Three recurring themes in Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe are greed, vanity, and repentance. Theme
is defined as an underlying or essential subject of artistic representation. These three themes pla
y an important role in the development of the story of Moll Flanders.
The first theme,
greed, is shown in Moll's acts of prostitution. Moll turns to thievery in many instances to suppor
t herself. She also allows her morals to disintegrate; a result of her greediness.
Mo
ll's first act of prostitution is thrust upon her unknowingly. In the beginning of the story, she i
s living with a gentle woman and her family. One of the brothers takes interest in Moll and seduces
her into becoming his lover. 'He took these freedoms with me... when this was over he stayed but a
little while, but he put almost a handful of gold in my hand...' (Defoe 26). Moll lets down her gu
ard and meets with the brother frequently. '... so putting the purse into my bosom, I made no more
resistance to him, but let him do just what he pleased and as often as he pleased...' (Defoe 30). L
ater in the story, Moll becomes acquainted with a woman who persuades Moll to work for her as a pros
titute. Even though Moll is now married, she agrees to sell her body for profit. 'I found presentl
y that whether I was a whore or a wife, I was to pass for a whore here...' (Defoe 144). Moll's acts
of prostitution show that she will carry out illegal practices in order to get money.
Moll's many instances involving thievery also express the theme of greed. At the end of the story,
Moll gives her son a stolen watch. '... I stole it from a gentlewoman's side at a meeting house in
London' (Defoe 297). Moll says this is the only thing of value she has to give him. One Christma
s Day Moll discovers an unattended silversmith's shop. 'I went boldly in and was just going to lay
my hand upon a piece of plate, and might have done it and carried it clear off...' (Defoe 238). Mo
ll resists the temptation to steal because a nearby shopkeeper rushes over after having seen her ent
er the empty store. While Moll is living with the old governess she has some luck swindling a man a
t a gaming-house who seems '...to be of more than ordinary fashion...' (Defoe 230). Moll wins him
some money and secretly keeps a part for herself each time. '...he divided it with me, and I brough
t away 30 (sic) guineas besides about forty-three which I had stole privately...' (Defoe 231-232).
Much like her prostitution, Moll's acts of thievery bring out her sense of greed.
Mol
l seems to lose her morals while trying feverishly to gain assets. For example, when Moll decides t
o let Robin take freedoms with her, she admits self annihilation. '... I finished my own destructio
n at once... being forsaken of my virtue and my modesty, I had nothing of value left to recommend me
, either to God's blessing on man's assistance' (Defoe 30). As Moll is contemplating Robin's true
feelings for her, she comments about how proud she is of the money she has received as his mistress.
'As for the gold, I spent whole hours in looking upon it; I told the guineas over a thousand times
a day' (Defoe 27). Moll has decided that marriage does not really matter, as long as she has enou
gh money. She allows Robin's kind words and offerings of gold to suffice her greediness and destroy
her character. ' I had a most unbounded stock of vanity and pride, and but very little stock of vi
rtue... but thought of nothing but the fine words and the gold' (Defoe 26-27). Moll allows her mora
ls to disintegrate while trying to fulfill her need for money. Moll's prostitution, thievery, and p
eriods of moral disintegration play a major role in developing the theme of greed in Moll Flanders.
An important theme of Moll Flanders is vanity. Growing up, Moll was constantly being
told how pretty she was. Most of Moll's actions in the story are almost always a result of her vani
ty. She is also easily seduced because she thinks any man could fall in love with her because she i
s so beautiful.
Moll pleads with others after her to be aware of their actions. She w
arns that if a young woman thinks she is beautiful, she will never doubt any man that tells her he l
oves her. '...guard themselves against the knowledge of her own beauty' (Defoe 25). At one point i
n the story, Moll's fortune has been outrageously blown out of proportion and she feels compelled to
lie about it. Moll thinks that being wealthy and beautiful will help her find a suitor. 'I, that
was a great fortune and passed for such, was above being asked how much my estate was; and my false
friend,... had raised it from F500 to F5000 (sic) and by the time she came into the country... F1500
0' (Defoe 127). While Moll is living with Robin's family, she discovers that withdrawing from famil
y activities in order to leave room for the sisters, was not necessary. 'I heard abundance of fine
things said of myself which prompted my vanity...' (Defoe 23).
