Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress

Daniel Defoe. Illustrations by John Allen Maxwell

Published by The Bibliophilist Society, 1931

About this Item

Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1724, is a provocative and psychologically complex novel that explores themes of identity, morality, and survival in 18th-century England and Europe. The story follows Roxana, a beautiful and intelligent woman who, after being abandoned by her husband and left destitute with five children, chooses to become a courtesan in order to survive. As she moves through various relationships with powerful and wealthy men, Roxana rises in social and financial status, adopting different personas along the way. Despite her apparent success, the novel delves into her inner turmoil, guilt, and the societal constraints placed on women. Defoe uses Roxana s story to comment on gender roles, economic dependence, and the tension between virtue and self-preservation. The novel stands as one of Defoe s most daring and morally ambiguous works, alongside Moll Flanders.

Seller Inventory # F.DEF.1931.1

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress
• Publisher: The Bibliophilist Society
• Publication Date: 1931
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Fiction