Compare the ways in which crime is presented in Moll Flanders and Roxana?

The eponymous titles Roxana and gangsters moll Flanders, argon both of a collection of novels written by Daniel Defoe. Coleridge described these novels as atomic number 53 of the few great novels, which we bum call indisputably great1. This greatness that Coleridge speaks of is displayed through the management Defoe presents plague in these novels. He explores the lives of women in the early 18th century and how evil was very much a womans key to survival. The novels ar set and centred in assorted locations in the world of the 1720s.The geographical settings and mobility of the char moulders expresses their personal ambition to be knget, respected and to ache the ticketr things in lifespan. First and foremost, before t singleing into the venomous lives gun moll Flanders and Roxana both led, their reasons for engaging into scoundrely bring to be considered. gangsters moll was born into poverty, and ironically she was born into a jail cell in Newgate prison. From th is it seems as though gangsters moll was born a vile and a criminal career was destined for her. She is a street educated woman that thrived upon crime to escape the jagged teeth of poverty and also to live a lavish life.On the contrary Roxana is a healthy-educated and well-bred woman, as yet her life of crime begins when she is aband geniusd by her husband, who has also left her with a handful of children to care for. With the encouragement from her accomplice Amy, ignore it be argued that Roxana turns from a virtuous woman to an immoral whore? Well, firstly Roxana does sleep with legion(predicate) men, with outside(a) marrying them, which was immoral in an 18th century society and Roxanas sexual demeanour whitethorn have been labelled as whoring, beca single-valued function she slept with men and receives payments in the figure of speech of fine clothes and ornaments and expensive jewellery. however Roxana does fall in contend with every man she sleeps with, so she shoul dnt be really referred as a whore. For utilisation in the novel, Roxana admits she fell in go to bed with her landlord I grew to love him Roxana loves her landlord besides the comfortable lifestyle she lives. Roxana does enthrone adultery to an extent, her act as been described as a state of innocent adultery2 their liaison is as respectable as any marriage, supported as it is by philia and respect, and even by legal settlement.In an contemporary society Roxanas act wouldnt be describe as whoring or prostitution, and adultery wouldnt be a crime in the eyes of the English law. Also whoring or prostitution is found upon a direct ex assortment of money for sexual plea indisputable, no emotions, liking, or loving or relationships are supposed to be formed, whereas Roxana falls in love. Defoe sympathizes with woman in these times, as they were powerless in considerations of marriage. Women were condemned if they had children, without world married and more to the signify women we re neglected and non protected by the government. in that respectfore it can be argued that women were more likely to engage in criminal activities as a way of escaping poverty, and to an extent improve their shade of living. However women were less likely to commit crime as thither movements were isolated especially if they were married they were the property of their husbands they were to do domestic duties and had minor time to explore the outdoors. However gun moll and Roxana do not have these constraints.It could be inferred Defoe aims to make his 2 protagonists heroic figures as they manage to come through against the odds, theyre renegades that reject the norms and values of society and do not conform with stereotyped female roles, such as domestic duties, instead they distance themselves from the ethics of society and beautify their lives by either utilise men or stealing valuable objects to fulfil their needs. The novels are written in an autobiographical format, wh ere the protagonist books a chronological sequence of events in their life.This presentation is highly effective firstly it is continuous throughout both novels, more importantly a contemporary ratifier can easily engage with the novels as the lives of Roxana and moll are frequently presented like a soap opera. In Roxana the protagonist notices her first husband in a dinner company she tries her best to conceal herself. If she were caught she would have faced public humiliation or possibly death- He had near brushed against me, just now didnt notice me. The conclusion encounter causes tension and the boy brush expresses the danger of the daub.Roxana is an adulteress as she is sexually involved with the Prince of France while bland being legally married. In moll Flanders, moll steals a ladys gold watch, gangsters moll is almost caught just she is not suspected of taking the watch. These soap opera like episodes create tightfistedness between the protagonist and the c ontributor and they have a continuing court to a contemporary reader, as they cause excitement, tension and suspense, this again may support Coleridges statement that these novels are indisputably great. In both novels, Roxana and moll Flanders experience back on their life of sinfulness and opportunism.It is a life that they must both embrace it is made them who they are. However Defoe does make his presences felt in the novels where he expresses his own views towards issues such as marriage Defoe used the term Matrimonial Whoredom3 to describe women who married men altogether for financial gain. From this we are given an insight of the nature of Defoe through his