported criminals were sold under similar
come to the Colonies of their own accord as Moll did. Most conditions as slaves, but they often had the chance to better their
people are brought to the Colonies by shipmasters and are as lives, which was rarely the case with people of color sold as slaves.
“Servants, such as we call them,” Mother says, “but they are
more properly call’d Slaves.” Other people are transported
from Newgate Prison or other places after being found guilty
of a felony that is otherwise punishable by death.

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No one thinks anything of a felon in the Colonies, Mother says. During this time, criminals were branded for easy identification,
Felons are usually bought by planters, who keep them until which is why they are described as “burnt in the hand.” When
their sentences expire. Afterward, felons are encouraged to Mother shows her brand, she admits to Moll that she is herself a
stay in the Colonies and they’re even allotted land on which to transported criminal. Transported criminals and indentured
plant and live. “Hence Child,” Mother says to Moll, “many a servants were common at the time and had opportunities to do well
Newgate Bird becomes a great Man.” In fact, some of the in America. Even Benjamin Franklin’s grandmother came to the
Colonies’ most important magistrates and officers are “burnt in Colonies as an indentured servant, and Mother notes here how
the hand,” Mother adds. She shows Moll a small brand burned common it is for people who were criminals in England to become
into the inside of her palm. “great” in the Colonies.

Mother begins to tell Moll terrible stories of Newgate Prison, Defoe again implies that society is to blame for criminal behavior,
which, she says, is a dreadful place that “ruin’d more young just has he previously implied that it is responsible for Moll’s
People than all the Town besides.” She claims more “Thieves destruction because she was abandoned and neglected as a child. It
and Rogues” are made by Newgate than by all the criminals in is Newgate, the very solution to criminality, that leads to crime in
England. During one story, Mother has occasion to tell Moll her society. In this way, Defoe implies it isn’t wicked books and staged
name, and Moll is instantly struck. Mother notices Moll’s plays that cause depravity, but rather society itself. Obviously, Moll’s
change in demeanor and asks if she is all right. Moll assures her demeanor changes because she realizes the plantation owner’s
she is just overcome with sadness by her story, and Mother mother is her mother, too—which means Moll is married to her own
tells Moll not to fret. Her story may be sad, but she ended up in half-brother.
a good family. After her Mistress died, the Master married her,
and together they had the plantation owner and his sister.
Mother’s husband is dead now, but he gave her a good life.

Moll knows without a doubt that she is looking at her own Moll’s little reminder that she is in a foreign country with no way to
mother. By now, Moll has two children with the plantation get home again underscores her restrictions in society as a woman.
owner, and she has been sleeping with her half-brother the As far as the law is concerned, Moll is a married woman, and she
whole time. Moll has never been so unhappy, and she wishes can’t leave the Colonies without her husband’s permission.
Mother had never told her the story—it isn’t a crime to lie with Furthermore, even if she does leave, she has nowhere to go and no
one’s brother if one knows nothing about it. Moll fully expects money to support herself (she gave her bank to her husband/
to lose her husband; the plantation owner is a good man and brother), so she is forced to stay and compromise her morals.
will never agree to live with his sister as his wife. Moll doesn’t
know what to do, and she takes a moment to remind the reader
that she is in a foreign country with no way to return home.

Moll lives “in open avowed Incest and Whoredom, and all under It is not a coincidence that the plantation owner grows unkind once
the appearance of an honest Wife.” The sight of the plantation Moll stops having sex with him. As his wife, Moll is expected to have
owner makes her sick to her stomach, but she thinks it is best sex—sex is, so to speak, how Moll earns her keep. Sex is a form of
to keep the truth hidden from him. Moll conceals the truth for currency for Moll, and, Defoe thus implies, for all women.
three years, but she has no more children with the plantation Meanwhile, Moll is tormented because her marriage to the
owner. One cannot expect any good to come from “the worst plantation owner isn’t legal. He is Moll’s brother, and Moll is still
sort of Whoredom,” and Moll’s life indeed becomes most legally married to the linen-draper, which makes Moll guilty of
difficult. The plantation owner grows unkind and frequently “Incest and Whoredom”—though again, there’s not much she can do
argues with Moll. She reminds him that he made a promise to about it at this point.
return to England if Moll didn’t like Virginia, and says that she
would like to go back as soon as possible.

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Moll complains frequently and openly that she wants to return Even though Moll stays so long and lives as her brother’s wife, she
to England, and even Mother tries to dissuade her, but Moll clearly is not comfortable with the arrangement, which again
won’t listen. She hates the idea of sleeping with the plantation suggests Moll is not an innately immoral and depraved person. She
owner, and she gives every excuse and illness not to. At last, the knows that lying and living as the plantation owner’s wife is wrong,
plantation owner grows so angry that he refuses to return to but she doesn’t have another choice without subjecting herself to
England as he promised. To do so would be death to their complete poverty and despair.
finances, he says, and no reasonable wife would ask a husband
to do something that would harm their estate. Moll knows he is
right; he knows nothing of the terrible truth, and her desire to
return to England now must seem very unreasonable.

Even though Moll knows the plantation owner is right, she can This passage, too, reflects the sexist nature of Moll’s society, as she
no longer look at him as her husband, and she vows to be rid of is immediately considered “unkind” and “unnatural” for not wanting
him. Moll asks him to let her return to England alone; that way, to fill the traditional role of wife and mother. Of course, Moll has
he can remain on the estate and work. She brings the idea up good reason for wanting to leave—she isn’t trying to up and leave
repeatedly until the plantation owner explodes in anger, asking her family on a whim—but the law is against her for any reason. As a
her what kind of “unkind Wife” and “unnatural Mother” looks to woman, Moll is not allowed to freely travel and needs her husband’s
leave her family. Moll doesn’t want to see the plantation owner permission to leave.
or their children ever again, but she knows he will never let her
go, and she cannot think of leaving without his consent—“as any
one that knows the Constitution of the country I [am] in, knows
very well,” Moll says.

Moll and the plantation owner fight all the time, and their life During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was not uncommon for
together grows increasingly tense. She refuses to go to bed husbands to place their wives in insane asylums, or madhouses, as
with him, and he accuses her of being “mad.” He tells Moll that if an alternative to divorce or simply to be rid of them. Again, the
she doesn’t change her behavior immediately, he will “put [her] plantation owner is angry because he is denied sex; he considers sex
under Cure; that is to say, into a Madhouse.” Moll is terrified. If something Moll owes him as a woman and his wife.
the plantation owner puts her into a Madhouse, she will never
get back to England, and any word she speaks of the truth will
not be believed.

Months pass, and Moll and the plantation owner find During this time, a husband legally had the same control over his
themselves in an explosive argument. He pushes Moll so far wife that he had over his children, which made it legal for husbands
that she nearly tells him the truth outright, but she thinks to beat their wives. He threatens to beat Moll to force her to her
better of it. The argument begins with the plantation owner “Duty,” which is to say he will beat her if she doesn’t start acting like
calmly pointing out Moll’s urgent desire to return to England. his wife again—in the bedroom and everywhere else. In short, he
She treats him more like a dog than a husband, he says, and she tells Moll to shape up and consent to sex, or he will beat her and
doesn’t treat the children much better. While he isn’t very fond throw her in a mental hospital.
of violence, he finds it is necessary now, and he will certainly
resort to such means in the future to “reduce [Moll] to [her]
Duty.”

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Moll is furious. She tells the plantation owner that she will be Moll’s behavior here again calls her true sense of morality into
returning to England and that she has good reason to treat him question. Despite the dire situation, her brother and children are
and the children the way she does. Moll tells him he is not her essentially innocent, and they surely don’t deserve Moll’s misplaced
lawful husband, and she says the children aren’t lawful either. anger. The plantation owner’s response to Moll’s admission that
The plantation owner looks as if he has a stroke. He grows cold their marriage and children aren’t legal suggests that he deeply loves
but sweaty, and then he vomits. He takes to his bed, where he Moll despite their recent problems.
burns all night with fever. The next day, Moll apologizes to the
plantation owner for sending him into such a state and begs
him not push her for an explanation, which, she says, will only
make things worse.

In the meantime, the plantation owner enlists his mother to get When the plantation owner enlists his mother to discover Moll’s
an explanation out of Moll. Mother presses Moll, who finally secret, it recalls the lady in Colchester and her efforts to persuade
tells Mother that the secret “[lies] in [Mother] herself”; Moll Moll to marry the younger brother. The circumstances are decidedly
has only suppressed it out of respect for her. It is in Mother’s different, but both situations illustrate the dismissive way in which
best interest, Moll says, not to insist. Mother, however, persists, Moll is treated. Moll doesn’t want to tell her secret, just like she
and Moll agrees to tell her—provided she doesn’t tell the didn’t want to marry the younger brother, but no one respects what
plantation owner without Moll’s permission. She agrees with Moll wants. Moll’s secret “lay in Mother herself” because Mother is
hesitation, and Moll tells her the entire story, beginning with the source of Moll’s problem with the plantation owner.
her own birth in Newgate Prison. She tells Mother that she is
indeed her daughter, and Mother is shocked. Moll’s story
seems at first unbelievable, but she soon takes Moll in her arms.
Mother laments Moll’s unhappy circumstances and the horror
of having three children—two living, one dead—with her own
brother.

Mother promises not to tell Moll’s secret to the plantation As a woman, Mother stands to lose just as much as Moll if Moll’s
owner, but neither Mother nor Moll knows what to do. They secret gets out. Mother’s reputation will be ruined in society as well,
don’t know how the plantation owner will receive the truth, but and it is sure to cause an embarrassing scandal. Mother would
they are both convinced that if the truth gets out publicly, it will rather have Moll live in misery and sin than face the devastation of
ruin the entire family. Mother wants Moll to bury the secret their secret. Mother’s willingness to live in such a way underscores
and continue living with the plantation owner as husband and the desperation of Moll’s situation as a woman in a sexist society.
wife until a better opportunity arises to tell him the truth. She Moll has no money and few options, other than to pretend she
promises to provide for Moll and, upon her death, to leave doesn’t know her husband is her brother.
money for Moll to separate from her son. Then, if Moll wishes
to leave after Mother is dead, she will have the means to do so.
Moll refuses; it is impossible to continue living as her brother’s
wife, and she can’t believe Mother is asking her to.

It is one thing, Moll argues, for Mother to confirm Moll is her As a woman in a sexist society, Moll’s word is considered less than a
daughter, but her secret will hardly be believed if it comes to man’s, and if Moll is put in a madhouse, anything she
light after Mother is dead. And, Moll adds, the plantation owner says—especially the truth that her husband is really her
has already threatened her with the madhouse. Moll suggests brother—will appear to be the ranting of a madwoman.
Mother help her convince the plantation owner to send Moll
back to England with an adequate amount of money and an
understanding he will later join her. Then, in Moll’s absence,
Mother can tell him the truth in any way she sees fit. In the end,
Moll and Mother can’t reconcile their difference of opinions.
Moll insists she cannot sleep with her brother, and Mother
insists she cannot convince her son to allow Moll to return to
England alone.

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Mother and Moll agree to keep their secret for a time. Mother Moll is desperate for security and wealth, and she appears willing to
tells the plantation owner that she doesn’t know Moll’s secret, live as her brother’s wife—provided she doesn’t have to have sex
but she believes it is serious, and he shouldn’t cause Moll undue with him—which again reflects Moll’s limited options as a woman in
stress with threats of violence and the madhouse until they can 17th-century society.
discover what the secret is. He agrees—he wasn’t serious about
the madhouse anyway—and he begins to treat Moll better. His
kindness returns, and he doesn’t quarrel with her. Moll begins
to think she can live long-term this way, expect she can’t
stomach going to bed with him. She resists him as much as she
can, and when she must relent, she is awkward and
uncomfortable. Moll decides she must tell him the truth.

Moll tells the plantation owner that she will reveal her secret if This section, in which Moll makes the plantation owner put his
he will make her a few promises in writing. He immediately promises in writing, mirrors the part of the novel when the
agrees and grabs a pen, and Moll tells him to write the plantation owner etches his promises of love on the windowpane.
following: that he will not blame her, insult or injure her, or Just as she did then, Moll makes the plantation owner promise
make her suffer in any way. He agrees that is reasonable and something before divulging the truth. In this way, Moll manipulates
writes it all down. She further makes him promise not to the plantation owner, but, as Moll always points out, she does it for
divulge her secret to anyone, except his mother, without Moll’s a good reason, not because she is an inherently bad person.
consent or permission. Again, the plantation owner agrees that
Moll’s demand is reasonable and writes it down. She then
makes him promise that he will receive her secret with
composure, and after he agrees, she begins to talk.

Moll tells the plantation owner that they are brother and sister. Presumably, the “easie” way in which the plantation owner plans to
Mother, Moll says, is her mother as well. The plantation owner keep Moll from having to return to England is by killing himself. The
grows pale, and Moll must get him a glass of rum to calm him. plantation owner obviously can’t live with such a taboo and morally
After he composes himself, he tells Moll that he has a solution reprehensible truth, suggesting that rigid moral strictures can be
that does not involve her going back to England. Moll says that painful for men as well as women. Plus, he truly loves Moll as a wife,
isn’t likely, since she can’t see how she can possibly stay, but he but now he must think of her as a sister, and he is clearly
promises to “make it easie.” In the following days, the plantation heartbroken.
owner grows depressed, and Moll thinks he is beginning to lose
his mind. He even makes two attempts on his own life, and if
not for Mother catching him and cutting the rope, he would be
hanging dead.

The plantation owner falls into a long consumption, and Moll Moll behaves quite selfishly here. She thinks her brother is dying, but
knows he is dying. She supposes she can stay in Virginia and she only worries about herself and marrying again once he is gone.
marry again once he is dead, but she badly wants to return to This self-interest again suggests that Moll’s moral fiber really is
England. Finally, the plantation owner and Mother both agree lacking, which somewhat complicates Defoe’s argument that Moll
to send Moll back to England. They decide that in due time, the only makes immoral choices because her poverty and oppression
plantation owner can claim Moll has died in England, and he can force her to.
marry again if he likes. In the meantime, he urges Moll to
correspond as his sister. So, after eight years in Virginia, Moll
leaves her brother—as she may now call him—and boards a ship
to England.

