Analysis Of Daniel Defoe 's ' Moll Flanders '

Since Lynn was a busy town of commerce and trade, the middle-class inhabitants were wealthy. The status of Margery?s father, John, several times mayor of Lynn, helped to instill Margery with self-respect. She was very much influenced by the people of Lynn?s concern with status and wealth: ?She had a very great envy of her neighbors that they should be as well arrayed as she.? In her Book, she even goes so far as to say that her marriage to businessman John Kempe did no justice to her ?worthy kindred? and was a socially-imbalanced relationship, although they both belonged to the same social class. This haughtiness and sense of pride are distinguishing features of Margery throughout her life.

The text ‘The Daughters of England’, is a book written to provide guidance for young women, pertaining to their character and behaviour; the book creates the framework for the role of women in the household. It instructs that women must offer a virtuous influence on men - as wives, mothers, and daughters - as part of their role within society. Estimated to have been written in 1842, in London, ‘Daughters of England’ was penned by Sarah Stickney Ellis; a popular author of Victorian conduct literature. Ellis’ popularity implies that the source was widely circulated at the time, thus represents an important view of contemporary society. This document reveals to us the ideals expected of middle class women of the time, and the principles that were envisioned for them, relating in particular to the ‘separate spheres’ ideology.

Jane Austen was a Georgian era author who was best known for her novels that commented on social issues and class, and Northanger Abbey is no exception. Austen’s social commentary is apparent in this novel’s plot, as the reader follows a seventeen-year-old protagonist, Catherine Morland, as she matures and forms intimate relationships with fellow characters in an England town called Bath. Marriage between characters in the novel is heavily based on wealth, and because of England’s unstable economy at the time, marrying into wealth meant maintaining a high social class and economic stability for the characters. The importance of economic prosperity and social rank heavily influenced marriage in 19th century England, and this idea bourgeoisie classism and marrying for wealth is contradicted by Austen in her novel, Northanger Abbey.

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen introduces the major thematic concept of marriage and financial wealth. Throughout the novel, Austen depicts various relationships that exhibit the two recurring themes. Set during the regency period, the perception of marriage revolves around a universal truth. Austen claims that a single man “must be in want of a wife.” Hence, the social stature and wealth of men were of principal importance for women. Austen, however, hints that the opposite may prove more exact: a single woman, under the social limitations, is in want of a husband. Through this speculation, Austen acknowledges that the economic pressure of social acceptance serves as a foundation for a proper marriage.

During the mid 1800’s, commonly referred to as the Victorian Period, social hierarchy was an enormously profound aspect of European societies. Therefore, arranged marriage and the desire to “move up” on the social ladder was a common pursuit. Throughout the text, it becomes apparent that Wilde strongly opposes this concept, as he includes several power-struggles between Lady Bracknell and the younger generation based on their conflicting desires. To expand, Lady Bracknell insists that “An engagement should come on a young girl as a surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be. It is hardly a matter that she could be allowed to arrange for herself” (Wilde 16-17). This quotation reinforces the fact

Wollstonecraft argues that women lack the worthy object that “sufficient serious employment” (The Rights of Men and The Rights of Woman, 194) furnishes. Premise of Vindication, is that the duties of the female are influenced by their education. An example of this is the aspirations to become “The Angel in the House” (Kühl, 171),

It seems a common sense to people in 1910s that woman's whole life should revolve around her own families- children and husband, and loyal to their husbands. The experiences of Mrs Dempster demonstrates people’s stereotype towards women and the inequality between males and females at that time. Mrs Dempster who is the young wife of pastor, lacks the capacity of nursing baby and taking care for domesticity tasks, comparing to other housewives in Deptford. Townspeople usually gossip about Mrs Dempster’s family: “By the time a year had passed since Paul’s birth her husband had became ‘poor Reverend Dempster’ to everybody, a man burdened with a simple-minded wife and a delicate child, and it was a general source of amazement that he could make ends meet.”(Davies P) Through townspeople’s rumours, it reflects an obsolete prejudice towards women during that decade of which an eligible woman must be competent to do all

Women in Wollstonecraft’s time were only valued for their attractiveness, were only useful for their role as a mother, and were not given the right to an education nor the right to jobs. Wollstonecraft observes that “when a women is admired for her beauty, she suffers herself to be...intoxicated by the admiration she receives as to neglect...the indispensable duty of a mother, she sins against herself by neglecting to cultivate an affection that would equally tend to make her useful and happy” (Wollstonecraft 6). In other words, women getting so wrapped up in presenting themselves as beautiful in order to meet society’s standards then completely neglect their natural role as a mother that would make them “useful” by society’s standards by fulfilling the only role they really could at the time: a mother. Instead of being praised for being a virtuous mother, women were valued solely for their sexual attractiveness. Once their beauty fades and they have already birthed and raised their children, as Wollstonecraft states, “let them not expect to be valued” (32). During Wollstonecraft’s time, a typical woman was “dependent on her husband’s bounty for her subsistence during his life or support after his death” (19). A woman did not have any other job than to be impregnated and raise her husband’s offspring, meaning she had to be financially dependent on her husband. Women could not “study the art of healing” nor “be physicians [or] nurses”—jobs Wollstonecraft argued “women might certainly study” given the opportunity

