‘The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders’ is one of Daniel Defoe’s most celebrated novels. It tells the story of Moll Flanders, a charming con woman, from an autobiographical perspective. The reader follows Moll in her travels between London and Virginia as she attempts to marry or steal her way out of destitution. This novel is both hilarious and tragic as Defoe’s acclaimed writing portrays the hardship of 17th-century life in a wholly entertaining manner. This story remains influential as the titular Moll is an early example of a feminist anti-hero in English novels. ‘Moll Flanders’ is teeming with adventure, romance, and shocking twists and it was adapted into a movie starring Morgan Freeman and a television series starring Daniel Craig in 1996. This captivating family saga should be read by fans of Charles Dickens.
Daniel Defoe (1660 – 1731) is one of the most important authors in the English language. Defoe was one of the original English novelists and greatly helped to popularise the form. Defoe was highly prolific and is believed to have written over 300 works ranging from novels to political pamphlets. He was highly celebrated but also controversial as his writings influenced politicians but also led to Defoe being imprisoned. Defoe’s novels have been translated into many languages and are still read across the globe to this day. Some of his most famous books include ‘Moll Flanders’ and ‘Robinson Crusoe’ which was adapted into a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Damian Lewis in 1997. Defoe’s influence on English novels cannot be understated and his legacy lives on to this day.