The Daniel Defoe Library

In which Captain Singleton and his company, cast ashore and direly pressed for provisions, establish a set of rules for mutual governance and subsistence, and endeavour to cultivate a semblance of society amongst themselves while contending with the unwelcoming and inscrutable natives. Amidst their trials, they conceive the project of crafting a canoe to seek passage from their desolate abode, whi...

In which the young protagonist suffers cruel treatment under a harsh master aboard a ship, faces a desperate mutiny, and is ultimately cast ashore on a wild island with a few fellow prisoners, left to fend for themselves among uncertain and fearsome natives. Despite their dire predicament and fears of savagery, they strive to maintain hope and some measure of order, whilst the ship’s captain conte...

In which the narrator recounts the early tribulations of his childhood, including abduction, a wandering life among gipsies, and eventual introduction to the sea through a kindly shipmaster, whose death leads him into strange service aboard a Portuguese vessel bound for distant Indies. Throughout this voyage, he gains a harsh education in deceit and cunning amidst a crew whose moral failings and c...

In which the narrator relates her voyage across the bay and the prosperous establishment of a plantation with her husband, enriched by the generous gifts and faithful assistance of friends and servants. She recounts their gradual accumulation of wealth and comfort, the resolution of troublesome secrets, and their eventual return to England to live out their days with repentance and goodwill.

In which I find myself reunited with my son, whose prudent and tender nature brings a measure of comfort and hope, as he manages to secure for me the estate left by my grandmother and offers me a place near his own. Our visits and exchanges, marked by affection and mutual care, reveal the gentle unfolding of a providential arrangement that lifts my spirits and fills my heart with quietly renewed g...

In which the weary travellers, newly freed from servitude, settle along the Potomac River and grapple with the poignant discovery of long-lost family ties amidst the challenges of colonial life; and in tender secrecy the narrator contemplates her delicate position and cautiously seeks reunion and justice from relations whose tangled pasts shadow their present.

In which our heroine recounts a long conversation with her fellow prisoner—a highwayman and former husband—detailing his life, trials, and their shared prospects whilst on board a ship bound for Virginia as transported convicts. The narrative then follows their preparations and unexpected kindnesses during the voyage, highlighting the small hopes and plans they nurture for a new beginning in a dis...

In which I find myself overwhelmed by the dreadful prospect of a death sentence, only to be moved toward a sincere repentance through the kind ministrations of a good man, amidst the sorrowful company of fellow prisoners and the ministrations of my afflicted governess. The narrative further reveals my narrow escape from execution to a sentence of transportation, and a poignant, secret meeting with...

In which the lady, having fled her former circumstances, journeys through the country with artful caution and encounters various adventures that test her wit and resolve, including a narrowly avoided theft and a false accusation that lands her in the dread confines of Newgate Prison. Amid the horrors and despair of confinement, she reflects on her life with mingled repentance and hardness, until t...

In which a dispute arises from a mistaken accusation of theft, leading to a formal complaint and subsequent settlement that provides some measure of recompense; the narrator then adopts various disguises and schemes, navigating the risks and company of the criminal underworld with a sharp wit and cautious resolve. Throughout these ventures, she balances her precarious fortunes with a shrewd eye fo...

In which the frequent meetings between my governess and a distressed gentleman unfold into a secretive exchange of lost possessions and delicate negotiations, marked by reluctant confessions and guarded trust. And in a turn of events revealing the perils of disguise and mistaken identity, I am seized unjustly in a shop, leading to a spirited contention that tests the limits of justice and civility...

In which the industrious heroine details her various ventures in thievery, from clever shoplifting and the clever use of disguise to daring exploits amidst fires and fairs, all the while navigating the perils of discovery and the company of equally wayward accomplices. Though often haunted by the misfortunes of others and the threat of capture, she remains resolute yet reflective, uncovering both...

