Moll Flanders

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Moll Flanders

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Set in 18th-century England, this gripping tale follows Moll Flanders, an orphaned woman who defies societal expectations through crime and survival. Defoe's narrative explores themes of redemption, the harsh realities of poverty, and the transformative power of industry, offering a moral lesson on repentance and the possibility of rising from a life of vice to one of prosperity.

Summary up to 500 words

Daniel Defoe's *Moll Flanders*, published in 1722, presents a fictionalized autobiography of a woman born into destitution and illegitimacy. Orphaned by her mother's conviction for petty theft and subsequent transportation, Moll is left to fend for herself, eventually wandering among gypsies before being taken to London. There, she marries a man who abandons her, leaving her with an infant son. Facing the choice of exposing her illegitimate child or disposing of it, she entrusts the boy to a nurse for a fee, a decision that haunts her conscience. Through a series of marriages, robberies, and escapes, she accumulates wealth while navigating the dangers of Newgate and the Old Bailey. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she meets a former highwayman, now a penitent, in Virginia. Together, they establish a successful plantation, raising their son and living in comfort. After years of prosperity, they return to England as elderly penitents, reflecting on their wicked pasts with abhorrence. The novel balances vivid depictions of criminal life with a strong moral framework, illustrating how diligence and divine providence can lead to redemption, even for those who have fallen deeply into vice. Defoe's preface explicitly states his intent to garble the story of a wicked life repented of, ensuring that every wicked action is rendered unhappy and that the moral application keeps the reader serious. The narrative serves as a warning against vice while demonstrating that unwearied industry can raise the meanest creature to prosperity, ultimately leading to a life of sincere penitence in one's final years.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/daniel-defoe_moll-flanders.epub

Local file path

data/epubs/url-f41d6750ecfc8cf3.epub

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2026-07-01 18:01 UTC

Categories

• Classics
• Fiction