Moll Flanders

[KEV67]

I have read Robinson Creuso by Daniel Defoe. I thought that book was a bit patchy. The part on the island was good but the beginning and ending were not.

I have just started Moll Flanders, supposedly the memoirs of a 'lady of the night' who made good. It has a cynical and hypocritical preface. The person who transcribed the memoirs said he had to tone down the language and cut the most graphic bits, but that the story served as useful instruction to readers,  as a warning of what not to do. He said the earlier, more morally abhorrent parts of the story were a necessary contrast to the penitent's later state.

[KEV67]

Moll Flanders is not exactly like Clarissa. On the other hand she is not as bad as Becky Sharp.

[KEV67]

I think she is somewhat like the Wife of Bath. I don't think she is like Fanny Hill, although I have only seen a porno of that and I don't suppose they kept to the plot very tightly.

[KEV67]

Moll's life brought her to a plantation in Virginia. I though 'Ah-oh, slavery again. ' Daniel Defoe appeared to have a bit of a blind spot regarding slavery. He acknowledged the state was an unpleasant one, but did not regard it as evil. However, the workers on the Virginia plantation do not appear to be Africans at this point. They are either indentured labourers or transported convicts, rather like the convicts sent to Australia. Most of these convicts came from Newgate Prison. That reminded me of Great Expectations, which was set about 100 years later.

Another thing that interested me was that Moll counts some of her wealth in linnen. Linnen appeared to be a form of wealth in those days. Clarissa (Samuel Richardson) made presents of linnen to people she cared about.

Jane Austen writes a fair bit about how wealth was an important factor in choosing a marriage partner, on both sides. In this book it is even more explicit. 

[KEV67]

Poor old Moll. She's not a bad girl really. She just has bad luck. 

Edit: that said, I have lost count of the children she has had. Some lived, some died. When one of life's viscititudes hits her, she leaves them in the care of someone and then moves on.

Edited August 23 by KEV67

[KEV67]

I do find 18th Century books quite interesting. At the bit I have reached Moll is discussing her economic prospects. She's a middle aged gentlewoman with no income, no husband and no male relatives. She has a bit of money but not enough to live off the interest. She reminded me of the friend Anne Elliot had, who lived in near poverty in Bath. Daniel Defoe was interested in economics.  There was quite a bit in Robinson Crueso.

[KEV67]

I don't know, this Moll Flanders. I am not sure how many husbands and children she has had now. As far as husbands go, one is definitely dead, three are probably alive. At least she took some care to secure her latest child (or has she). The midwife / abortionist / baby farmer could have sorted that little encumbrance for less money.

[KEV67]

She should hang.

[KEV67]

It is actually a very good book. I think it is better than Robinson Crueso. I wonder where Daniel Defoe got his information. There must have been people like Moll Flanders that he talked to.

[KEV67]

I am not sure what Daniel Defoe was up to before he became an author. I think he was up to his neck in Whig politics. I think he must have been a heck of an operator.