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MOLL AND THE GENTLEMAN

Moll’s return trip to England is smooth, and they reach the Moll is again destitute. She only has enough money to see her
coast of England in 32 days, but a series of rough storms sends through the immediate future—if she stretches her money she may
them off course to Ireland. After 13 days, they return to sea, make it last a few years—and the only legal ways to increase her
but rough waters again blow the ship off course. The ship wealth are to get married or go into Service. Moll refuses to go into
makes port in Wales, far from its intended destination, but Moll Service, so she will have to find another husband (even though she’s
refuses to get back on the water. The ship sets sail for Bristol still technically married to the linen-draper) or resort to other illegal
with Moll’s belongings, and she heads for London. She arrives means.
weeks later and is told the ship was tossed by considerable
weather on its way to Bristol and lost much of its cargo.
Without her belongings, Moll is reduced to around £300 in her
bank with no hope for more.

Moll decides to go to Bristol anyway, but she stops in Bath Bath is a fashionable tourist destination known for its public spas,
along the way. Bath is a “Place of Gallantry” and is “full of but it is also known for its vice, which is reflected in Moll’s
Snares,” and since Moll is still a young woman, she decides to description of the city as “full of Snares.” There is much temptation
take her chances there. But, Moll says, Bath is where men go to in Bath—men, money, and likely alcohol and gambling. Moll implies
find a Mistress, not a Wife, and she has little luck finding a that her landlady isn’t running a brothel (“an ill House”), but she
suitable man. She befriends a landlady, who lets Moll lodge at suggests the landlady herself is a prostitute, as she doesn’t have “the
her house. The landlady does not “k “keep
eep an ill House,” but she best Principles.”
doesn
doesn’t’t ha
havve “the best Principles” either. Moll is sad and a bit
lonely living in Bath, but it is inexpensive, so she stays.

Moll tells the landlady that she lost her fortune at sea, which Again, it was common during this time for husbands to place their
indeed cost Moll nearly £500. She has written to her mother wives in mental hospitals just to be rid of them. The gentleman
and brother in Virginia, Moll says, and she is waiting for them to turns his wife’s care over so it doesn’t appear as if he had her
send more goods for her to the port in Bristol. The landlady committed just so he could see other women. This again reflects the
takes pity on Moll and reduces her rent to an even cheaper sexist nature of society.
rate, and then she introduces Moll to a gentleman. The
gentleman believes Moll is a widow, and she knows that he has
a mad wife, whom he left under the care of her family so he
wouldn’t be accused of “mismanaging her Cure.”

The gentleman treats Moll with the utmost respect, honor, and It was not uncommon for platonic friends to receive each other in
virtue, and even though he occasionally visits her in her room, their bedrooms, or in bed for that matter, and at this point the
he never offers more than a kiss. One day, he asks Moll how she gentleman appears to be a genuinely respectful person. He treats
manages to live and cover her expenses, and she assures him Moll well and doesn’t make any sexual advances toward her, even
that she manages well enough while she waits for goods from when he has the opportunity. He appears to want to help Moll with
her family in Virginia. He tells Moll that he asks not because he no strings attached, but she isn’t interested. Moll likely denies him
is curious, but because he wishes to help her, if she needs it. because the gentleman isn’t free to marry, since his wife is still alive.
Moll says she is not looking for his assistance, but he makes her
promise that if she should find herself in need of money, she will
ask him for help as freely as he has just offered it.

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The next day, the gentleman calls Moll to his room while he is Even though it isn’t uncommon for friends to receive each other
still in bed. He tells Moll to empty her purse. She has three and while in bed, the gentleman’s questions about Moll’s wealth and the
a half Guineas, and he asks if that is all she has. Moll says no, gift of money he gives her while lying in bed has sexual
and he tells her to go to her room and fetch all her money. She connotations, and it furthers the connection between money and
returns with six more Guineas and some silver, which the sex within the novel. The gentleman could have easily talked with
gentleman places, without counting, into a drawer. Then he Moll and offered her money after he was up and dressed, but he
gives Moll a key and tells her to open a wooden box on the doesn’t, hinting that his motivations might not be so honorable as
table. The box is full of gold, and the gentleman pushes Moll’s they initially appeared.
hand into the box, forcing her to pick up as much as she can
hold. Then he dumps the drawer with Moll’s six Guineas into
her lap and tells her to take her money to her room.

The gentleman begins to spend lots of money on Moll, buying While the gentleman does seem sincere, it is possible his sincerity is
her new clothes and lace, and he even hires her a maid. His just a ploy to get Moll to let her guard down and invite him in, at
kindness is a gift, the gentleman says, and he does not wish for which time he will more easily be able to take advantage of her. Like
Moll to pay him back. Soon, he falls ill, and Moll cares for him the older brother, the gentleman equates his affection for Moll with
for five weeks with as much attention as a loving wife. Once he money, so it isn’t a stretch to imagine that he might equates sex with
is better, the gentleman presents Moll with 50 Guineas for her money as well.
care and tells her he has the sincerest affection for her. He
claims he will always preserve her virtue as if it were his own,
and even “if he was naked in Bed with [her],” he would not
violate her virtue.

Moll soon has reason to go to Bristol, and the gentleman offers Again, Moll equates unmarried sex with being a whore, which
to travel with her. When they arrive at the Inn, the innkeeper reinforces the sexist nature of her society. Furthermore, the fact that
only has one room with two beds. When they’re alone in the the gentleman so quickly gives in to Moll’s desires suggests that he
room, the gentleman tells Moll that he has occasion to prove to isn’t so concerned with her virtue after all. If he were, it is likely that
her that he can lie with her without violating her virtue. He he wouldn’t allow Moll to endanger it, no matter how badly he
climbs into bed with her and holds her all night long, without wanted her.
the least inappropriate touch. They return to Bath and live
together for two whole years, until, after a bit too much wine,
Moll offers to give him her virtue for one night. He takes her
immediately, and with that, Moll becomes, in her words, his
“WHORE.”

Both Moll and the gentleman regret their decision, but there is During the 17th century, the sight of pregnant women was
no going back, so they continue their sexual relationship. Moll is considered obscene (pregnancy, after all, is evidence of sex), so
soon pregnant, and the landlady helps her to find a midwife and women were expected to remove themselves from society in for a
nurse. As Moll gets closer to giving birth, the landlady period of time that was called “lying in.” Churches would assume the
convinces the Parish Officers that there is a woman “Lying Inn” cost of unmarried pregnant women and automatically take charge
at her residence, but the woman’s husband is a wealthy man of them, but the landlady convinces them that Moll is married and
from London and has covered all expenses. The Parish Officers covered financially. Both the need for “lying in” and the church’s
are satisfied, and Moll saves as much of the gentleman’s money interference further highlight how tightly constrained women’s
as she can. She gives birth to a handsome boy, and the rights are at this time.
gentleman relocates both Moll and the baby to London.

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Moll lives in London at the height of her wealth, and she wishes While Moll doesn’t explicitly state it here, she again implies that her
nothing more than to be the gentleman’s wife. Moll knows relationship with the gentleman—in which he takes care of her and
marrying the gentleman is unlikely, and she also knows that she has sex with him—makes her a whore. Moll again looks to sex as
men only keep mistresses for so long, so she continues to hide a sort of currency to give her security and wealth. She’s terrified of
money away in her bank whenever she can. Moll admits that poverty, so she trades her body and sex for security. Moll has limited
from the moment she met the gentleman, she vowed to “let him options for making money on her own, and she doesn’t know any
lye with [her] if he offer’d.” She needed his help and “knew no other way to take care of herself.
other way of securing him.” So, “as Poverty brought [her] into it,
so fear of Poverty kept [her] in it,” and she lives six years with
him. During this time, Moll has two more children, but, sadly,
both children die.

One day, Moll comes home to a letter that says the gentleman Pleurisy is a painful respiratory illness that was often fatal during
has again fallen ill. He is at home with his wife’s family, and it Moll’s time, and it further reflects how precarious Moll’s situation is.
isn’t appropriate for Moll to come to him. Time passes without Without the gentleman, Moll is destitute, and she won’t be entitled
word, so, out of curiosity, Moll disguises herself as a servant to any money upon his death since they aren’t legally married.
and goes to his house and inquires as to his condition. A maid Moll’s life has been going well, but it is still just one disaster away
tells her the gentleman is suffering with pleurisy and a fever, from completely falling apart and leaving her on the street.
and he isn’t expected to live. Moll returns home and soon learns
that his condition is slowly improving. She writes him several
letters, and after much time, he finally writes back.

The gentleman writes that being so near death has made him The gentleman’s sudden attack of conscience underscores the
genuinely reflect on the time he has spent with Moll, and he immorality of his relationship with Moll, which aligns with Defoe’s
now sees the sin they have committed. He encloses £50 so claim that Moll’s story is useful moral instruction. By pointing out
Moll can return to Bath, and he says he can no longer see her. the sin Moll is guilty of, it warns readers away from making similar
She is free to take their child or leave him; if she leaves the choices. In giving Moll money to go away, the gentleman again
child, the gentleman says, he will care for the boy. Moll is equates sex with mone; it’s as if this final sum is his last payment to
heartbroken. She is aware of their sin herself, and she has often her for the relationship they’ve had.
thought it would have been a lesser offense to stay in Virginia
as her brother’s wife. And all this time, Moll has been married
to the linen-draper too, which means she has been living as a
“Whore and an Adultress” since he left.

Moll has no intention of returning to Bath, but she doesn’t Moll’s son with the gentleman is just one of the 12 children Moll
know what to do about the child. The thought of leaving him abandons, which makes her appear immoral; however, Defoe
causes her pain, but so does the thought of trying to care for implies that Moll isn’t entirely to blame for this awful situation.
him on her own and being unable to, so she leaves him. She Birth control doesn’t exist, and Moll has few options to support a
again writes the gentleman and asks him to send her £50 more, child. Plus, she is forced into sexual situations in order to survive. In
so she can go back to her family in Virginia, even though she has this way, children can’t be avoided, and Moll can only do her best to
no intention of leaving England. He agrees, and Moll again finds take care of them for as long as she can.
herself alone. With the additional £50 from the gentleman, she
has nearly £400 in her bank, including some silver, clothes, and
linen.

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Now, Moll isn’t the same woman she was when she set out Moll changes as her life progresses, which illustrates the evolving
alone for the first time 20 years ago. She is 42 years old now, nature of identity. Her comment that women are susceptible to
and the years have been hard on her. She has no friends and no deception because they lack advisers again underscores the sexist
one to advise her, which is one of the worst conditions a woman nature of society. Women are considered helpless and easy prey for
can find herself in. Moll says “woman,” she points out, because men who are only looking for money, and a woman alone like Moll is
men are their own advisers, and they don’t have to worry about a prime target. Moll again suggests that she only acts immorally
“being wrong’d and deciev’d.” A woman alone with no adviser is (doing things like having sex and abandoning her children) because
like “a Bag of Money, or a Jewel dropt on the Highway.” Moll she is desperately poor and has no other options.
wants to settle down to a quiet life, and if she had a husband,
she would be true and faithful. But, Moll says, vice comes in
“always at the Door of Necessity, not at the Door of
Inclination.”

Moll lives as frugally as she can and decides to move to the During this time, paper money and bank receipts (now known as
North Country, where a neighbor talks her into moving again to checks) were a relatively new concept, and Moll has a hard time
Liverpool. There, Moll must decide what to do with her money. trusting them. Plus, if Moll puts her money in a bank and it goes
She considers the bank, but she has no one to help her, and she bankrupt, she will lose all her money. Keeping her money on her isn’t
doesn’t trust “Bank Bills” and “Talleys.” Still, she worries she may realistic either, it is heavy and bulky, and she might get robbed.
be robbed or murdered for her gold, so she decides to go the Despite the risk, putting her money in a bank is her safest option.
bank anyway. Moll tells the man at the bank her situation, and
he directs her to a second banker, who he is sure will be able to
help Moll manage her money and affairs.

MOLL MEETS THE BANKER

The banker is a kind man. Moll tells him she is a widow from The banker’s condition of having “a Wife, and no Wife” mirrors
America, and he quickly agrees to help her. He seems like an Moll’s own state with the linen-draper—she is legally married, but
honest man, and he advises Moll as to her financial options, for all intents and purposes, she doesn’t have a husband. A “cuckold”
such as lodging her gold in the bank and drawing bills from a is a word that describes a man whose wife is unfaithful, a point
cashier as she sees fit Or, she can invest in stock, which will made clearer by the banker’s claim that his wife is a “Whore.”
gather her interest and make her more money. As the banker
advises Moll, he slips in details of his own life. He has “a Wife,
and no Wife,” he says, whom he wouldn’t mind seeing hanged. “I
am a Cuckold,” the banker says, “and she is a Whore.”

The banker’s wife ran off and had two children with a linen- Here, the banker, too, implies that women are often forced into
draper’s apprentice. The banker tells Moll that his wife “is a performing sex for money and security, which is why he calls it the
Whore not by Necessity, which is the common Bait of [Moll’s] “Bait” of Moll’s gender. His wife, however, is a “whore” because of
Sex, but by Inclination, and for the sake of the Vice.” He asks desire and not need, which suggests she is innately immoral;
Moll what he should do to get justice, and she suggests getting whereas Moll, who is a “whore by necessity,” does it to survive and is
a divorce. It won’t be difficult, Moll says, if the wife has really thus not innately immoral. The banker’s forwardness is again
done as the banker says. The banker admits that he would like evidence of their sexist society. He is more concerned with making
to marry again, and then he asks Moll if she would have him. Moll his wife than in helping her with her problem, proving her point
“No,” Moll replies sternly. She has come to him for help with her about how vulnerable women without advisers are.
finances, and she is appalled that he has been so forward.

