# The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

**Author:** Daniel Defoe
**Tags:** Adventure stories, London (England), British, Women, Criminals, Picaresque literature, Prostitutes, Virginia, Children of prisoners, Repentance
**Price:** Free
**Formats:** DOCX, EPUB, FB2, PDF, TXT
**Downloads:** 39
**Added:** 10.07.2026
**URL:** https://samolit.com/books/96462

## Description

Born in Newgate Prison and abandoned as an infant, Moll Flanders is a woman determined to carve out her own destiny in a ruthless world. From a young age, she yearns for the status of a gentlewoman, a dream she relentlessly pursues through a life of remarkable twists and turns. Her journey takes her through five marriages—one unknowingly incestuous—a period as a kept woman, and many years as a clever and notorious thief in the bustling streets of London.

Moll’s story is one of sheer survival, adaptability, and an unyielding will to overcome poverty and societal constraints. She navigates a complex moral landscape, often blurring the lines between necessity and vice, always driven by the pursuit of financial security. Ultimately, after facing a death sentence, Moll is transported to the American colonies. There, she embarks on a path of repentance, eventually achieving wealth, respectability, and a final, unexpected peace. This picaresque tale offers a vivid portrait of a resourceful woman in 17th-century England, grappling with identity, morality, and the relentless quest for fortune.