protagonists. It can be argued that lure is without a doubt the reason for Moll and Roxana pampering in crime. There temptations are centred on economic needs and a craving for favorable status. For example Roxana, with Amys influence mistresss herself to her landlord.In the novel Amy says to Roxana in one occa sion Dear madam says Amy if I provide starve for your sake, I bequeath be a whore. Here the language is cogent as Amys use of reverse psychology persuades and makes Roxana feel guilty. Roxana is elucidately tempted because if she gives up her chastity she could make the comfortable life she once lived. Although Roxana eventually gives in, she still appears to have a little self-respect this is evident where she says A woman ought rather to die, than to prostitute herself the tone of language is very bold and convincing that it may match my initial argument that Roxana is an immoral whore.However Roxana opposes her own statement as she lets temptation get the better of her. On the other hand Moll excuses herself for her crimes The silver tankard calls out to her. A silver tankard would be a prodigious drinking vessel made out of what would have been expensive metal, silver. metaphorically it expresses pleasure and wealth, the silver tankard is a vivid use of pathetic fallacy, and it is as though the silver tankard is a person that tempted Moll to committing crimes in state to live well.Moll admits she became more confounded with money, which could give an early mark that her love for money would ultimately lead her to her desperation and further temptations to commit crimes. This in fact is what happens to Moll, in one part of the novel she is in the position where she is so desperate, she contemplates killing a child, This is a turning point as Defoe go againsts a dark side of Moll , the reader sees Moll in previous encounters as a thief and whore but contemplating murder shocks the modern day reader.Episodes such as this are challenging and have continuing appeal because not only does Moll reveal a dark side the reader can easily sympathies with the villain rather than the victim, the phrase the dreadful necessity of hazard is the cause, express this, the articulate dreadful is emotive as the reader pitys Molls well being, The circumstances Moll speaks of, are due(p) to many factors such as the absences of any parental figures for example, since her mother is a criminal, the reader may not be surprised that Moll takes a criminal path for her career.In sociological terms a myopic level of cultural reproduction, could explain why Moll fol petty(a)s her mothers footsteps. Crime is presented with the tie of the devils works. Firstly it has to be considered that crime in the 18th century was often seen either as the work or the influence of the devil, considering at this stay commonwealth tended to be very superstitious. In Moll Flanders, Moll believes the crimes she commits are caused by the devil- She had bounteous to work on but the devil sends her out unto the streets.This use of imagery is effective because Moll personifies the devil as a person who forcefully dragged her onto the street to steal. Moll also refers to herself as a busy devil. The language used here is unusual as the word busy often refers to hard work o r a trueness to work, whereas the word devil contradicts the word busy, as the devil is associated with evil or negative works, which causes an overall effect of irony. In Roxana, Roxana prostitutes Amy to her landlord after Roxana realizes that what she did was immoral and thusly a sin she says she is the instrument of the devils works.This has a continuing appeal because the reader shocked that Roxana, supposedly a woman of virtue forces Amy, her closest friend, and pimps her to her landlord. It obscure whether Roxana has an ounce of integrity in left her. Although she admits she was the instrument of the devils works one still has to be amazed at what people will do just to fulfil their own selfish needs. This is similar in Volpone by Ben Jonson, where the character of Corvino forgets all virtue and decided to pimp his own wife.However can it be argued that Moll and Roxana use notion of the devil as a way to elevate the blame that they feel is already upon them. Also the actua l center of the devil has to put into consideration. In the period in which Defoe lived, the devil was often described as a hideous creature with horns and jagged teeth. However in the novels Roxana and Moll Flanders, could the devil represent the poverty that eats away in their society, which ultimately leads them to committing crime? Social carts and personal circumstances is other way crime is presented.Defoe presents his whores as ordinary people who are radiation pattern products of their environment, victims of circumstances which anyone might have experienced. For Roxana the absences of her husband, who left her with the responsibility of caring for louver children, leaves Roxana in a difficult situation, so whoring herself at first to her landlord seemed to be the only option for survival as she was on the verge of downright poverty. In the early stages of the novel Amy presents a strong argument to Roxana.Roxana begins by saying to Amy What consent to lye with him for bread? Amy replies It would not be lawful for anything else but for bread, Madam, why nobody can starve. The word lawful is interesting it may fire that Roxana somehow has the right to sell her own body in monastic order to survive, or maybe Amy is being ironic as prostitition was against the law. Again Amys persuasive use of language leaves Roxana, completely convinced If he should give me an kingdom to