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The banker takes to flattering Moll, which she rather enjoys, Moll’s comment again reflects the importance of a woman’s virtue
but she knows the best way to secure him is to appear in a sexist society. Only virtue has worth (other than money, that is),
standoffish. It is most important, Moll says, to “preserve the so Moll must fake it, even though she has been married several
Character of [her] Virtue,” even if the virtue itself has already times, has many children, and even trades sex for money and
been sacrificed. Moll promises to come back the next day to security. The banker is again forward with Moll—he barely knows
conclude talking about her business, and when she returns, the her but wants her to sign a marriage contract. She seems virtuous
banker professes his affection for Moll and promises to marry and has a bit of money, and that is enough for him.
her as soon as he has obtained a divorce from his wife. He asks
Moll to sign a contract obliging her to marry him after his
divorce, but Moll refuses, as she will soon be leaving for
Lancashire with a friend.

Moll tells the banker that she will leave her money in his hands With an income of 1,500 pounds per year, the Irishman is seriously
while she travels, and he agrees. Moll has been in Lancashire wealthy, and he is willing to give Moll a dowry, instead of the other
for about six weeks when she meets the Irishman. According to way around. The Irishman seems too good to be true, which
Moll’s friends, the Irishman is very rich—his estate is valued at suggests that he probably is. His fortune is in Ireland, and he can
£1,000 to £1,500 yearly—and he is very handsome. He is tall easily lure Moll to Ireland on the pretense of money, and by the time
and shapely, and he speaks often of his estate in Ireland. He she discovers the truth, she’d be trapped there.
never asks Moll about her own fortune, but he promises to give
her a £600 dowry if she agrees to go with him to Ireland.

MOLL MARRIES THE IRISHMAN

Moll thinks often of the banker and feels bad for disregarding The Irishman is obviously fishing around about Moll’s money, which
him, but she soon marries the Irishman, and Moll’s new again suggests he isn’t as wealthy as he claims to be. He is trying to
husband begins to arrange travel to Ireland. He asks Moll if she get his hands on Moll’s money, and since he doesn’t know that Moll
has any business in London that needs tending to, and she is legally married to another man, he believes he is entitled to her
assures him that any business she does have can be settled by wealth. Moll has a considerable amount of money with the banker,
letter. He asks her about her money and banking. If anything but she doesn’t appear willing to share. That way, if Moll is again left
needs to be transferred, he says, it may be necessary to see to it alone, she is covered financially.
before going to Ireland. Moll tells the Irishman that she doesn’t
know what he is talking about and says she doesn’t have any
money in London.

The Irishman is shocked to discover that Moll doesn’t have any Moll is lying about her money (she has over 400 pounds with the
money, and she is quick to point out that she never led him to banker), which seems immoral; however, Defoe implies she doesn’t
believe she had any wealth at all. He claims she looks like a have much of a choice. If the past is any indication of Moll’s future,
“Woman of Fortune,” and, he adds, he heard from mutual she will soon be alone and expected to support herself, and she can
friends that Moll was very wealthy. Then, the Irishman admits hardly be blamed for covering herself on her end. And unlike the
that he, too, is poor and doesn’t really own an estate in Ireland. Irishman, Moll doesn’t openly lie about having money; he just
It appears, Moll says, they have been married “upon the foot of assumes she’s wealthy, and she doesn’t initially correct him.
a double Fraud,” for she has no estate. Moll is incredibly
disappointed. She knows the Irishman can make her very
happy, but his finances are certainly a problem, and she can see
nothing before them but ruin. She pulls a Bank Bill from her
purse worth £20 and 11 Guineas, which, she says, is all the
money she has in the world.

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Despite her disappointment, Moll is not willing to be without Clearly, Moll is fond of the Irishman, and he is fond of her; however,
money, and she tells the Irishman as much. They spend the marriage is a business arrangement, not a statement of love, so they
evening together and he still tries to make the best of it, so he can’t be together. Despite his deception, the Irishman is a pleasant
orders a bottle of wine with dinner. The Irishman apologizes for and agreeable man, which suggests that, like Moll, he only behaves
deceiving her, and Moll asks what he was planning on doing immorally because of poverty and the need to survive.
once they arrived in Ireland. He never intended to go Ireland,
he admits, but was going to feign a reason for staying in London
after Moll secured her fortune from the bank.

Moll and the Irishman spend the night together, and once Moll Presumably, Moll and the Irishman have sex, and he too pays her for
falls asleep, the Irishman slips out. He leaves her a letter, in it, albeit in a more indirect way. This is the first time Moll uses
which he begs for her forgiveness and claims he has left money James’s real name. James’s identity as, variously, the Irishman,
in her pocket to cover her expenses back to London. When she Jemy, and Moll’s Lancashire husband again underscores Defoe’s
wakes, Moll is devasted. She looks in her pocket and finds 10 argument as to the fluid nature of identity.
Guineas, along with a gold watch and diamond rings. She begins
to weep, calling him by his name. “James, O Jemy!” Moll cries,
wishing he would return to her. Moll spends the whole day
crying, and near nightfall, James returns.

When James arrives, he goes directly to Moll and takes her in Referring to their “extasies” is a polite way of saying Moll and James
his arms. When their “Extasies” are over, James tells Moll that have sex, and it is an example of the modest language Moll was
he didn’t get 15 miles away before he heard Moll calling to him. forced to write her story in. James’s connection to Moll, and his
Hearing her voice in his head, he knew he had to be near her for ability to sense her calling for him, again suggests that James truly
a bit longer. There is no need for her to travel back to London loves her. But because of his poverty, he is forced to deny his feelings
alone, James says. He can accompany her to the city, or close to and keep looking for a wealthy woman, just as Moll must look for a
it, at least. Molls is miserable without him, so she agrees. His rich man.
good nature and manners—and the fact that he left Moll what
little money he had—make him quite attractive to Moll.

James and Moll travel as far as Dunstable, about 30 miles Moll only offers to spend all her money on James because she
outside London, and James refuses to go on. Circumstances, knows she has more money with the banker in London. While Moll
which James doesn’t explain, won’t allow him to go on to clearly likes James, she is careful to still ensure her own security.
London. Moll convinces him to stay a week or so in Dunstable James’s refusal to go to London is suspicious and implies he is hiding
to delay their inevitable parting, and they rent rooms in a from something or someone, and it further suggests he isn’t exactly
private house. Moll asks James to live with her in Dunstable who he says he is.
until her money runs out. She will not let him spend a bit of his
own money. If she isn’t likely to see him again, Moll says, it will
be money well spent.

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Living together in Dunstable, Moll tells James all about James’s suggestion that he go to Ireland and Moll to London to wait
Virginia. Her mother is still living there, Moll says, but her for him again underscores the sexist nature of their society. Moll
husband has been dead many years now. She tells him all about wants to go to the Colonies, but James wants to go to Ireland, and
the quality of the land and the money to be made. Moll says he completely disregards Moll’s desires in favor of his own. He
that a sum of £300 can get them established in the Colonies, doesn’t give what she wants equal thought before simply deciding to
and after seven years or so, they will be able to leave their act on his own desires, which leaves Moll in a position in which she
plantation under the care of another and live comfortably on must act against her own will and desires.
the profits in England. James says he has the same idea about
Ireland. Farming land in Ireland can secure one a life that
£3,000 a year wouldn’t buy in England, James maintains. He
suggests he go on to Ireland, and she to London, and in a year, if
things are as good as he supposes they will be, he will send for
her.

James is so insistent on his plans for Ireland that Moll finally Moll is still scheming to get the richest husband possible, which is
agrees to go to London and wait. They part at last—with great why she continues corresponding with the banker even when she is
reluctance on Moll’s part—and she heads off to London. Moll with James. Again, this implies Moll is of loose morals, since she
takes lodging near Clarkenwell and discovers after a short time strings one man along while pregnant with another’s child; however,
that she is pregnant. Moll isn’t pleased with this unexpected she can’t very well go out and get a respectable job and support
interruption, and she isn’t quite sure how to handle her lying in. herself in the manner she is accustomed to, which again reflects
She has kept up correspondence with the banker during her Moll’s limited options as a woman in the 17th century.
time away, but she hasn’t had the need to remove any money
from the bank. She knows from his letters that he has started
divorce proceedings; they are going well, but they are also
difficult and long.

MOLL MEETS THE MIDWIFE AND MARRIES THE BANKER

Moll knows she isn’t in any condition to see the banker. She Moll clearly isn’t happy about being pregnant, but this sequence of
isn’t foolish enough to marry one man while pregnant with the events makes it clear just how few options she has. Moll’s plan to
child of another, but she still doesn’t want to fully let the banker hide her pregnancy from the banker and go to him once she has,
go. So, she vows to have him, if his interest holds, as soon as she presumably, gotten rid of the baby may seem despicable, but again,
is able. After all, Moll isn’t likely to ever see James again. Her Moll has few chances to ensure her future stability and no way to
belly grows, and people start noticing Moll’s condition. She take care of a child.
knows she must remove herself from society, but again, Moll is
without friends or anyone to advise her. She grows depressed
and ill, and she hopes her illness causes her to miscarry. Of
course, Moll clarifies, she would never make herself miscarry.

In short time, the lady of the house where Moll boards sends a A “midwife” during Moll’s time is often used as an umbrella term for
midwife to see her. The woman seems to be an experienced women who deliver babies and are also prostitutes. The midwife is
midwife, and she has a different calling as well, “in which she [is] an “expert” more than “most women,” and she is a “Mother
as expert as most women, if not more.” Moll’s “Mother Midnight,” both of which imply prostitution. Moll understands she is
Midnight” begins to explain. She knows Moll needs assistance a whore in the midwife’s house because the midwife is literally
for her “Lying Inn,” and she can help. The Midwife tells Moll that operating a brothel.
Moll’s circumstances are of no concern to her—in other words,
she doesn’t care if the baby’s father is Moll’s husband—and
Moll understands that she is a “Whore” here.

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The midwife tells Moll that she has an agreement with the local The midwife’s business and her detailed plans to care for woman
Parish to handle such cases, and she runs a house where many who are lying in again connects sex and money. The midwife makes
women go to “Lye-Inn.” Moll understands perfectly, she says, a living from sex directly as a prostitute, and indirectly from caring
and tells the midwife that she doesn’t have much, but she can for pregnant women. Again, local churches often assume the care of
afford the cost of her keeping. The midwife returns the next needy pregnant women, but the midwife’s agreement with the
day with details—she has three different care packages to church means they will stay out of Moll’s business. The midwife sees
choose from—and presents them to Moll. The three options Moll as a way to bring in more money, but she is also kind and likely
range from £13 to £53 for three months’ service, and Moll won’t turn her away, which suggests it’s possible for seemingly
selects the least expensive. But, Moll says, she still has a few immoral people like the midwife to be virtuous and compassionate
months to go and might need to stay longer than three months. at the same time.
The midwife assures Moll she never puts anyone out before
they are ready.

Moll soon moves to the midwife’s house, where Moll is pleased The midwife’s business of selling babies is certainly an immoral
to find the house clean and quite luxurious. The midwife has practice, but she views it through more moral terms. She says the
several businesses and one such business is finding people who, babies would likely have been aborted or neglected had she not
for a bit of money, will take children after they are born and found them appropriate homes, which makes her work seem more
provide for them. Moll questions what happens to the children morally sound. She still offers Moll an abortion, though, which
after they are gone, but the midwife assures her she takes suggests she isn’t looking to judge Moll regardless of her decision.
great care in all her business. Furthermore, the midwife says,
she has saved the lives of countless children, who otherwise
might have been destroyed by their desperate mothers. The
midwife also offers to provide Moll with something to make her
miscarry, if she wants to be rid of the problem that way, but
Moll refuses.

During Moll’s time with the midwife, Moll is comfortable and If Moll wasn’t sure before that the midwife is a prostitute and her
well cared for. It is obvious to Moll that the midwife has a house a brothel, Moll certainly knows now. Moll’s morals are clearly
thriving business, which is clearly a “whoring Account.” The offended by being in the brothel, as being there makes her sick to
Midwife has 12 “Ladies of Pleasure” and a number of other her stomach. Moll’s response to the brothel again implies that she
women “Lying Inn.” Living in such a place “shock’d [Moll’s] very isn’t innately immoral; she is simply a poor woman in a sexist society
Senses,” and she feels sick to her stomach. However, Moll and is without other reasonable options. Moll doesn’t really doubt
admits, she never sees anything indecent take place there. the legality of the banker’s divorce; she simply must string him along
Before long, Moll receives a letter from the banker. He has for a little longer until her lying in is over.
divorced his wife, and Moll is pleased, but she writes back and
claims to doubt the lawfulness of such a decree.

By mid-May, Moll gives birth to another son. Soon after, she Moll is again scheming to ensure she gets the banker and she is
again receives a letter from the banker. He has obtained a willing to give up her child to do it, which again suggests Moll has
divorce from his wife, and after she was served with the papers, rather loose morals. Furthermore, both the banker and Moll seem r
she committed suicide. With his cheating wife out of the pleased that his wife is dead. This rather heartless response is likely
picture, the banker invites Moll to come to London and be with in response to the wife’s status as a whore, but since Moll considers
him. Moll is pleased, but she isn’t sure what to do with the child. herself a whore too, this makes her appear even more heartless and
In search of advice, Moll tells the midwife all about her immoral. But still, Moll remains motivated by concerns for her own
predicament—her marriage to James, his inability to go to safety; Defoe implies that she probably wouldn’t do or feel any of
London, and his blessing for Moll to move on—and she says that these things if she weren’t desperately trying to avoid poverty.
she has found a good offer in the banker. The problem, Moll
says, is the child. If she returns to the banker with the boy, the
banker will know that Moll has been with another since she left
London for Lancashire.

