Moll Flanders · Character

Moll Flanders

A woman born to Newgate who reinvents herself through marriages, disguises, and theft, narrating her own scandalous life with unsettling candor and wit.

major

Also known as Mary Flanders, Mrs. Flanders, plain Moll Flanders, one Moll Flanders , who was a famous successful thief , that all of them had heard of , but none of them had ever seen

First appearance: Moll Flanders

As a major figure in Moll Flanders, Moll Flanders is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The subject of the history, whose life story is presented as a moral example.

In the storyAuthor's PrefaceOpen this moment free

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Moll moves through England as servant, wife, mistress, and finally thief, her identity shifting with each name she borrows. Her driving need is security — a woman without fortune must trade beauty, charm, or cunning to…

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The fuller portrait of Moll Flanders sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Moll Flanders in Moll Flanders

Character Web

10 connections

A slice of how Moll Flanders sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Other

Character groups

Protagonist
Moll's associates and lovers
Authority figures and criminals

+5 more in the full Character Web

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Relationships

The Bank Clerk
romantic · positive
Moll eventually marries the Bank Clerk, viewing him as a stable and kind partner after a… How this plays out →
The Gentleman at Bath
romantic · ambivalent
Robin
romantic · negative
The Elder Brother
romantic · negative
Robin
romantic · negative
The Bank Clerk
romantic · positive
Moll eventually marries the Bank Clerk, viewing him as a stable and kind partner after a… How this plays out →
The Elder Brother
romantic · negative
The Gentleman at Bath
romantic · ambivalent
The Gentleman at Bath
romantic · ambivalent

The Bank Clerk
Moll eventually marries the Bank Clerk, viewing him as a stable and kind partner after a life of turmoil.
The Gentleman at Bath
Moll has a long-term, passionate but ultimately doomed affair with the Gentleman at Bath, who is married.
Robin
Moll marries Robin (the younger brother) after being seduced by his elder brother, though she does not love him.
The Elder Brother
Moll is seduced by the Elder Brother in her youth, an affair that sets her on a path of deception and survival.
Robin
Moll marries Robin (the younger brother) after being seduced by his elder brother, though she does not love him.
The Bank Clerk
Moll eventually marries the Bank Clerk, viewing him as a stable and kind partner after a life of turmoil.
The Elder Brother
Moll is seduced by the Elder Brother in her youth, an affair that sets her on a path of deception and survival.
The Gentleman at Bath
Moll has a long-term, passionate but ultimately doomed affair with the Gentleman at Bath, who is married.
The Gentleman at Bath
Moll has a long-term, passionate but ultimately doomed affair with the Gentleman at Bath, who is married.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Moll Flanders in Moll Flanders

In the story

Moll Flanders appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Moll Flanders unlock in the free preview.

See Moll Flanders in Moll Flanders

See Moll Flanders in Author's Preface