Preface and Parts 1-2
Preface - Moll Becomes a “Gentlewoman”
In the preface, Daniel Defoe explains to readers that he is not, in fact, presenting them with a work of fiction; instead, he offers a somewhat-sanitized version of the life of Moll Flanders, a memoir recounting her life of crime and promiscuity. Defoe acknowledges that Moll’s story is lewd and vulgar but argues that removing these elements would compromise the authenticity of her story—even the most scandalous elements must remain. As such, he apologizes to readers for exposing them to such sordid, immoral incidents explaining that he attempted to clean up the offensive language Moll used when writing her recollections but again emphasizing that he felt compelled to include such indecent details out of his commitment to the truth.
Part One: Moll’s Early Life
Moll Flanders—the novel’s protagonist—introduces herself, then immediately explains that her name, “Moll Flanders,” is a moniker given to her by criminal acquaintances and not her real name. As she dances around the subject of her crimes, she acknowledges that although her sins were inexcusable, her origins as the daughter of a woman imprisoned in Newgate Prison, the most dreadful jail in England, and, later, as an orphan, essentially predetermined the trajectory of life.
After Moll’s mother, a minor criminal, gave birth to her in Newgate Prison, she was transported to the colonies to serve out her sentence, leaving the infant Moll alone and destitute in England. Moll remembers very little of her early years, only remembering wandering with a band of gypsies until the age of three when a local woman adopts her.
When Moll is entrusted to this kind-hearted but impoverished woman, whom she calls her nurse, she learns to read, write, sew, and carry herself with grace and good manners. Her nurse runs a school for local girls, and Moll benefits greatly from her guidance. However, as soon as Moll turned eight, the town authorities recommended she leave her nurse's care and begin to work in a local household. Determined to avoid this fate, Moll pleaded with her nurse to let her stay, promising to earn an honest living by selling her needlework. Moll argued that not only would her needlework allow her to pay for her own living expenses, but it would also pay for her to become a gentlewoman.
Motivated by the desire to build wealth and become a gentlewoman, Moll intended to forge her own path, independent of others. Predictably, her nurse and the affluent women of her town found her aspirations comical and absurd, knowing that Moll’s interpretation of the term “gentlewoman” as any woman who earned enough to avoid household service was misplaced and inaccurate; true gentility, as they well knew, necessitated high birth and a considerable fortune.
The wealthy women of Moll’s community found her ambitions so entertaining that they not only arranged for her to remain with her nurse but also compensated her generously for her needlework, gifted her pretty clothes, and permitted her to socialize with their own daughters. As Moll became a favorite among these women and befriended girls well above her social status, she became increasingly confident that her exceptional beauty, charm, and manners would elevate her to a higher position.
Shortly after Moll turned fourteen, her caregiver passed away, leaving her to take care of herself earlier than expected. However, the Mayor's wife and a few other wealthy women were happy to take her in—not as a servant, much to Moll's relief, but as a companion to their children. Moll moved in with one of the wealthiest families in the town, which included two average-looking daughters and...
(This entire section contains 1242 words.)
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two handsome sons.
Although they did not consider Moll a member of their family, they treated her exceptionally well, providing her with fashionable clothing and allowing her to attend their daughters' singing, dancing, language, and writing classes. With the help of this education, as well as her good manners and great beauty, Moll quickly established herself as an exceptionally attractive, accomplished young woman. This accomplishment made the daughters of her foster family envious and earned the steady admiration of both older sons.
Part Two: “The Ordeal of Virtue”
By the age of eighteen, Moll had blossomed into an exceptionally beautiful woman. The eldest son of her adoptive family—a good-looking but careless man—became enamored with Moll and frequently arranged private meetings with her. In their private meetings, he showered her with praise, physical affection, and luxurious presents. Although Moll describes herself during this time as a "very serious, reserved, and morally upright young lady," she confesses that she willingly allowed the older brother to exploit her desire for attention and material goods and, in fact, enjoyed it. Indeed, she shamelessly acknowledges that, at the time, the older brother could have easily taken advantage of her virtue.
One day, the elder son employs a complex scheme to meet Moll alone at a friend's house. Upon reaching the empty house, the elder brother expressed his love for Moll and promised to marry her as soon as he obtained his wealth. This commitment, along with a purse filled with gold, was enough to eliminate Moll's last bit of resistance, and she succumbs to her physical desires. After their first sexual encounter, the elder brother and Moll returned home without raising suspicion and soon became regular lovers. Although Moll felt passing regret for the sinful, promiscuous path she led, she quieted her conscience by recalling the elder brother's pledge of marriage, focusing on the money he gave her, and taking pleasure in his frequent compliments.
For over six months, the pair continued their illicit relationship without suspicion. Meanwhile, Robin, the family’s younger son, developed strong feelings for Moll and soon expressed them to his parents and siblings, much to their disapproval. The eldest son, however, was delighted by the news of Robin’s infatuation, seeing his brother’s love for Moll as a handy means of escaping his commitments to her. As such, he persuades her to consider his brother’s interest and, when Robin proposes to Moll, encourages her to accept his brother’s offer of marriage.
Shocked by the elder brother’s advice, Moll is forced to reconsider her life. For the entirety of their relationship, Moll had convinced herself that her love for the older brother was real and had justified their intimacy by thinking that he would eventually become her husband. However, when she discovered that the older brother would never marry a poor woman and risk losing his inheritance, Moll realized that she had no other option but to agree to Robin's proposal. After the older brother offered her five hundred pounds to accept his brother’s proposal, Moll married Robin despite having no feelings for him.
For the entirety of their marriage, Robin expressed intense love for and strong devotion to Moll; she, however, returned none of these feelings, acknowledging that although Robin always treated her with respect and admiration, she desired his brother's embrace instead. Moll's false relationship with Robin didn't last very long, as he became ill and passed away just five years into their marriage. This left her with only the money she had saved from the elder brother's financial support during and after their affair. Neither bereft nor discouraged by her husband’s passing, Moll assessed her options and made the pragmatic decision to find a wealthy husband.
