Daniel Defoe, The Fortunate Mistress; or Roxana

Robert Clark (The Literary Encyclopedia)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1724

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

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Recommended Reading

Defoe's

Roxana

, like his

Moll Flanders

, trades upon the appetite for apparently autobiographical thieves' tales and

contes scandaleuses

which appeared in early capitalist London, and which survives in modern celebrity magazines, newspapers and airport novels. The issues Defoe addresses, however, were more sharply felt in 1721 as capitalism had only recently been released from monarchical control by the Glorious Revolution (q.v.) and the “Financial Revolution” was inducing rapid changes in daily life and social institutions. The original title of the novel --

The Fortunate Mistress, A History of the Life and Vast Variety of Fortunes of Mademoiselle de Beleau, Afterwards call'd the Countess of Wintelsheim, in Germany. Being the Person known by the Name of the Lady Roxana in the time of

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2062 words

Citation: Clark, Robert. "The Fortunate Mistress; or Roxana". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 October 2000 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=824, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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Daniel Defoe, The Fortunate Mistress; or Roxana

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