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However, the thought of giving up her child deeply pains Moll. Moll clearly loves her child and giving him up isn’t easy for her,
The midwife reassures Moll and tells her that the children she which again indicates that she’s not simply an uncaring person.
places are cared for just as their mothers themselves would Defoe implies Moll is simply faced with difficult choices and limited
care for them. If she knew for sure that her baby would be well options. In this way, it is again society that is truly to blame for
cared for, Moll says, she would happily agree to place the child Moll’s decisions. If she had a reasonable way to support herself and
in the midwife’s hands. The midwife arranges—for an added her children, she likely wouldn’t be looking for an alternative.
fee, of course—for Moll to have the option of seeing the child
whenever she wants. Moll agrees, and the next week, a woman
arrives from the country. She will take the child off Moll’s hands
for £10, and for an additional £5 a year, she will allow Moll to
see him whenever she desires.

Afterward, Moll begins to write the banker in a more friendly Presumably, the banker wants to meet Moll in Brickhill because he
tone, and she tells him that she will be in London come August. wants to marry her before taking her back to London. That way,
The banker suggests instead that they meet in Brickhill, a town when he brings Moll home, she is already his wife, and he won’t
just outside London. They find lodging and go to dinner, and appear to be fooling around with a woman he isn’t married to,
Moll gets the feeling that the banker is going to propose to her. which, in the eyes of society, would reflect poorly on his own
She knows that she will not deny him. The innkeeper asks to morality. However, the banker makes his plans without consulting
speak to the banker alone, and Moll overhears the men talking Moll, which again illustrates how little agency women have in their
about a minister, who is willing to serve them as discreetly as society.
they like. After dinner, the banker begins kissing and sweet-
talking Moll, and then he takes out several official documents
and places them before her.

The banker presents Moll with documentation of his divorce The banker’s “violent” kisses and his refusal to let Moll up until she
from his wife and proof of her crime as a “Whore,” and he marries him again implies that he has control over her as a man and
further presents Moll with proof of his wife’s death and burial. she is powerless to resist him. He doesn’t know that Moll has no
Moll can see he has yet another document, and she asks him plans to resist him, and he is willing to force her, which is evident in
what it is. “Ay,” he says slyly. He then produces a box, which both his violent force and his preparation. He goes to a lot of trouble
contains a very nice diamond ring. Moll is so happy that she securing documentation to ensure their marriage because he has no
can’t refuse. The other document, the banker says, is a intention of taking no for an answer.
marriage license, and he begins to “violently” kiss her. He
knocks Moll to the bed, all the while kissing her and professing
his love, and he refuses to let her up until she agrees to marry
him. She won’t refuse him, Moll says, so he might as well let her
up.

The banker is so happy that Moll has accepted him, there are Since Moll is still legally married to the linen-draper, Moll is
tears in his eyes as he stands. Moll must turn from him, because technically a whore, just like the banker’s first wife, and Moll’s guilt
there are tears in her eyes, too, and she begins to feel remorse over this fact again reflects her sexist society. Moll’s husband left her
for the wicked life she has led. She briefly wonders how her life through no fault of her own, yet she is supposed to take a vow of
would have been had she met a nice, loving man like the banker chastity and wait for him to come back—which is unlikely to ever
earlier. She starts to feel bad that she has deceived him as to happen. Moll’s question as to how her life would have been had she
the full truth of her past. Little does he know, Moll thinks, he not been poor again suggests that her immorality is a product of her
has gotten rid of one “Whore” just to take up with another. poverty, not of some innate depravity.
What will the banker think if he ever finds out that Moll is the
daughter of a thief, born in Newgate Prison?

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Before long, a minister arrives, and the banker presents him Again, the banker doesn’t consider Moll’s feelings and preferences
with the marriage license. Satisfied, the minister asks where the for getting married. He wants to marry her now because it is better
bride is, and the banker goes to fetch Moll. She is shocked that for him, and he cares very little how Moll feels about it. The banker’s
he means to be married now—at an inn and so late at night, far indifference to Moll’s desires again mirrors the overall oppression of
from the sacred church. The minister convinces Moll that a women in 17th-century England.
marriage performed at an inn is just as legal and binding as one
performed in a church, and she finally agrees to marry the
banker now.

Moll and the banker’s marriage is kept completely secret, and The banker keeps their marriage a secret, which implies that he is
they return to their room as husband and wife, where they ashamed in some way. Likely, the banker isn’t ashamed of Moll per
“enjoy’d [themselves] that Evening compleatly.” The next se, but he does seem to be ashamed that he wasn’t married before.
morning, they remain in bed until nearly noon, at which time This shame reflects the importance of marriage in society, and it
Moll rises and goes to the window. She looks outside, and to also implies that he doesn’t want to be seen with a woman who isn’t
her absolute surprise she sees James go into a house across his wife. Moll’s claim that she and the banker enjoyed themselves
the street with two other men. She panics. The banker cannot completely again suggests sex and is another example of the modest
see her so undone, and she quickly thinks about her options. language Moll must use to tell her story.
She wants to know what James is doing there, but she doesn’t
want to see him—running into him could ruin her life with the
banker. Two hours later, Moll watches as James and the two
men exit the house and head out of town.

The next day, as Moll and the banker are getting ready to Obviously, James is a highwayman—a thief who robs travelers and
return to London, excitement breaks out all over town. Three stagecoaches—which is likely why he can’t return to London. The
highwaymen robbed nearly £560 in money and goods from reader can infer that James is wanted in London for some sort of
travelers, and three strange men have been seen in the area. crime, probably robbery, which also implies James has loose morals
Moll tells the constable that she indeed saw the men in himself—but again, that may just be because he’s impoverished and
question, and one of them she knows very well from has few options. Moll and the banker don’t leave for London right
Lancashire. He is an honest and good man, Moll says, and he away because with known highwaymen in the area, they stand to be
can’t possibly be one of the highwaymen. The constable tells his robbed on their way back.
men they are mistaken; the three men seen in town have
nothing to do with the robberies. The excitement delays Moll
and the banker’s departure, and they finally head back to
London four days later.

Moll returns to London a married woman and she moves The “safe Harbour” of Moll’s marriage and her subsequent financial
directly into the banker’s house, which she finds well-furnished security again imply that Moll only resorted to the wickedness of her
and more than adequate. There, Moll lives a very happy life. She past out of desperation and a need to survive. This implication
has “landed in a safe Harbour,” and she “sincerely” repents her underscores the connection between poverty and vice, and it
wicked past. But, Moll points out, as “Covetousness is the Root suggests vice isn’t necessarily a choice that is freely made. Poverty is
of all Evil, so Poverty is, I believe, the worst of all Snares.” Moll “the worst of all Snares,” in which one is bound to break the law and
lives an easy life for five years, until the banker loses a large commit other immoral acts just to survive—especially as a woman
sum of his money to a dishonest business associate. The banker with few options otherwise.
grows depressed and lethargic after losing so much money and
promptly dies, leaving Moll alone with two children.

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After the death of the banker, Moll isn’t left in debt, but she Moll’s interruption and her insistence that the reader consider her
doesn’t have enough money to support herself either. She is state of absolute poverty before continuing suggests that Moll is
again without friends or anyone to advise her, so she sits and going to make some immoral choices in the upcoming pages, and
cries, lamenting her miserable existence. Moll lives this way for that her poverty is directly the cause of these choices. The biblical
two years, and then she decides to leave her house and move quote Moll references (Proverbs 30:9) implies that people wouldn’t
on. She sells everything she owns and lives on that sum for steal if not for poverty, and Moll likewise wouldn’t behave in
nearly a year, but she has no hope of bringing in any additional immoral ways if not for her “desolate state.”
money. Moll interrupts her story and begs the reader not to
continue without “seriously reflecting on the Circumstances of
[her] desolate state.” And, Moll adds, it is best to remember the
adage: “Give me not Poverty lest I Steal.”

MOLL’S LIFE OF CRIME

One day, as Moll is walking through the shopping district in Presumably, Moll steals the package because she doesn’t have any
London, she looks in the window of an apothecary’s shop. On a money. She takes the package with little thought, as if she is
stool sits a package wrapped in white cloth. The apothecary’s compelled to do it because she knows she may starve otherwise.
apprentice is standing on the counter, reaching for something Moll resorts to shoplifting in a moment of absolute desperation,
on a high shelf, and his servant is beside him, her back to the which suggests she is not innately immoral or depraved; she is
shop. Moll slips in the door, snatches the package with little simply poor and likely hungry.
thought, and exits without being seen. She walks quickly
through the streets without stopping, and feels “Horror” fill her
soul. She rests for a bit, and then continues walking, not
returning to her lodgings until nearly nine o’clock at night.

Back in her room, Moll opens the package and finds it full of Moll seems sincerely remorseful for stealing the package, and she
valuable linen and lace, various silver mugs and spoons, and also appears to regret the way she has been forced to live in the
money totaling 18 shillings and six pence. As Moll goes through past—multiple illicit affairs, “whoredom,” and abandoned
the contents of the package, she is struck with fear. She is a children—which all point to Moll’s moral fortitude. Sinning and vice
thief, and such things can get her sent to Newgate and hanged. aren’t easy for Moll, and she truly regrets her choices, but she has
Moll goes to bed, but she can’t sleep. She reflects on her sin, had to choose between staying moral and staying alive.
but she knows that she won’t starve now. Still, she has sincerely
repented the sins of her life only to be “driven by the dreadful
Necessity of [her] Circumstances” to thievery. Moll falls to her
knees and prays to God for deliverance.

The next day, Moll goes out walking in the street and The fact that Moll steals indiscriminately even from children
encounters a young girl walking home alone. Moll notices a complicates her claim that she isn’t innately immoral. Moll could
handsome gold necklace around the girl’s neck, so she offers to choose to target an adult, but she steals whatever is available, even
see her home safely. The girl agrees, and Moll leads her into an if she must take from a child. Moll rationalizes her choice to steal
empty alley, where, pretending to fix the girl’s shoe, Moll slips from the child, and even tries to tell herself that she is helping the
the necklace from the girl’s neck without her noticing. Moll child in the long run by teaching the parents a lesson. Moll’s
turns the girl in the direction of her house and leaves her. As rationalization suggests that she is morally bothered by her decision
she walks, Moll reflects on her crimes. She isn’t too concerned to rob a child.
with the girl. After all, Moll didn’t hurt her, and she indeed
taught the girl’s parents a valuable lesson about leaving their
daughter unattended.

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As Moll walks, a man runs past her and throws a package into The arrest of the thief right in front of Moll underscores the danger
the street. He tells her to leave the package in the gutter and she is in of going to Newgate and being hanged if she continues to
continues running. Within moments, a second man runs by steal. Just as the threat of immorality isn’t enough to keep Moll from
yelling: “Thief!” and Moll watches as the first man is caught, stealing, neither is the threat of death, which further emphasizes
arrested, and carried off. When the commotion dies down, Moll just how desperate Moll is. She isn’t stealing for the fun of it; she
retrieves the package from the street and goes back to her does it to survive.
room. Inside the package, Moll finds pieces of expensive silk
and velvet, along with various pieces of gold and diamond
jewelry. Days later, Moll finds occasion to steal two more
diamond rings from a shop window, but she doesn’t know how
to turn her loot into money. Much of what Moll has stolen is too
expensive to simply sell on the street, so she decides to go see
the midwife for advice.

Luckily for Moll, the midwife happily receives her and reveals Unlike Moll, the midwife is a hardened criminal. In addition to being
that she also works as a pawn broker, so she can help Moll turn a prostitute, the madame of a brothel, and a procuress, the midwife
her goods into money. Moll moves into the midwife’s house and is also a pawn broker who can turn jewelry and silver into spendable
tries to survive on only quilting work, but it isn’t long before money. The midwife has clearly been at her life of crime for a long
Moll steals again. While having a drink in a bar, Moll steals the time, and this again illustrates the limited options of women in
silver cup she drinks her ale from. When she returns home to society. The midwife isn’t married, and she certainly isn’t
the midwife and tells her what she has done, the midwife begs independently wealthy, so she must piece together several illegal
her not to take the cup back. The punishment for theft is harsh, jobs to provide for herself.
the midwife reminds Moll, and they will hang her without
thought. The midwife melts down the silver cup so no one will
recognize it, and Moll tells her that she is running out of money
and isn’t a very good thief.

The midwife sets Moll up with a “Comrade” and experienced Moll and the midwife refer to their criminal acquaintances as
thief, who teaches Moll to shoplift and pickpocket without “Comrades.” They aren’t exactly friends, and they never have names,
getting caught. Moll puts her new skills into practice, and it isn’t which helps them to maintain their anonymity. With 120 watches
long before she grows rich. At one point, Moll and her and 200 pounds saved, Moll is no longer stealing just to stay alive;
comrades have 120 gold watches between them. Moll has over now Moll is stealing to get rich, which again suggests she isn’t as
£200 saved in her bank, but she continues to steal. “As Poverty moral as she pretends to be. Moll decides to stop stealing because
brought me into the Mire,” Moll says, “so Avarice kept me in.” she’s scared of being hanged and isn’t as poor as she once was—her
Before long, two of Moll’s comrades are arrested and sent to decision seems to have nothing to do with morals.
Newgate Prison, where one is sentenced to death and hanged.
The other comrade is granted a reprieve, but watching a
comrade hang is traumatic for Moll, and she vows to stop
stealing.

Not long after, Moll wakes in the middle of the night to sounds Moll’s stealing spree during the fire again suggests that her moral
of yelling and distress. Part of the neighborhood in which she compass is faulty. She doesn’t need the money to survive, and she
lives is engulfed in flames, and the midwife tells Moll that the preys on fire victims, who are already under stress and in danger of
commotion of the fire is the perfect opportunity to rob the losing all their valuables. In Moll’s defense, however, she only seems
surrounding houses without notice. Moll agrees and manages to run into the fire to steal because the midwife tells her to. Still,
to steal some silver from a nearby house, and when she returns Moll doesn’t at all object to stealing from victims, and she appears
to the midwife with their booty, she tells Moll to go out and get to relieve them of their goods easily enough and with no thought as
more. She runs out to a new house, which she finds even more to the moral implications.
lucrative, and she returns with a considerable amount of gold
jewelry and a purse containing £24.

