Selective Page References for Broadview Edition of Moll Flanders Flores
53-54 M 14 yrs old desperate w/o means, willing to be a servant
56 18 yrs old, subtle seduction by EB but poor marriage market for women w/o money (cf 96-97) though YB loves her (78)
60 self as warning/memento to vain young women
61 M reflects on how she could have struck more advantageous terms with EB
69 considers herself EB’s ‘wife’
70 feels she must deny YB but sees her ruin in being obliged to do so
86-87 EB offers M 500L to marry YB, declares he will deny the affair; M “he reasoned me out of my reason” (87)—she submits to marry YB (88), observation on EB’s self-interest: “So certainly does interest banish all manner of affection . . .”
90 after death of YB and disposal of two children to parents-in-law, M resolves to marry well or not at all: “cheat called love”—aspires to have a gentleman-tradesman”, and reflects that this ambition is a self-betrayal—refuses to be the linnen-draper’s kept mistress: “a woman should never be kept for a mistress, that had money to keep her self” (91)
92 marries profligate tradesman who goes bankrupt—she’s left separated, assumes new identity of Mrs. Flanders (94) in the Mint area of town populated by self-destructive bankrupts who essentially rape themselves of their means (95)
96-97 marriage market where prospective wife’s “money is all”—men are fortune hunters
99 M advises/aids woman scorned—they damage the man’s reputation so that he comes crawling back—woman keeps part of her money safe in trust from husband
103 scarcity of good men—marriage as lottery
105ff w/aid of Capt’s wife M marketed as having 1500L—she and prospective husband court in poetic written exchange upon the glass regarding money vs love (107)—she rationalizes her guilty feelings “necessity . . . was my authority for it” and feels she never cheated him outright—he owns a plantation in Virginia; M stresses/advises need for courage to hold out for a good deal
111 M gradually reveals both lack of fortune and her 500L to Virginia planter/husband---she’s happy
115 most of estate due to mother’s diligence over 16 yrs as widow to former master, but M learns that this ‘mother-in-law’ is her own mother—she’s already had two children and pregnant with third by her own half-brother
115-119 rel. w/husband deteriorates—M nauseated by him, he threatens to put her in a mad-house—she tells him their marriage is not lawful but holds out for written, contractual protections before telling him the truth (126-129)
130 in Bath, M finds that men look for mistresses not wives but a landlady is kind to M
135 M helped by gentleman (burdened by mad wife) who gives gold to M—they mix their hands/gold—he lies naked with her to prove his virtue (138)—two yrs of this before M prompts sex, terms self a ‘whore’ (139), has a boy, saves money on sly, is set up in Hammersmith as G’s mistress, isolated life, fears future (140-142)
147 G repents adultery, M gets some money from him before signing release—she’s now 42 yrs old, worth about 450L
149 friendless—importance, esp. to women, of advisers; vice out of necessity
155ff M’s banker friend (cuckold) helps M to manage her money and he proposes divorce/marriage (158-59)
160 M lured north on advice of lady friend/she devil who touts rich brother/Irish estate—he thinks M has 15,000L M consents to marriage (162)
165 M earnest to clear self of misrepresenting her ‘fortune’—learns that her new husband’s ‘sister’ is really his former whore
167 this Lancashire husband (Jemy) says he would have loved her—offers her money, she reciprocates at lesser rate, conceals 30L
171 Jemy releases her from marriage obligations, leaves, she cries out for him, he returns (supernatural)
183 M had hoped to persuade Jemy to go to Virginia—he goes to Ireland; she’s pregnant by him; Mother Midnight midwife, M worries about children’s fate, but rejects abortion
187 M tells MM her story, seeks advice; MM promises to keep her secrets; meanwhile BF divorced and wife commits suicide; M agrees to put out child with additional annual maintenance to prevent abuse and to have visitation rights
197 M marries BF (but sees Jemy, covers for him 198ff)
200-01 M reflects on life/ penitent? poverty as snare
202 BF loses money entrusted to clerk; BF dies; M 48, two children by BF; disconsolate
once again friendless, raves, feels she is “bleeding to death” and appeals to reader to imagine such temptation that leads her to steal bundle from the apothecary’s shop (204)
self-disassociation, devil over shoulder
206 child w/necklace; M does not kill her
211ff M moves in with old governess who is a fence/pawn broker—grows hardened in thievery, is taught the trade and keeps stealing out of greed (214) and even with woman’s goods from fire episode ultimately lacks remorse (217)—others get caught, hanged, governess prods M to keep stealing, M falls into various ploys, thieves for 5 yrs, and reflects on why she didn’t stop (229) though she has 500L plus
233 falls in with drunken gentleman, prostituted self, robs him, considers risks (VD etc.)
is this man’s mistress for a year
248-49 episode where M mistaken for thieving widow, she demands reparation for false arrest; series of thieving episodes recounted, including how thief watches for others’ mistakes
271 M; “The moral indeed of all my history is left to be gather’d by the senses and judgment of the reader . . . “
275 finally caught stealing from house: “it seemed to me that I was hurried on by an inevitable and unseen fate to this day of misery”
276 M repents but observes that she mourns not for deeds or for others but for own punishment and suffering—inmates at Newgate hardened, and M too becomes brutalized, senseless, no sense of Heaven or Hell (280): “I was become a meer Newgate-bird, as wicked and as outrageous as any of them”
282 Jemy in Newgate—M’s grief for him changes her, she begins to think even if this may not be a sincere repentance—senetenced to death, she calls out for mercy yet still no sure sense of self as sinner (284)—old governess expresses remorse for urging M to steal, and she is described as becoming sincerely repentant (286)
287 finally, M experiences sense of genuine repentance and loss of eternal felicity
288ff chaplain unlocks M’s passions and she experiences sense of God’s infinite mercy—her heart is revived (289)
290 M’s reprieve; narrator comments on reader’s pleasure in wicked part of M’s story
291 M’s fit/cries as others are hanged, then feels transport of joy (292)
296 M misrepresents her past and present situation to Jemy but holds out hope they can both go to Virginia and be new people in a new world (301)
305ff M 61 yrs old, reveals part of her stock to Jemy (246L) but conceals the 300L left with governess; Jemy rails yet finally grateful for M’s guidance (309) and aid
312 M arranges for special treatment on ship, comparative luxuries, solicits/receives capt’s advice on setting up as free planters (313) so that they purchase many goods/tools, are themselves bought and discharged from service in Virginia (315)
316 M learns mother is dead; half-brother’s poor eyesight and near incompetence; son entrusted with mother’s bequest to M, and her history is public knowledge (318
319 M stymied by how to keep marriage to half-brother secret from Jemy yet claim her inheritance—laments need for a confidant: “a secret of moment should always have a confidant, a bosom friend”
320 necessity of nature to tell secrets
321ff Jemy and M settle on 50 acres in Maryland—do well
327 M writes letter read by son; he meets/embraces/helps her—she inherits plantation with income of at least 100L year, to be managed by son—sense of Providence/shame (328)
332 Jemy finally told truth—wonder struck, penitent
Quaker friend, governess still help
333 plantation worth 300L yr after eight years
334 M and J in England, she’s 70, he’s 68