Despite the economic distinction and living conditions that separated the bachelors and the maids, they both have similarities. Though there are similarities, they only further expose the power of the upper class over the working class. These similarities bring to our attention the topic repeatedly discussed in class, which is the power of choosing. Both the bachelors and the maids lived or were isolated from the world and had no attachments to family. Melville explains, “…these easy hearted men had no wives or children to give an anxious thought” (6). The bachelors chose to not have a family so that it did not interrupt their tranquility and so that they did not have to worry

Anderson’s assessment stems from the fact that men found obedience to be a desirable female quality during the eighteenth century. Moreover, according to feminists, society during that time was designed for the pleasure and benefit of men alone. While Feminist criticism works well with Charlotte Temple, it is evident that another concept also deserves attention. Although the majority of novel seems to focus on women, chapters two through five connect almost exclusively to economics. The significance of economics and social class in these opening chapters implies that Charlotte is not only victimized due to her gender, but also due to her class. During the first few chapters, the importance of money and gender are revealed. Mr. Lewis exploits and then proceeds to blackmails Mr. Eldridge for money, thus sending him into financial tragedy. This short background story sets up the theme of class struggle for the novel.

In Wollstonecraft’s work, she addresses the differences between men and women as being something that should be considered negligible, but instead is used to practically enslave one half of the population. The work details how women are akin to playthings when they lack an education, and that for her to truly be herself and practice her own free will, she must be knowledgeable. However, there are many different kinds of education, Wollstonecraft points out. Men received a formal education, consisting of a proper teaching of many subjects, while also aiding the young men in personal growth. Women, on the other hand, received a much less formal education. In their day to day lives, women observed, they leeched off

In Flanders FieldsIn Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved, and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.     

At a moment’s glance, Daniel’s Defoe’s 1719 publication “The Education of Women” looks to be quite progressive for the time period in which it was written. He makes a claim of policy, stating that women should be educated in order to better serve men as companions. It is his justification for his claim that falls flat when viewed under a modern lens – he cares little for the individual benefits a woman may receive from an education, instead focusing on how education will further their ability to please men. That said, Defoe does state that although they should be educated to better serve men, he does not believe they should “Stewards, Cooks, and Slaves.” He believes that “The great distinguishing difference… between men and women, is in their education”, and that women’s souls are “capable of the same accomplishments with men”. The mix of traditional and progressive views present in his essay, as well as the reasoning for such views, make the piece an interesting look into the social views of the Age of Enlightenment.

Moll Flanders and Mary Musgrove recognize marriage is a way for economic profit; however, their rationale drawing to them to this conclusion is different. After Moll’s nurse dies, Moll is forced to be independent for the first time. She says, “now was I a poor gentlewoman indeed...I had not… a bit of bread to eat” (MF 54). Moll realizes she cannot make a living being a gentlewoman. This incident causes Moll to look for economic security. She is taken in by a wealthy family in Colchester. The elder brother in the family seduces Moll with compliments and begins to see her privately. He promises to marry Moll when he “[comes] to his estate”(MF 67; therefore, their marriage would yield a profit as the marriage would not got through until the elder brother inherited his piece of property. While they are in their relationship, the elder brother gives Moll “a handful of gold”(MF 63) and “five guineas”(MF 62), thus satisfying Moll’s economic necessity. When Mary is talking about a future marriage between Henrietta and Captain Wentworth, she comments that Henrietta would become “‘Lady Wentworth…[which is] a noble thing” (P 73). This demonstrates how Mary only sees marriage as a way for Henrietta to move up in status, and Mary deems that this marriage would be noble because of how economically profitable it is. Even though Moll and Mary are from the lower and upper class, respectively, their views on marriage are similar as it provides financial security.

Among countless disparities present in 17th century England, one of the most prevalent differences was in gender roles. As a woman, Moll seemed to be troubled with more burdens and pressures than men. What remained constant was having females be subordinate, no matter if they were in a position of poverty or prosperity. This is why in Defoe’s novel, Moll Flanders, the protagonist would have experienced greater difficulty if she had been male. Nothing controlled a community more than money so when men take the central role in a community they become in control of most of the money. Women had their beauty while men had their assets. While Moll may have gotten blessed with beauty and natural talent, she was never looked to as a provider for others and had the luxury of being selfish with her wealth.