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Moll admits the “inhumanity” of her actions during the fire and While Moll does admit her actions during the fire are immoral, she
tears spring to her eyes; however, she can’t force herself to doesn’t admit this until after the fire, when she has had time to
make amends. Moll is quite a bit richer than she was before, reflect on what she has done. Even then, she doesn’t repent or feel
and she quickly forgets all about her vow to stop stealing. Moll remorse. She knows stealing is wrong because society tells her it is
enjoys great success as a thief, but since the hanging of her wrong, but she doesn’t seem to innately appreciate this. Moll’s
comrade, she is leery of shoplifting, which is incredibly risky. As primary worry is getting caught, not behaving morally. Again, Moll is
such, Moll sticks mostly to pickpocketing and lives with the no longer stealing just to stay alive; she is stealing to get rich.
midwife, who encourages Moll to keep stealing and introduces
her to new comrades, including a couple. The couple isn’t
married, but they work together and sleep together, and Moll
pulls off a few jobs with them.

One day, the comrade couple asks Moll to break into a house Moll clearly doesn’t think her actions during the fire count as
with them, but she refuses. Breaking into houses is something breaking into a house. In Moll’s mind, her crime is worse if she forces
Moll won’t do, so they go ahead without her. The couple are her way in; however, if she just wanders in and doesn’t break a
arrested and hanged, and Moll, having so narrowly escaped window or a door, she considers the crime less immoral—or at least
joining them, again grows hesitant to continueas a thief. The less risky. While the midwife’s plan to call the police about the illegal
midwife tries to talk Moll out of quitting and tells her about a lace isn’t stealing, it is still immoral, as she is willing to give up
nearby house where she knows some illegal lace from Flanders someone else just to make a little money.
can be found. If Moll were to tell the police about the fabric, the
midwife says, they would certainly give her a reward.

Moll goes to the police and tells them about the illegal lace, Again, Moll’s behavior is far from moral. Moll’s neighbors will likely
which is indeed valued at nearly £300. Moll negotiates a £50 get into trouble for having illegal lace, and since the punishment for
reward and steals a piece of lace worth about eight or nine stealing a even bit of fabric is death, the consequences are probably
pounds when no one is looking. Moll divides her profits with severe. Moll easily gives her neighbors up for 50 pounds and a piece
the midwife and goes back to work. She decides to lift a gold of lace, which isn’t the behavior of an innately moral person. Moll
watch off a woman on a crowded street, but as Moll grabs the claimed earlier that she wasn’t a good thief, but that is obviously
watch, it doesn’t at first release from the woman’s arm. Moll is changing. Her quick thinking helps her pull off a robbery and avoid
worried the woman will discover her attempt, so, just as the being caught. Moll is officially becoming a seasoned criminal.
watch breaks free, Moll screams at the top of her lungs that
someone has tried to pick her pockets. Someone tried to grab
her watch, Moll lies. The woman, standing nearby, is shocked to
discover that she has been robbed. Her watch is missing, the
woman says.

Suddenly, there are cries from elsewhere in the street, and as The young man who is arrested as the pickpocket is obviously
the crowd parts, Moll watches as a young man is arrested as innocent, but he will likely be sent to Newgate and hanged. Moll
the alleged pickpocket. Moll continues down the street, the knows this, and she lets it happen without a thought. Again, Moll’s
woman’s watch in her pocket, and decides it is best not to steal actions don’t seem like those of a moral woman, since at this point
anymore for a while. In the meantime, the midwife tells Moll a she doesn’t need to steal to survive. Defoe seems to suggest that
bit of her own story. The midwife was born a pickpocket, but small, necessary acts of immorality (like the ones Moll once
she was arrested and ordered to be deported years ago. She committed out of desperation) can grow into larger ones over time.
bribed officials to send her to Ireland instead of the Colonies, According to the midwife’s story, she began working as a prostitute
and she lived there for years, working as a “Midwife and (a “Midwife and Procuress”) because it wasn’t safe to steal, which
Procuress.” She left Ireland before her sentence was up, and again underscores the limited options available to women.
upon returning illegally to England, she thought it best if she
didn’t return to pickpocketing.

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Moll marvels at the midwife’s history. Moll herself has been a Moll’s new name and identity as a man illustrate Defoe’s argument
thief for over five years and Newgate doesn’t even know her that one’s identity evolves over time. Moll’s name is again
name. By this time, Moll is well known among the other thieves associated with sex and money, which underscores the intricate
in town, and they give her the name Moll Flanders. This new connection between sex and money, and it also identifies Moll as a
name has nothing in common with Moll’s former name, except prostitute herself. Moll isn’t a prostitute (yet) quite in the same way
that she once went by the name Mrs. Flanders years earlier the midwife is, but Defoe implies that Moll’s past behavior with men
while hiding at the Mint. Moll’s success as a thief means that essentially makes her a prostitute all the same.
she is the envy of the other thieves, and she worries they may
inform on her to the officials at Newgate. To ease Moll’s fears,
the midwife helps Moll to disguise herself as a man and
introduces her to a new male comrade.

Moll and the male comrade work several jobs together. They Obviously, Moll is dressed as a man, so her comrade and the
stick mostly to robbing distracted shopkeepers, and Moll’s concerned citizens looking to turn her in as an accomplice all believe
comrade never once suspects that she isn’t a man. One day, they are looking for a man. Moll’s slick actions and ability to disguise
Moll’s comrade notices a preoccupied shopkeeper turn his back herself are more evidence that she is becoming a hardened criminal.
on several pieces of valuable silk. Moll tells him it isn’t a good She isn’t just stealing to survive anymore. For Moll, theft is now her
idea, but the comrade won’t listen. He snatches the fabric and career, and she is very good at it. Or, she is very lucky, which means
runs down the street with the police in hot pursuit. Moll runs her luck will have to run out at some point.
back to the midwife’s house and slips inside, a group of
concerned citizens chasing her. When the citizens bang on the
door and claim a male thief has run inside, the midwife assures
them there is no man there. If they want to come in and look,
she says, they will have to bring the constable.

Soon after, a constable knocks on the midwife’s door, and she Presumably, Moll is in her underclothes because she has just ripped
allows him inside. He looks the house up and down for the man off her male disguise. Again, it is Moll’s quick thinking—evidence of
the citizens witnessed running in, but he finds nothing. When her skill as a thief—that keeps her out of Newgate and in business.
he gets to Moll’s door, he finds her inside, wearing only her Moll appears to easily lie and deceive her way out of trouble, which
nightclothes and surrounded by mounds of embroidery and further indicates that her long history of immoral behavior has
quilting. Assuming Moll has been hard at work all day, he closes made it easier and easier for her to continue acting immorally.
the door and goes downstairs. There is no man, the midwife
says again, and if there was, he is long gone now. The constable
agrees and leaves.

After the excitement with the constable, Moll refuses to let the While it isn’t explicitly stated, the reader can infer that the male
midwife dress her up as man again. The male comrade is comrade is hanged for his crimes. Just as she did with the young
arrested and agrees to inform on Moll for a reduced sentence. man in the crowd, Moll must know her comrade is going to die, but
He tells the police his accomplice is a man named Gabriel it doesn’t even seem to cross her mind. This selfishness implies that
Spencer, which is the false name Moll gave him at their first Moll’s moral character is continuing to deteriorate.
meeting. The police look everywhere for Gabriel Spencer but
come up emptyhanded. The authorities accuse the male
comrade of lying about his accomplice to get his sentence
reduced, and they punish him severely.

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The male comrade’s arrest makes Moll increasingly uneasy, so Moll isn’t uneasy because her comrade is dead; she’s uneasy
she decides to leave town for a while. She goes back to because she doesn’t want to join him. Moll’s trip to Lancashire
Lancashire, where she stays for over a month at a boarding underscores her oppression as a woman in a sexist society. As an
house. Moll tells the landlady there that she is waiting for her unmarried woman, Moll must come up with an elaborate story just
husband to arrive from Ireland, and after some time, she to get out of town for a few days. A single woman is bound to draw
pretends to receive word that his voyage has been delayed. negative attention.
Moll returns to London, where the midwife promises not to
make her dress up as a man anymore. Plus, the midwife points
out, Molls works best alone.

Moll has almost £500 in her bank, which she could live on for The fact that Moll won’t retire even when she has the means to
quite some time, but she has no intention of retiring just yet. again proves she isn’t stealing just to survive. If Moll were truly
She goes on a job with a new momrade and manages to lift a concerned about her morality, she would steal only the bare
large piece of quality damask fabric from a shop and hand it off minimum, but instead she goes to excess. With the arrest of her
to her comrade without drawing any attention. They leave the latest comrade, the authorities at Newgate now know her name.
store and go in opposite directions, and Moll watches as this Ironically, Moll was just bragging that no one at Newgate even
comrade is arrested, too. Moll sneaks into a nearby shop and knows her name. Moll was arrogant, and now she is paying the
even buys some fabric to look like a regular shopper. The price.
comrade is taken to Newgate, where she claims the damask
was originally stolen by a woman named Moll Flanders.

In time, Moll’s name is known at Newgate and Old-Baily, but Again, it is remarkable that Moll won’t “break” into a house, but she
they don’t know her face. Moll’s comrade is eventually will walk in through an open door in the middle of chaos. Moll
deported, and Moll again grows paranoid. Soon, however, appears to think the crime is somehow less if she doesn’t have to use
another fire breaks out, and Moll attempts to rob another force, which may be a symbolic echo of the way she didn’t originally
house in the chaos. Just as Moll is about to enter a house, a choose to be a criminal; she just did it because it was the only door
featherbed comes flying out of a window overhead and falls open to her. The featherbed, meanwhile, seems to be a sign that
directly on top of her, pinning her to the ground. Her bones are Moll should stop breaking into house.
not broken, but she is bruised and banged up, and she must
wait for someone to lift the bed before she can limp away.

MOLL AND THE DRUNK MAN

Much later, during the Bartholomew Fair, Moll meets a drunk Presumably, Moll has sex with the drunk man with the intention of
man, and he is clearly very rich. Since the man is so intoxicated, robbing him after, and she it does it with such ease that it is likely
he talks freely and flirts with Moll, offering her drinks. Moll she has done something like this before. Moll’s actions further
refuses the man’s drinks, but he says he is an honorable man, underscore the connection between sex and money in the novel;
and he convinces Moll to return to his room with him. There, Defoe implies that because Moll has long been forced to trade sex
the drunk man has his way with Moll, and she lets him do what for money, it no longer even occurs to her that her behavior might
he wants. Then, after he passes out, Moll takes his watch and be immoral.
his purse of gold and slips out the door.

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Now, Moll says, she certainly didn’t go out looking to do what Moll frequently makes excuses and claims to feel guilty for what she
she has done, but the drunk man seemed like a nice enough guy. has done, but it is hardly believable at this point. Still, Defoe paints
As for taking his money, Moll feels bad about that, too, since Moll as a desperate woman with few options in life, which doesn’t
she thinks he probably has a nice wife and family. Moll goes excuse her behavior, but it certainly makes it more understandable.
home to the midwife and tells her the story. The midwife is very Moll takes it to quite an extreme, though, which suggests that even
pleased to hear the story and laughs so hard, she nearly cries. one sin is a slippery slop that will likely lead to more sin.
The next day, the midwife tells Moll that she thinks she knows
who the drunk man is. Moll begs her not to look for him—after
all, Moll has caused him enough pain already—but the midwife
promises not to do him harm.

The midwife goes to a friend and asks about the drunk man, Obviously, Moll didn’t beat up the drunk man. Presumably, he made
and the next day, the midwife’s friend finds him. The friend says up a story that he was beaten and robbed so no one will think he
the man is very ill and has recently been violently robbed. He was robbed by a prostitute, like the midwife says. As a married man
has been beaten up, too, she says, and he suffered several looking for a prostitute, the drunk man clearly has loose morals as
injuries. The midwife says she is sure the man just got drunk well and is another example of the “moral instruction” Defoe speaks
and found a whore, who probably took advantage of him, but of in the preface.
the friend claims that is unlikely. The man, she says, is an
aristocrat and of the finest moral standing. The midwife takes
word of the drunk man’s condition back to Moll, who assures
her that he was just fine when she left him.

Ten days later, the midwife goes to visit the drunk man. Even Obviously, the midwife has some sort of angle. She isn’t visiting the
though she is a stranger, the midwife says to him, she has come drunk man out of the goodness of her heart to console him—she
to do him a service. She promises that their dealings will remain wants something from him. The drunk man is angry because he
a secret, and he is at first shy and says he knows nothing that doesn’t want anyone to know he was robbed and humiliated by a
requires such secrecy. The midwife tells him that she knows all prostitute, which would likely be bad for his own reputation and his
about the misfortune that befell him recently, and he looks marriage.
suddenly angry, claiming not to know what she is talking about.
The midwife promises that she wants nothing from him and did
not come to bribe him or reveal his secret.

The drunk man tells the midwife it is very unfortunate that a When the man says Moll didn’t “prompt” him, what he means is that
stranger should know all about the worst day of his life. As for Moll didn’t proposition him, so he takes full responsibility for their
the woman, the man says, whoever she may be, he takes full sin. Presumably, the man is mostly worried that Moll has given him
responsibility for what transpired between them. “She a venereal disease, and the midwife tries to convince him that Moll
prompted me to nothing,” he adds. He doesn’t know for sure if is safe; however, her choice to refer to Moll as a “Gentlewoman” is
the woman is the one who stole from him, but what he lost is less than convincing, since it is another word for prostitute.
the least of his present concerns. The midwife begins to
understand what the man is hinting at and assures him the
woman is a “Gentlewoman,” and she has been with no man
since the death of her husband eight years ago.

