Publisher's Synopsis
Roxana the Fortunate Mistress is a novel written by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1724. The book tells the story of a beautiful and intelligent woman named Roxana, who becomes a mistress to wealthy men in order to support herself and her children. Roxana's story begins with her marriage to a Frenchman, who abandons her and their children in England. Left with no means of support, Roxana turns to a life of prostitution and becomes the mistress of several wealthy men. As Roxana's wealth and status increase, she becomes more and more entangled in a web of deceit and betrayal. She engages in affairs with multiple men, including a Dutch merchant and a prince, and becomes embroiled in a complex web of lies and secrets. Despite her success as a mistress, Roxana is haunted by guilt and shame, and struggles to find meaning and purpose in her life. As the novel progresses, she must confront the consequences of her actions and come to terms with the choices she has made. Roxana the Fortunate Mistress is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of love, betrayal, and redemption. Defoe's vivid portrayal of Roxana's life as a mistress provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of eighteenth-century England, and his nuanced characterization of Roxana herself makes her a compelling and complex protagonist.1931. There is no obvious drama in this straightforward narrative. No one could pretend that Roxana reveals either charm or striking personality. The author's art comes from a particular form of realism, in which he stands almost alone. It is built upon absolute simplicity in style, elaborately precise statement of natural detail and a complete absence of emphasis or emotion. We do not judge Roxana for her conduct, but sympathize with her as a woman because Defoe has made her our friend. We believe in her as a real, living, intimate acquaintance who is interesting because her life is crowded with surprising events and fortune treats her with more than its usual caprice.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