In which the narrator discloses her descent from a peaceful domestic life into desperate poverty that drives her to theft and cunning deceit, guided and corrupted by the urgings of evil and the necessities of survival. She recounts various escapades in pilfering and association with a criminal mentor, reflecting on the heavy temptations and loss of virtue that accompany such a fall from grace.

In which the narrator, after the birth of her child and receiving news of her former husband's divorce, wrestles with her conscience and the practicalities of concealing her child while navigating proposals of marriage and plans for a discreet future. Amidst these weighty reflections, she enters into a private marriage with a gentleman, experiencing a fleeting peace and hope that contrast starkly...

In which Moll reflects upon her passionate parting with a gentleman companion and contemplates ventures to America and Ireland as prospects for their future. She later finds herself in London with child, navigating the perils of childbirth and lodging under the care of a discreet but morally complex midwife amid a clandestine world of maternity and vice.

In which our heroine is introduced to an affluent family and finds herself entangled in a marriage founded upon false pretences of fortune, only to discover the grievous truth of mutual deception and destitution. Amidst sorrow and candid discourse, she encounters a husband of noble spirit whose earnest repentance and tender affection offer a bittersweet solace against their shared misfortune.

In which the widow, seeking trustworthy counsel for managing her modest fortune, is introduced to a gentleman and his friend who offer their assistance with a genuine air of honesty; and in the course of their meetings, she encounters delicate disclosures and proposals that entwine her affairs with matters of the heart, leading her ultimately to journey northwards under the auspices of a companion...

In which Moll, grateful for the ample provision made for her lying-in, prudently saves a considerable sum while living comfortably with her gentleman at Hammersmith, though bound by the limitations of her unmarried state and haunted by the prospect of poverty. After years of devoted service and three children, she faces sudden abandonment and must grapple with the solitude and uncertainty of her a...

In which I take the bold step of revealing the strange and distressing truth of my birth to my husband, with whom I have striven to maintain a semblance of harmony despite the heavy secret that binds us. Upon returning to England, I navigate the precarious life of a widow in the fashionable city of Bath, encountering new acquaintances and facing the challenges of limited means and uncertain prospe...

In which the narrator recounts her voyage to Virginia with her husband, the discovery of her mother-in-law’s convict past, and the dreadful revelation of her own close kinship with her husband that shatters their domestic bliss. She struggles with the isolating burden of this secret, the increasing estrangement from her husband, and prepares herself and her mother for a painful reckoning that must...

In which the widow, navigating the changed and mercenary manners of London's matrimonial market, learns that money alone commands esteem and that women must guard their worth with prudence and stratagem. Guided by a faithful friend, she adeptly feigns wealth to ensnare a suitable husband, weaving artful deceit to secure her future while reflecting on the necessity for women’s courage in the affair...

In which the intricate negotiations and misunderstandings of love and marriage among a gentleman’s family unfold with a delicate mix of honour, pride, and mistaken intentions, revealing the woman’s steadfast virtue amidst pressing temptations and obligations. Following the death of her husband, she finds herself cast into the precarious world of the Mint, where she resolves to escape the surroundi...

In which the narrator finds herself ensnared in a delicate family intrigue, where misunderstandings and open declarations of affection embroil her in a complex web of honour, secrecy, and social expectation. Through earnest discourse with her beloved and the family’s probing suspicions, she navigates the precarious balance between truth and appearance, love and reputation, amidst the shifting sent...

In which a young woman finds herself entangled in the romantic advances of two brothers, each declaring their love and making various overtures, while she navigates the complexities of pride, vanity, and the expectations of society. The delicate dance of affection, secrecy, and familial suspicion unfolds with tender moments and cautious encounters, revealing the hazards that attend a young woman's...

In which the early years of a young girl named Moll Flanders are recounted, revealing her humble and uncertain beginnings, her tender hopes to avoid the drudgery of servants’ work, and her innocent ambition to become a “gentlewoman” by her own honest labour. We see her nurtured by a kind nurse and favoured by gentlefolk who aid her education, while she gains the admiration of those around her, set...