Moll finds herself extr
emely attractive. This vanity leads to her being easily seduced by men. Moll reflects on her first
meeting with Robin. 'I my truly say I was not myself to have such a gentleman talk to me of being i
n love with me and of my being such a charming creature, as he told me I was' (Defoe 24). Moll all
ows herself to be taken hostage by Robin's kindness towards her. '...I found he was very thoughtful
, and that though he was very kind to me, and kissed me a thousand times and more I believe, and gav
e me money too...' (Defoe 35). Moll continues to let her morals go and comes to the conclusion that
marriage is not very important. She believes Robin can love her without being married to her. '..
.[I] was taken up only with the pride of my beauty and of being beloved by such a gentleman' (Defoe
27).
Another important theme in Moll Flanders is repentance. Moll shows the desire to
repent on many occasions, but it often seems forced. Until the end of the story Moll's repentance
seem insincere, although she does show moral strength.
Moll's first repentance appears
when Robin proposes marriage. 'I was now in a dreadful condition indeed, and now I have repented h
eartily my easiness with the eldest brother; not from any reflection of conscience, for I was a stra
nger to those things, but I could not think of being a whore to one brother and a wife to the other'
(Defoe 31). Moll shows strong character when she chooses to continue with this relationship.three
recurring themes moll flanders daniel defoe greed vanity repentance theme defined underlying essenti
al subject artistic representation these three themes play important role development story moll fla
nders first theme greed shown moll acts prostitution turns thievery many instances support herself a
lso allows morals disintegrate result greediness first prostitution thrust upon unknowingly beginnin
g story living with gentle woman family brothers takes interest seduces into becoming lover took the
se freedoms with when this over stayed little while almost handful gold hand defoe lets down guard m
eets with brother frequently putting purse into bosom made more resistance just what pleased often p
leased defoe later story becomes acquainted woman persuades work prostitute even though married agre
es sell body profit found presently that whether whore wife pass whore here acts prostitution show t
hat will carry illegal practices order money many instances involving thievery also express theme gr
eed gives stolen watch stole from gentlewoman side meeting house london says this only thing value g
ive christmas discovers unattended silversmith shop went boldly just going hand upon piece plate mig
ht have done carried clear resists temptation steal because nearby shopkeeper rushes over after havi
ng seen enter empty store while living governess some luck swindling gaming house seems more than or
dinary fashion wins some money secretly keeps part herself each time divided brought away guineas be
sides about forty three which stole privately much like acts thievery bring sense seems lose morals
while trying feverishly gain assets example when decides robin take freedoms admits self annihilatio
n finished destruction once being forsaken virtue modesty nothing value left recommend either blessi
ng assistance contemplating robin true feelings comments about proud money received mistress gold sp
ent whole hours looking upon told guineas over thousand times decided that marriage does really matt
er long enough allows robin kind words offerings gold suffice greediness destroy character most unbo
unded stock vanity pride very little stock virtue thought nothing fine words allows morals disintegr
ate trying fulfill need periods moral disintegration play major role developing flanders important v
anity growing constantly being told pretty most actions almost always result also easily seduced bec
ause thinks could fall love because beautiful pleads others after aware their actions warns young wo
man thinks beautiful will never doubt tells loves guard themselves against knowledge beauty point fo
rtune been outrageously blown proportion feels compelled about thinks being wealthy beautiful will h
elp find suitor great fortune passed such above asked much estate false friend raised from time came
into country living family discovers withdrawing from family activities order leave room sisters ne
cessary heard abundance fine things said myself which prompted finds herself extremely attractive th
is leads easily seduced reflects first meeting truly myself have such gentleman talk love such charm
ing creature told taken hostage kindness towards found very thoughtful though very kind kissed thous
and times more believe gave continues comes conclusion marriage important believes love without marr
ied taken only pride beauty beloved gentleman another repentance shows desire repent many occasions
often seems forced until repentance seem insincere although does show moral strength appears when pr
oposes marriage dreadful condition indeed have repented heartily easiness eldest brother reflection
conscience stranger those things could think whore brother wife other shows strong character chooses
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