Moll Flanders (1722), written by Daniel Defoe is a picaresque novel that deals with the rogue protagonist female character named Moll Flanders. It is considered to be a Newgate Prison novel because Defoe got his materials and life biographical sketch if a woman prisoner in Newgate Prison. The novel has many picaresque elements such as the rogue and dishonest behaviour of the main character, sexual liberation, fortune and misfortune of the main character, emotional detachment of the character and the character appearing to be dangerous to the society or towards others.
As a picaresque novel , the main protagonist is a rogue and dishonest character. Moll is a female who was born to a convict mother. She has been declared by Defoe in the preface as “debauchery” and a criminal. For so many years of her life , she breaks many social codes and traditional norms of the society. She gets engaged to many marriages including incestuous marriage unconsciously. She also lived as a criminal for some time. This clearly reflects that Moll is a rogue and dishonest character which is a typical traits of a picaresque novel.
The another picaresque element in the novel is the adventure of the main character. The main character goes through many adventures experiencing many fortunes and misfortunes in their lives. Moll goes through an adventure of many marriages where she decides to raise her social status by marrying off to a wealthy rich man. When she lives with the lady, she gets married to the younger brother despite having feelings for the eldest brother. Though she enjoyed privileges, she also falls into a misfortune after her husband dies. She married a linen draper but he leaves her using her money to France eventually reducing her money and a failure in marriage.
Click Here to know Summary of Defoe Novel Roxana, The Unfortunate Mistress
In addition to this , she then goes on to marry a rich plantation owner who actually is her own half brother. She realises later and she already has children with him. He goes mad after realising the truth about Moll and her relationship with him. So, she was sent back to London where she meets the banker but she goes to Lancashire and she gets married to James. The misfortune happens here again where both realises that they are penniless. Moll marries the banker but he dies after some years and she falls into a poverty. This also reflects the fortune and misfortune of the main character who goes on an adventure falling into many fortunes and eventual downfall or misfortunes in life.
Moreover, the picaresque novel also projects the main character to be dangerous. The main protagonist seems to be emotionally detached while committing a crime. After falling into a poverty, Moll commits crime and thievery. She indulges in pickpockets and steals money from other woman. She even steals a horse and she doesn’t know what she should do with it. These reflects that Moll is a dangerous character who has the potential to be a criminal with no regrets.
The most important aspect of the picaresque novel is the sexual liberation. The sexual liberation is a common theme in many of the picaresque novels. The main protagonist has many sexual affairs and many marriages in the novel. Moll as a character challenges the societal norms of the early English society. She gets into many marriages to raise her social status in the society and she uses her personality and charm as a way to attract man. She indulges in many sexual partners that highlights the sexual liberation the main protagonist indulges in.
Summary of Defoe Roxana, The unfortunate Mistress
One Reply to “Defoe Moll Flanders as a Picaresque Novel”