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The drunk man looks immediately relieved and again tells the Again, Defoe implies that there is a direct connection between
midwife that he doesn’t care about his money. Perhaps the poverty and criminal behavior. Moll only robs and has illicit sex
woman is poor, he says, and she needed the money. The because she doesn’t have any other reasonable options as a woman.
midwife interrupts him. Yes, yes, she says. The woman would She has only two legal options: marriage, or going into Service and
have never dreamed of robbing him had she not been in being little more than a slave. Moll doesn’t have a choice; if she
terrible poverty and in desperate need of money. The drunk doesn’t break the law and sin, she won’t be able to survive.
man is pleased to hear it, and he hopes the woman was able to
put the money to good use. He then asks the midwife if she can
arrange a meeting between him and the woman who robbed
him, but the midwife says such a meeting might be tricky.

The drunk man tells the midwife that he very much wants to Presumably, the midwife had no intention of giving the watch back,
the see the woman, as he would like his gold watch back. If the and she only does it because he offers to pay her. Of course, the
midwife can’t arrange a meeting for him, he asks if she might be midwife is pleased because he is generous, and her job as a pawn
able to get his watch back for him, at which point he will pay her broker is little more than a convenient story to cover up her ill
what the watch is worth. The midwife promises to try and intentions. What exactly the midwife’s intentions are is never
leaves. She returns the next day with the watch, and he pays revealed, but it may be that she is subtly offering her own services as
her 30 Guineas, which is much more than they would have a prostitute.
been able to sell it for. He asks the midwife how it is that she
knows so much about his misfortune, and she tells him a long
story about being a pawn broker and coming into possession of
his watch, which she resolved to return to him as she has.

Moll has serious reservations about seeing the drunk man Again, it isn’t stated that the midwife visits the drunk man as a
again, but the midwife goes to see him often. Each time she prostitute, but since she always comes back with money, it is
sees him, he is exceedingly kind and gives her money. On one certainly implied. The drunk man is always drunk when he
occasion, he again asks the midwife to arrange a meeting approaches a prostitute, which suggests he thinks it is wrong and
between him and the woman who robbed him, and she needs some motivation and courage to go through with it. Such
promises to try. The midwife goes home and tells Moll all about behavior goes against his own moral compass, so his story is again
her visit with the man, and Moll finally agrees to meet him. On an example of the kind of moral instruction that Defoe claims to
the day of the meeting, Moll takes great care in readying offer his readers.
herself, and when the drunk man arrives, she can tell he has
again been drinking.

The drunk man is very happy to see Moll. He apologizes for The drunk man makes excuses for his sins and immorality and
their last meeting and tells her that had it not been for the blames the alcohol, which further suggests he feels guilty. His
wine, he would have never taken such freedoms with her. He suggestion that repeating their sin won’t matter because it was
has been long married, the man says, and has not been with already committed once underscores how, after time and repetition,
another woman since he met his wife. Moll tells him not to a crime can become easier to commit. Moll’s own experience as a
worry. She hasn’t suffered any from their first meeting, and she, thief underscores this as well—stealing was difficult at first for Moll,
too, has not been with another man since her husband died but now it is easy.
some eight years ago. Yes, the man says, the midwife has
already told him that Moll is a widow. Finally, the man tells Moll
that since they have already committed the sin once, he doesn’t
see the harm in doing it again.

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The midwife suspected the visit would come to this, as did Moll, This incident is the first time Moll explicitly talks about working as a
so they had readied a room. Moll leads the drunk man to a prostitute, but she implies here that she has done it before. Subtle
chamber with an inner bedroom, and they spend the night insinuations like Moll’s comment here and the implied meaning of
there together. After committing a crime once, Moll explains, her name suggest that Moll has worked as a prostitute on more than
the regret wears off and makes it easier to do the thing a one occasion, so the fact that this is just now being revealed to the
second time. When the drunk man goes to leave, Moll promises reader is evidence of the modest language Moll is forced to use to
that she did not rob him this time, and he gives her five tell her story.
Guineas. Moll has not made money in such a way in many years,
and she has several more visits with him that go the same way.
One day, he asks Moll exactly how she makes her living, and she
tells him that she works with embroidery and quilting. It is a
tough life, Moll says, but she manages.

Several months pass, and Moll continues to see the drunk man. Moll still doesn’t openly admit that she is working as a prostitute.
He doesn’t keep her as a mistress, but he pays her more than Instead of calling it what it is, she says only that she isn’t the drunk
enough money, and she does not have to return to stealing. man’s mistress. Moll choice of words again reflects modest
After about a year, the drunk man stops calling on Moll as often, language, but it also suggests that Moll can’t admit it because it she
and then he quits coming all together, without so much as a is ashamed; it seems that prostitution goes against her moral fiber.
word. Moll lives on her savings for a few months, and when she Moll calls herself a whore when she behaves promiscuously, but she
begins to run out of money, she knows she must go back to doesn’t when she works as a prostitute.
work. Moll dresses herself up in various disguises—a widow, a
woman in an apron and straw hat, a beggar, etc.—and goes out
looking for opportunities to steal.

MOLL’S CRIMES ESCALATE

One day, Moll dresses up in the apron and straw hat and stands The various schemes Moll runs are again evidence of her skill and
in front of a local inn, where the carriages come and go. proficiency as a thief. She is experienced, and she knows the best
Travelers frequently come through with packages, looking for a places to go. Moll has come a long way from the novice stealing to
carriage or coach, and Moll thinks it is the perfect place to stay alive, which again reflects how a repeated crime gets easier and
work. A woman is standing nearby, and she asks Moll if she is easier. The first time Moll took something, she was a wreck, but now
waiting for a carriage. Moll says yes and says she is waiting for she is calm even under pressure.
her mistress. The woman asks Moll the name of her mistress,
and Moll answers the first name that comes to her head, which,
as luck would have it, is the name of a family in town. The
woman knows them well, she says, and goes back to the inn.

Soon, a woman approaches with a small child. She is holding a Again, Moll steals indiscriminately. She doesn’t care if she steals
large package, and she tells Moll that she is looking for a coach from women or children, and she is getting increasingly bold in her
for two passengers. Moll shows her to an empty coach and approach. Ironically, the woman is worried about her package
helps the child in. Moll asks the woman if she would like to put getting stolen and unknowingly gives the package away to the thief
her package in the coach, but the woman says no. She is directly.
worried that the package will be stolen out of the coach with
only the child to watch it. Moll offers to hold the package for
her, and the woman agrees, passing it Moll. The woman goes
about loading the coach, and when she isn’t paying attention,
Moll quietly slips off with the package.

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Moll takes the package home to the midwife, and they find it Moll’s schemes are becoming more elaborate and bolder. 22 pounds
full of fine clothing worth quite a bit of money. Given the is about six months’ salary for a working-class person, and Moll
success of Moll’s latest adventure, she tries the scheme many easily steals it in plain sight. Moll is getting way too comfortable and
more times, although never at the same inn, and she begins way too brave, which implies she will soon put herself into a
scoping out warehouses, too. One day, Moll goes to a situation in which she will get caught. Moll did not rob the
warehouse by the waterside and, with a forged letter of shopkeeper in this case, but the reader can infer that she will be
ownership, is easily given a large box full of linen and glassware accused of it, which mirrors the way that she previously let others
worth nearly 22 pounds. One day, Moll dresses in the disguise take the fall for her own crimes.
of a widow and goes to work. Suddenly, she hears someone cry:
“Thief, stop Thief.” A shopkeeper appears and claims a woman
dressed as a widow has just robbed him.

A mob gathers around Moll, and she finds herself seized and Moll’s treatment again demonstrates the sexist nature of 17th-
dragged back to the shop, where the shopkeeper confirms she century English society. The men have no reason to suspect Moll,
is not the widow who robbed him. The shopkeeper tells the other than her gender, and like Moll says, they have no right to
mob to let Moll go, but one man says it is best to detain her detain her. The men assume power and control over Moll simply
until a constable arrives. Moll grows increasingly angry. The because she is a woman, and they hold her against her will. Moll has
shopkeeper has already said she is not the offender, and they every right to be angry with her treatment; however, given her
have no right to detain her, Moll says. Two men arrive with the criminal history, going anywhere near the law seems ill advised.
real offender, and a constable arrives, too. The shopkeeper tells
the constable that Moll is not the offender in question, and he
apologizes for any inconvenience. Moll, however, is furious, and
she wants the men who detained her to go before the
magistrate so she might be compensated.

A fight breaks out between the shopkeeper’s men, the mob, and “Second Mourning” is a reference to the second year of a widow’s
the constable, so they all head to see the magistrate. When mourning, in which a widow typically wore softer and lighter shades
they arrive, the magistrate asks Moll her name, and she says of black. Presumably, Moll is hoping to be rewarded money for her
her name is Mary Flanders. Moll claims to be a widow whose inconvenience, but it seems a terrible risk for little reward. Moll
husband was killed at sea. She says she went shopping this must have known she would have to give a name, and Flanders
morning to buy new clothes for her “second Mourning,” but seems a poor choice, as one of her comrades has already informed
before she bought a thing, she was accused of stealing by the on Moll to the authorities at Newgate. Moll is getting greedy and
mob. Even after the shopkeeper said she wasn’t the offender, looking for money wherever she can grab it.
two men detained her and treated her very badly. The
magistrate apologizes for Moll’s poor treatment, but he tells
her it isn’t his place to award her reparations. He does,
however, send one of the men to Newgate for assaulting Moll
and the constable.

Moll goes home and tells the midwife all about her eventful The midwife again influences Moll to behave in an immoral way, but
morning, and the midwife laughs heartily. She asks Moll if she Moll agrees easily enough. Moll’s lawsuit is further evidence that she
even realizes how lucky she is and tells her to sue the is looking for money schemes everywhere. Her crimes and
shopkeeper and make him pay her £500. Moll hires an attorney, dishonesty are getting easier, and her greed is getting out of control.
who tells the shopkeeper that Moll is a wealthy widow with a
great deal of resources at her disposal, that she and plans on
suing him to the greatest extent. Moll’s attorney demands
£500 from the shopkeeper and he offers £50, so they make
plans to meet and negotiate.

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Moll arrives at the meeting in a coach with a maid, and the Moll’s bank is quite large, and she can no longer call herself poor.
shopkeeper proceeds to again tell her how sorry he is; however, She doesn’t need the shopkeeper’s money at all, and she certainly
the shopkeeper says, it hardly seems a reason for Moll to ruin doesn’t need a suit make of black silk. Moll was wronged by the men
his business. Moll admits that she isn’t looking to put the man in the shop, but that isn’t necessarily the shopkeeper’s fault. Moll’s
out of business, but she does want what is coming to her for desire for more is dangerous and immoral, and the reader can infer
enduring such terrible treatment. They finally agree on £150 that this greed will likely be her downfall.
and a suit made of black silk, and Moll goes home happy. She is
in good financial shape indeed. She has over £700 in her bank,
plus a good deal of valuable clothing, silver, and gold jewelry.

After the ordeal with the shopkeeper, Moll decides to go back Moll doesn’t need a horse—she doesn’t even know what do with a
to work dressed as a beggar. The first night she tries the horse—but she steals it anyway. Moll’s greed and increasingly bold
disguise, she just wanders around without any opportunities to actions (she can’t hide a horse) seem certain to get her caught
steal, but on the second night, she comes upon an adventure. before long, but she doesn’t appear to be slowing down. With Moll’s
Moll is standing outside a tavern dressed as a beggar, when a bank at 700 pounds, she doesn’t ever have to steal again in her life,
man approaches her and hands her the reins of his horse. He and everything she does from here is just an unnecessary risk.
tells Moll to hold the horse awhile, so he can go into the tavern.
As soon as he goes inside, Moll walks off with the horse. She
takes the horse home to the midwife, who is very confused. She
doesn’t know what to do with a horse or how to sell it, so they
decide it is best if Moll leave it at a stable.

Moll again dresses as a beggar and goes out to work, and she The “Coiners of Money” are counterfeiters, and punishment for
meets two “Coiners of Money,” who offer to take her in on their forging and counterfeiting money during Moll’s time is death by fire,
enterprise. Moll refuses, wanting nothing to do with their which is enough to deter Moll. But what few rules Moll had are fast
business, for which the punishment is “to be burnt to Death at a disappearing: She used to refuse to break into houses, but now she
Stake.” She meets other comrades, mostly those who break into occasionally does it, which further reflects the deterioration of
houses. Moll doesn’t like breaking into houses either, but she Moll’s morality.
does it for a bit and quickly grows tired of it.

The next day, Moll dresses as an upper-class lady and goes to The Mall at St. James Park is a park in central London, and in Moll’s
the Mall at St. James Park, where many ladies are walking in the day, it is fashionable for wealthy ladies to walk in the park. Moll goes
park. There, Moll sees two young girls, about nine and thirteen to the park looking for high-class targets, and she again proves
years old. The older girl is wearing a gold watch, and the herself an indiscriminate thief when she targets children.
younger girl has a gold necklace with pearls. Moll asks a
footman who the girls are, and he tells her they are the
daughters of wealthy aristocrats. Moll falls into step with the
older girl as she walks and begins talking to her as if they are
old friends. Suddenly, the king arrives to attend a meeting at
the Parliament-House, and all the people clamor to get a look.
Moll helps the girls get closer, and as she does, she steals the
girl’s gold watch.

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After the Mall, Moll goes on a new adventure to the Gaming- During Moll’s time, gambling was considered an immoral vice,
House at Covent-Gardens. Inside, a man offers Moll a chance especially for a woman. Moll claims not to know how to play, but
to bet, but she declines, claiming not to know the game. He her ignorance is obviously a hustle. Moll is a skilled gambler, too,
assures her there is nothing to it and gives her money to place a which suggests she is familiar with multiple forms of vice. She
bet. When Moll sits down, she finds the gambling men doesn’t stop at prostitution or theft—Moll will do any scheme that
extremely pleasant, and she takes to winning their money. She brings her money, which is another indication of how greedy and
offers the man’s money back and all the winnings, but he immoral she has become.
refuses and instead gives her more money to bet. She wins
more, and after slipping a bit of the money into her purse, she
again offers the man his money and winnings. He decides it isn’t
right to keep all the money, so he gives Moll half—about 73
Guineas.

