Moll Flanders

"Moll Flanders" is the classic and tragic picaresque morality tale of its title character. Moll, the daughter of a convict is driven by a singular ambition, to raise her station in life, by any means necessary. In the process of trying to lift herself out of squalor and become a lady she resorts to thievery, adultery, prostitution, child neglect, and incest. One of Defoe's best and most loved works, "Moll Flanders", while likely written to predominantly titillate its audience, is ultimately a tale of remorse and redemption.