live on, he should lye with me. Roxana thinks to the highest degree the situation logically and rationally and decides to give up her chastity. It is upsetting that for woman in these times their, bodies were almost the only thing they could offer to a man in return for a stable standard of living, so one has to sympathies with Roxana due to the difficult situation she is in. The reader shouldnt look at her negatively especially when individuals such as Amy point out to her why nobody can starve. However the reader may view Roxana negatively in certain parts of the novel.For example after the brutal death of her lover, her landlord, Roxana attempts to sell the jewels that he had left with her, one has to question her integrity, but it shows the lengths that people would go to maintain the material goods they possess. Although Roxana is an well-informed woman, and arguably she was more than capable to improve her lifestyle by using legal means, Defoe expresses that women were at a disadvantage in terms of earning a decent living Moll Flanders quotes The market is against our sex.Here Defoe expresses his feelings through Moll Flanders, as he was interested in womens oppression, as he believed that women were oppressed, especially in marriage. Roxana refuses to marry the Dutch Merchant on various occasions, as she believed women were at a disadvantage as marriage was more of a patriarchal institution. Like Roxana, Moll Flanders is a victim of society and slender issue. Moll was born into poverty.From an early age, Moll is socially aware of her low status but she refers to herself as a Gentlewoman, which expresses her ambitions to have the fine things in life and to be accepted by society. Here it could be argued that Moll wants the desired social status that Roxana also reachs. Moll Flanders, like Rastigmac and Julien Soreal, is a characteristic product of modern individualism in assuming that she owes it to herself to achieve the highest economic and social rewards and in using every available manner to carry out her resolve.Even Moll admits that the dreadful necessity of circumstances is cause, referring to the poverty she lives in is the cause of her thieving Moll says in her plea give me poverty lest I steal. In one occasion Moll begins sewing lace for a particular wealthy woman, however Moll is still relatively poor. The rich woman has two brothers that Moll acquaints herself with she prostitutes herself to two of them. They both spoil her excessively with fine clothes and ornaments, she says in one occasion He had furnish ed me very sufficiently with money for peculiar express of my lying in I had everything.One may look down upon Moll as a whore, however ones has to consider she is not educated like Roxana and her ambition to be a gentlewoman is still at large, so it is either she took this opportunity or not, but Moll admits she had enough to live on however she still has the urge to commit crimes. To Molls horror she commits another(prenominal) crime, she later finds out that the two brothers she sleeps with are too her own brothers. This has a continuing appeal to a modern day reader because it I hilarious that Moll prostitutes herself to two brothers who actually are her brothers it is a bizarre experience for Moll.It is engaging for a modern day reader, as incest tends to blow over when both relations are aware they are related, whereas Moll isnt aware. Moll indulges in crime not just for survival but to have the fine clothes and ornaments. Moll says I needed to dress well in order to mingl e. Defoe makes it evident in both novels that society was low to be more capitalist, so as times changed Roxana and Moll, too had to modernize in order to be respected and accepted by society.Molls fine clothes and ornaments and Roxanas expensive Turkish dress are symbolise of the pressure in society to live lavishly. However both Roxana and Moll reasons for indulging in crime are not strong sociological arguments, such as we might make today they dont ask themselves why a certain percentage of the population is destitute, they just want to make sure they are not one of them. However their determination not to be destitute shows their survival instincts.Also Defoe shows the emergence of an individualistic society where people began to develop their own norms and values and tended not to look at traditionalistic institutions such as the church for guidance and rather theyd take matters into their own hands. The relationship between crime and indistinguishability has to be explored . For example Moll is a common slang term in these times for a woman of low repute, often the girlfriend of a professional thief, Flanders was a term to describe women in prostitution.Roaxna Turkish dress reveals her criminal identity as a courtesan. It interesting as their names are clear indications of their true identities and purposes but none of the characters realize this. In Roxana where Roxana leaves her lavish life momentarily, she takes up Quaker dressing. This way of dressing is a drastic change from her lavish gorgeous dresses, which emphasis the change from her high life and tingling encounters to a simple way of living.Roxana and Moll Flanders hide away tin their names and costumes to protect their identity, their hidden identities explain that they are afraid and do not want to face up to who they and theyre afraid of how people will react to them like the character Robinson Crusoe. Defoe creates characters similar to how he felt about himself as he even changed his name from Foe to Defoe, which suggests that Defoe feels the struggle and can sympathise with what his protagonists go through.