Moll returns home and shares her winnings with the midwife, Moll is definitely getting too greedy; even the midwife is telling her to
who is indeed happy to have them. She commends Moll on her slow down and eventually stop. Moll is so greedy that she even
ability to secure money, but she warns Moll about visiting disregards the rules of a successful criminal, like staying away from
Gaming-Houses. Moll understands the danger of “the Itch of gambling, which, with “the Itch of Play,” can quickly become
Play” and decides not to place any more bets. The midwife addictive and rob her of all her money. Furthermore, Moll is drawing
suggests Moll stop stealing and be happy with what they have attention to herself, which suggests she will soon get caught.
made so far, but Moll has no intention of stopping. Moll’s
success grows and she becomes a notorious thief, and her
name is now even more common at Newgate and Old-Baily.

Moll begins to travel under various disguises. She goes to the Moll is expanding her area and stealing more and more. She goes to
spas in Tunbridge and Epsom, and then she moves on to a fair in neighboring towns to steal and comes up with new schemes. Moll
Suffolk. Moll secures a gold watch, and then she moves on to doesn’t appear to have any moral reservations or difficulty in
Cambridge, where she gets some new linen. She arranges for a breaking the law so frequently and brazenly. Just like her “crime”
linen shop to deliver goods to her rented room and after the with the gentleman, repetition makes Moll seemingly numb to the
delivery boy arrives, she skips out on the bill. From there she immorality of her career as a thief.
goes to Ipswich and on to Harwich, where she encounters
many foreigners and little of value. She does manage to lift a
large suitcase, which is too big to move, so she leaves it where
she found it.

Back on the road, Moll is stopped by Custom-House officers in Moll’s realization in Colchester reflects her evolving identity. Moll is
Ipswich, and they break open her suitcase when she claims not nowhere near the same person she was then, and anyone she knew
to have the key. Thankfully, there is nothing incriminating in is dead or gone. Lewd or promiscuous books were considered
Moll’s suitcase, and the officers let her go. She moves on to inappropriate and taboo in the 17th and 18th centuries, which is
Colchester, where she lived her early years as Robin’s wife. why Moll, and therefore Defoe, implies that her story is an example
Moll realizes she knows no one in Colchester anymore, and of how not to behave and a reminder to readers to arm themselves
after a few days, she moves on. She returns to London and tells against the evil of the world. But of course, Moll isn’t qualified to
the midwife all about her travels. Moll claims her story is most “preach” the moral of her own story, because she herself is immoral.
useful to honest people, as it reminds them to guard
themselves against the dishonesty of others. Moll leaves the
moral of her story to be decided by the reader; she isn’t
qualified to make judgements or “preach.”

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One day near Christmas, Moll enters a silver shop and is The man’s suspicion of Moll is further evidence of their sexist
tempted by the spoons. A man across the street watches Moll society. Of course, Moll is going to rob the shop, but he doesn’t know
enter, and since no one else is in the shop, he grows concerned. this for sure. The man simply sees an unattended woman in an
He runs into the shop and grabs Moll, accusing her of stealing. empty shop and assumes she is up to no good. He could just quietly
She tells him she simply came in to buy a half dozen spoons, but watch her and see what happens, but he immediately stops her and
he isn’t listening. A crowd gathers, including the owner of the accuses her of being a thief.
shop and a city Alderman. The Alderman is also the Justice of
the Peace, so he stops to see what the commotion is all about.
Moll tells him she had simply stopped to buy six spoons when a
man accused her of stealing. The situation is easily resolved,
and Moll goes home.

Three days later, Moll walks by a house and notices the door is Again, Moll seems to think that walking into an open house is less of
open, so she goes inside. She picks ups two pieces of silk, and as a crime than breaking into a locked house. Moll has never liked
she is walking out the door, two women run from across the breaking into houses, and the featherbed that dropped on her head
street and detain her. A constable arrives, and when Moll can’t the last time she tried should have served as a warning to her, but
bribe him, he takes her before the Justice. Moll pleads with the Moll’s greed is her downfall. She walks into the house without
Justice and tells him that she didn’t break anything to get into thinking, almost like it is a compulsion, which again reflects her
the house and she has taken nothing, so there is no harm done. deteriorating morals; theft is now like second nature to her.
The Justice is about to let Moll go, but then he learns that she
was detained with fabric in her hands, which she would have
stolen had she not been stopped. Moll is immediately sent to
Newgate Prison.

MOLL IN NEWGATE PRISON

Alone and miserable in Newgate Prison, Moll repents her past Moll can’t repent for her crimes because she isn’t genuinely
crimes, but doing so gives her no satisfaction. She knows she is remorseful. Moll began a moral woman, but her crimes of necessity
only repenting because the ability to continue her sins has been have snowballed and made her a full-blown criminal. Plus, if Moll
removed. Moll doesn’t sleep for days, and the other women had to do it all over again, she would likely make the same choices.
give her a hard time and try to take advantage of her. Soon, the Moll had little choice but to turn to crime. Her crimes have
midwife comes to visit Moll and offers her much comfort, but obviously gotten out of control, but Defoe implies that is to be
she can’t help Moll any other way. She has tried to bribe the expected of someone with options as limited as Moll’s.
witnesses, but Moll is most likely to be sentenced to death. The
prison chaplain comes to visit Moll and give her spiritual
counsel, but he brings her little comfort.

Soon, word spreads around the prison that three highwaymen Moll seems to be more concerned with James’s sentence than her
were brought in the night before. Out of curiosity, Moll goes to own. She is a hardened criminal, and she expects to die for her
investigate and discovers that one of the men is James, Moll’s crimes. Moll has committed a slew of crimes—prostitution, incest,
husband from Lancashire. She is shocked and doesn’t at first adultery, fraud, robbery—and she doesn’t think she deserves to
know what to do. He doesn’t seem to recognize Moll, and she is repent now, after all this time and all her crimes. Moll’s inability to
thrown into deep thoughts about her love for him. She grieves repent highlights just how deeply her life of crime has affected her.
for him, as he will surely be hanged, and Moll soon learns that
she will certainly be tried for her own life. Learning of her
impending death, Moll again tries to repent, but she is still
unable.

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The midwife tries to bribe the jury, but she is unsuccessful, and The midwife is much more remorseful than Moll, but Moll also
they indeed will try Moll for felony burglary. When Moll learns appears to be moving closer to true penitence and remorse as she
of her fate, she cries with the midwife, and that night, Moll moves closer to death. The midwife and Moll are more than just
begins to pray. Moll hasn’t prayed since the death of her last “comrades”; they are friends, and Moll’s impending death has
husband, but she repeatedly begs the Lord to have mercy on thrown the midwife into a penitent state, which is making her reflect
her. The midwife seems even more concerned than Moll—and critically on her own criminal past.
she seems a great deal more penitent, too—and she gets to
thinking about all the comrades she has seen hanged over the
years. For years, the midwife has sat back and let others steal
for her, and now she will be forced to watch Moll die.

Moll is arraigned on Thursday for stealing two pieces of silk Moll is sentenced to death for stealing fabric just like her mother
worth £46 and tried the next day. She pleads not guilty, but she was, which reflects the harsh punishment of the time but highlights
isn’t optimistic. The witnesses testify first and maintain that how disadvantage (and hence criminality) can run in families. Moll’s
Moll entered the house and would have stolen the fabric had mother was a thief, and so is Moll. This connection again highlights
she not been detained at the door. Moll listens as they all the role of poverty in their lives and the lack of legal and reasonable
recount the truth, and then it is her turn to plead her case. She opportunities for women to make a living. Moll’s mother had few
insists she broke nothing and stole nothing. She did not break a choices, just like Moll, and so they suffer the same fate.
door to enter, and it cannot be positively concluded that she
intended to steal the fabric. The Justice is unconvinced, and
Moll is found guilty and sentenced death.

Upon hearing her sentence, Moll begs for her life and “Bedlam” is a reference to Bedlam Royal Hospital, a psychiatric
reiterates that she broke nothing and took nothing. The Justice hospital in London that was built in 1247 and still exists today. The
says nothing, and Moll’s sentence stands. The midwife is term “Bedlam” has long since been synonymous with insanity and
inconsolable. She vacillates between anger and mourning, and chaos. The description of the midwife as a “mad Woman in Bedlam”
she appears to be “as any mad Woman in Bedlam.” The midwife further reflects the sexism and misogyny of the time, as it employs
again repents for the sins she has committed, and she is popular stereotypes of women as innately hysterical and insane.
devasted by their misfortune. For Moll, there is nothing before
her but death. The names on the death warrant will come soon,
and the execution will take place soon.

The midwife sends a minister to see Moll, and he begs Moll to Moll’s story suggests that even the most hardened criminal can
repent and see the error of her ways. He praises Jesus and repent if they turn to the Lord, which reinforces Defoe’s message of
quotes scripture, and then he kneels before Moll and prays. For morality and moral instruction. Moll again addresses the reader
the first time, Moll is moved to repent. She thinks back on her directly. She admits that giving lectures on morality would be
life with disgust and hate, and she thinks about Eternity. With hypocritical for her, but she still reinforces the importance of
the highest sincerity, Moll asks forgiveness for her sins and reflecting on one’s own morals, and this also aligns with Defoe’s aim
reflects upon her life of crime. Moll interrupts her story and of moral instruction.
tells the reader that she is not fit to read “Lectures of
Instruction,” but she hopes her story causes others to “make
just Reflections” on their own lives.

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The minister asks Moll to confess as much as she is able or This passage suggests that Moll is finally remorseful and that she is
willing, and he promises to comfort her and assures her that sincere, but Defoe leaves enough doubt that the reader can never be
what she says will remain in secrecy. Moll tells him everything, sure that Moll’s repentance is genuine. It takes her years to come to
and she repents and begs for mercy. The minister visits again this point, and many of her crimes suggest that she has little, if any,
the next day and explains to Moll what it means to be forgiven. morality left. It may be the fear of impending death that leads Moll
Divine forgiveness and mercy occur when one who is sincerely to atone, not a sudden return to morality and God.
repentant and desirous of forgiveness asks for it. If they are
willing to accept that forgiveness, they shall have it. Moll again
expresses her remorse and desire for mercy, and the minster is
so moved by her sincerity that he promises not to leave her
until the very end.

On Wednesday, Moll’s name is on the death warrant. The This part is “most Advantageous” and “most instructive” to readers
minister tries to comfort her, but he leaves that night and does because it is the exact moment Moll is redeemed and returns to
not return until late the next day. When he finally arrives at the moral living again. Moll is careful to reiterate that her story of vice
door of Moll’s cell, she is overjoyed to see him. The minister isn’t meant to be entertaining; it is meant as moral instruction.
immediately tells Moll that he has received a good report from Readers who are reading Moll’s story for the wrong reasons, or as
the Justice serving on Moll’s case, and he has obtained her a Defoe says, in the wrong way, are drawn to the “wild and wicked”
reprieve. Moll will be transported instead of executed. The parts, but both Moll and Defoe remind readers that this is not how
minister reminds Moll not to let her happiness and relief Moll’s story is intended to be read. The minister’s warning suggests
remove the “Remembrance of [her] past Sorrow” from her that surest way to avoid sinning again is to remember the pain and
mind. Moll again interrupts her story. She understands that disgust she feels for her sins now.
readers who are “pleas’d and diverted” by the “wild and wicked”
parts of Moll’s story with be dissatisfied with this part of her
story; however, the reader must know that this is the best part
of Moll’s life and is “most Advantageous” to her and “most
instructive” to readers.

It is 15 weeks before Moll is ordered to a ship for deportation. Obviously, the highwaymen didn’t rob Moll in Dunstable, and she
In the meantime, she learns that James has been moved to the has no intention of turning James in for anything. Identifying James
other side of the prison. James found a way to bribe the is just an excuse to see him. Moll is still disguising herself, even in
witnesses in his case and there is little evidence to convict him. prison, and while her lies here are harmless, she is still guilty of
Moll disguises herself and tells the authorities she can provide dishonesty and is technically sinning. Moll’s instant return to lying
evidence against the highwaymen in question because they again suggests she isn’t as remorseful and penitent as she claims.
robbed her in Dunstable. Soon, rumor spreads that Moll
Flanders will turn in the highwaymen to reduce her own
sentence, and she is taken to identify them. When Moll is
brought into the room with James, she throws back her hood
and reveals her face. She weeps, as does James, and he asks her
how she can betray him so.

James listens closely to Moll’s story, and when she gets to the James knows Moll isn’t trying to betray him when he discovers she
part in Brickill, where she lied to the police about seeing him was the one to save him in Brickill. James’s crimes in West Chester
leave town with the highwaymen, he is incredibly thankful. He and Lichfield make it clear that James couldn’t go to London with
has always wondered who saved his life in Brickill, and he is Moll because he has been a wanted criminal for many years.
very glad that it was his very own wife. He says he is now
greatly indebted to her and will do whatever he can to deliver
her from her current circumstances. James tells Moll a little
about his own history, including crimes he pulled in West
Chester and Lichfield, and Moll suddenly understands why
James wouldn’t go to London with her years earlier.

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James says he wrote Moll letters over the years, which she James’s letters suggest that he is truly in love with Moll and not just
knows to be true. She saw the letters, but she never read them stringing her along for money or taking advantage of her in any
or responded for fear her husband, the banker, would find out. other way. Criminal cases during this time required two witness to
James then tells Moll about his case. They only have one convict, and since James was able to bribe one, his life will likely be
witness against him, which isn’t enough to convict, and he has it spared.
on good authority that if he volunteers to be transported, he
will be allowed to do so. However, James admits, he would
rather be hanged than deported.

Moll attempts to persuade James using “Womans Rhetorick,” Moll’s reference to “Womans Rhetorick” again underscores the
which is to say she cries and pleads with him to volunteer for sexism of her time, which even Moll herself perpetuates here. This
transportation. There is a great deal of money to be made in the reference relies on popular stereotypes that women are hysterical
Colonies, Moll says, and he can later buy his freedom. James and over-emotional, and she uses this trope to try to manipulate
says he doesn’t have much money, and Moll assures him he can James’s feelings.
start over in America with very little. She claims their shared
troubles are enough to convince them both to leave this part of
the world and start new. James agrees, and they part with love,
just as they did years earlier.

MOLL AND JAMES IN AMERICA

Meanwhile, the midwife tries to get Moll’s case pardoned, but The fact that the midwife could have gotten Moll’s case pardoned
the cost is way more than they can afford. Even the minister with enough money suggests the criminal system in England is
goes on Moll’s behalf to try and argue her case again, but the corrupt—it is just as immoral as Moll was, which again indicates
authorities tell the minister that he should be happy Moll’s life that Moll’s behavior is a symptom of widespread social ills, rather
was spared. In February, Moll is taken with seven other than evidence of her personal failings.
convicts and placed on a Merchant’s ship headed to Virginia.
The ship set sails and begins up the coast, but the Merchant
first stops at a place called Bugby’s-Hole. Moll convinces an
officer on the ship to mail a letter on her behalf, so she writes to
the midwife and tells her to bring the goods she packed for
Moll to the next port, and she also encloses a letter for James.

Two days later, the midwife delivers Moll’s goods to the ship at Again, Moll claims to be penitent, but she is already scheming to get
port. She brings a trunk full of things that will be useful and money and goods to America, which is obviously prohibited. It is
needed when Moll arrives in America, along with a portion of part of Moll’s punishment that she must go to America with nothing
Moll’s “Bank of Money.” Once Moll is established in America, and work off her debt to society in the form of indentured servitude,
she will send for the rest of her money to be shipped to her. The but Moll clearly has no intention of sticking to her punishment. If
midwife is heartbroken at the sight of Moll, and she hates the Moll were truly penitent, she would likely accept her punishment,
idea of being separated from her. The midwife also brings with but she doesn’t.
her a response from James, in which he says he has voluntarily
asked to be transported. Unfortunately, James says, it is
impossible to get on the same ship, and he will have to meet
Moll in Virginia.

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Moll is concerned that James won’t be able to meet up with her Unlike Moll, James clearly doesn’t want to leave London. For Moll,
at all, so she tells the midwife all about their going to America isn’t so much a punishment as it is a new
relationship—except that they were married—and she tells her opportunity for her to make money and increase her wealth. She is
about their plans to start a new life in America. The midwife is still very much tempted by greed and the prospect of making more
so happy to hear Moll’s story that she promises to make sure money, which again suggests Moll hasn’t learned her lesson and isn’t
James gets on the boat before it sails. She succeeds, and when as remorseful as she claims. On the other hand, she may simply be
the ship sails, both Moll and James are on board. Moll’s making the best of the situation, since, as usual, she has few other
sentence will last for five years, but James is not allowed to options.
return to England for the rest of his life, and he is quite upset.
What’s worse, since James voluntarily transported, he is made
to pay for his passage.

Moll and James pool their resources. James had a fair amount Moll seems to be back to her old ways. She doesn’t tell James about
of money when he went to prison, but the cost has been all her money, and she continues to keep her secret bank in case she
considerable, and he is down to £108 in gold. Moll puts in the is left alone and destitute. Again, Moll’s limited opportunities and
money she has on board—£246 and a few shillings—but she vulnerability as a woman are the source of her dishonesty; however,
doesn’t tell him about the £300 bank she left safe with the she is back to bribing and scheming, which implies Moll’s morals are
midwife in London. Their main problem at present is that their still flexible.
stock is all in money, except for the clothes and linens Moll has
in the trunk from the midwife, which is useless in the Colonies.
Moll bribes a member of the crew, and for 15 Guineas, she and
James are allowed a nice room and a seat at the captain’s table.

Before the ship sails, however, the midwife finds occasion to Despite getting caught for her crimes and technically being
befriend the captain and inquires what kind of equipment one punished, Moll is right where she wanted to be years ago—on a ship
would need to become a planter in America. His lists off goods with James on her way to America. In this way, Moll’s punishment
totaling around £100, and the midwife quickly secures them. isn’t much of a punishment at all. In a roundabout way, Moll is
She boards the goods on the ship in her own name and getting exactly what she wants, which makes Defoe’s claim that her
endorses them over to James to be collected when the ship story is instructive seem a bit insincere.
gets to America. By the time the ship sails and all expenses are
covered, Moll and James have £200 in money and the contents
of two trunks secured by the midwife—more than enough to
start a good life in America.

It is in this happy state that Moll and James set sail from Again, Moll is right where she wants to be. She has purchased her
Bugby’s-Hole. Their journey begins easy enough, but they are freedom and is able to start a new life with James. Moll and James
delayed by bad weather later in the trip. When they arrive in seem to be rewarded for their immorality and crime, not punished,
Virginia, Moll and James are sold as servants to a planter, and which sends a conflicting message in a book supposedly aimed at
he offers them their freedom for a large amount of tobacco. “moral instruction.”
Moll and James immediately secure the tobacco, along with 20
Guineas for good measure, and settle in Virginia, near the
Potomac River. Moll receives their goods from the ship and
stores them in a warehouse, and they secure lodging in a small
village.

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The first thing Moll does is inquire about her mother and her Moll’s reputation is still vunerable to her secret after all these years,
brother—or husband, depending—and she learns that though and she fears that if others find out who she is, she will be ruined.
her mother is dead, her brother lives on a nearby plantation Humphry is the only of one of Moll’s 12 children whose name is
with one of his sons. Moll asks around town about the man mentioned, which suggests some level of importance compared to
living on her brother’s plantation, and she learns that he lives Moll’s other nameless children.
with his son, Humphry. Humphry is the name of her own son,
and she has not seen or spoken to him in over 20 years. Moll
also learns that the whole town knows their incestuous secret.

According to rumors, when Moll’s mother died, she left her Moll is still misleading James because she thinks he won’t accept
estate to her Moll, to be collected if she ever made herself her when he finds out about her incestuous past. Defoe implies Moll
known. Moll is pleased to hear it but secretly laments her luck. has good reason for holding out on James—he might very well leave
Clearly, her secret is out, and if she makes herself known, she her if he knew—but again, this reason highlights how impossible
will be ruined. She debates her choices day and night for some Moll’s circumstance as a woman are. She’s forced to lie because
time, until James notices her preoccupation. She tells James as society wouldn’t understand that the events of the past were never
much of the story as she must—that she has relations living really her choice.
nearby and that her mother has died and left her money—but
she claims she is hesitant to reveal herself to them because she
doesn’t want them to know she is a transported criminal.

James tells Moll that he is willing to go and do whatever she Moll’s claim that her story is intended for the “Improvement to
wants. He will relocate to another part of the country or go to a every Reader” again recalls Defoe’s argument that wicked stories
whole new country if she wants, but Moll is torn. She wants her can be put to good use through moral instruction. Moll’s desire to
mother’s estate, but she doesn’t want James to know about her see Humphry after all this time further suggests that she loves and
past with her brother. And, Moll says, she wants to at least see cares for him and didn’t abandon him because she is a heartless and
her brother and Humphry before relocating. Moll again immoral woman. Moll had little choice in abandoning her son, and
interrupts her story and reminds the reader that the she clearly regrets it.
publication of her story is meant “for Instruction, Caution,
Warning and Improvement to every Reader,” so they should not
look too harshly on her for keeping secrets from James.

Moll and James decide to relocate to a new part of the country, It has already been established that it is not frowned on or
where they will be just a couple looking to farm, not considered taboo to be a transported criminal in the Colonies, but
transported criminals. Moll selects Carolina, the southernmost Moll and James are determined to conceal their identities as former
colony, because she detests the cold, but she can’t decide criminals. This suggests that they are ashamed of their criminal past
whether she should send James on without her and visit her and don’t want to appear immoral to others. The constant back and
brother’s plantation first, or if she should settle in Carolina and forth between Moll’s remorse and her continued signs of immorality
then return to Virginia. She decides to first go to Carolina, and leave it ultimately unclear whether her penitence is genuine.
the trip is 200 miserable miles. Moll and James arrive at a place
called Phillip’s Point and learn that the ship to Carolina sailed
three days earlier. Exhausted and unwilling to travel further,
they decide to settle right where they are.

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James and Moll buy two servants and the required goods and Again, this isn’t much of a punishment for James and Moll. They live
lodgings, and within two months, they buy a sizable plantation in luxury with servants and a private estate, and their success seems
with nearly 50 acres of cleared land. They plant tobacco, and it much more like reward. Furthermore, Moll continues to lie to James,
isn’t long before they have a thriving estate. Then, Moll tells which means she continues to sin and behave immorally, regardless
James she must return to Virginia to see some friends, and she of everything she has been through.
leaves for the east side of the Potomac River. When she arrives,
Moll wants to walk up to her brother and tell him directly who
she is, but she thinks better of it. She decides instead to write
him a letter stating her case, in which she adds several warm
remarks about Humphry, whom, Moll says, she knows to be her
son.

Moll sends the letter to her brother, and when it arrives, Just as Moll lies to James, she lies to Humphry, and she is further
Humphry intercepts it. Soon after, Humphry arrives at Moll’s rewarded by Humphry’s willingness to forgive her and seek a future
lodgings in town. Moll is pleasantly surprised when she opens relationship as mother and son. Moll has little reason to lie to
the door to Humphry, who is ready to receive her as his loving Humphry. It could be argued that Moll doesn’t want her son to know
mother. He is overjoyed to know she still lives, and he goes on she is living with a man in an unlawful marriage—such a thing
to say that he did not show his father Moll’s letter. His father is reflects badly on her morals. But Moll’s marriage to her brother
old, he says, and quite senile. He asks Moll how she has come to wasn’t legal either, and Humphry doesn’t know about the linen-
be in the Colonies, and she tells him that she is staying on a draper, so her marriage to James wouldn’t necessarily appear
friend’s plantation across the bay. Humphry immediately insists inappropriate to Humphry.
that Moll live with him. His father won’t even notice her,
Humphry says, but Moll can’t conceive of leaving James.

Humphry comes to visit Moll again, and he brings with him the Moll’s sudden shame over her criminal past implies she feels guilty
will of Moll’s mother, which leaves Moll a plantation on the and doesn’t think she deserves her sudden good fortune. But
York River. The plantation has been kept in operation and nonetheless, Moll’s main concern is still money, and her shame over
maintained by Humphry, who visits a few times a year. There her wicked past seems to be secondary.
are a stock of cattle and several servants there, and Moll asks
how much it is worth. Humphry says she would get £60 per
year if she let the land out, but living on the plantation, she
would likely garner upwards of £150. If she lives in England or
across the bay and hires a steward to manage the land, she can
expect somewhere around £100 per year. Moll is silently
thankful for her good fortune, and she is never more ashamed
of her wicked past.

Moll tells Humphry that he is her only child and sole heir, and The watch that Moll gives Humphry suggests she hasn’t left her
she says the plantation will go directly back to him upon her criminal past completely behind her, and she is still benefiting from
own death. Moll then gives Humphry the only thing she has of her stolen goods. What’s more, Humphry isn’t Moll’s only child, and
value—a gold watch—but she doesn’t tell him how she got it. she has nothing to gain by lying to him and claiming he is.
Moll signs the appropriate paperwork and takes possession of Humphry’s honesty and willingness to pay Moll all the money she is
her land, and then she hires Humphry to live there and manage owed makes her dishonesty appear all the worse.
it. He draws up a contract promising Moll £100 profit per year,
and since she has a right to the current year’s crops, Humphry
gives her £100 in gold. Moll stays for over a month, settling her
affairs and visiting with her son, and then she returns to James.

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CONCLUSION
Over the next year, James and Moll build up their plantation Moll finally spends her bank, which suggests she is finally secure in
with much success. They build a large house and buy more her life and no longer needs to worry about losing everything and
servants, and then Moll writes the midwife and asks her to take being put out on the street. James’s comment is clearly meant to be
Moll’s remaining bank in England—£250 or so—and spend it on lighthearted, but it also carries an element of truth. James obviously
supplies and send them to Moll and James’s plantation. When loves Moll, but he still bases at least part of her worth on material
the supplies arrive, James is caught off guard and is little wealth.
nervous. How will they pay for all this, he asks, without running
into debt? Moll smiles and tells him it is all paid for. “Who says I
was deciev’d, when I married a Wife in Lancashire?” James asks.
“I think I have married a Fortune, and a very good fortune too,”
he concludes.

The next year, Moll goes to see Humphry on her plantation to Moll seems to wait for her brother to die before she tells James and
collect her earnings, and she learns that her brother has died. Humphry the truth. His death seems to release Moll from obligation
She tells Humphry that she will likely marry her friend, who in a way, and she is free to move on, even though their marriage
owns the plantation where she lives. Moll immediately tells wasn’t legal; it’s as if the change in her circumstances changes her
James all about her past with her mother and her brother, as ability to be truthful as well. However, while Moll’s sentence is over,
well as Humphry and her plantation. James responds with good James isn’t supposed to ever return to England. Moll claims they live
humor and suggests they invite Humphry for a visit. They live their lives in “sincere Penitence,” but they break the law the moment
an easy and pleasant life for the next several years, until Moll is they go back to England, and this further casts doubt on the
nearly 70 years old. Her sentence is long over, so Moll and sincerity of Moll’s remorse, leaving open the question of her true
James return to England, where they vow to live “the moral character.
Remainder of [their] Years in sincere Penitence, for the wicked
Lives [they] have lived.”

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To cite any of the quotes from Moll Flanders covered in the Quotes
HOW T
TO
O CITE section of this LitChart:
To cite this LitChart: MLA
MLA Defoe, Daniel. Moll Flanders. Penguin. 1989.
Rosewall, Kim. "Moll Flanders." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 12 Feb CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
2020. Web. 21 Apr 2020.
Defoe, Daniel. Moll Flanders. London: Penguin. 1989.
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
Rosewall, Kim. "Moll Flanders." LitCharts LLC, February 12, 2020.
Retrieved April 21, 2020. [Link]
flanders.

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