Binding: Paperback
Description: Roxana (1724) Defoe's last and darkest novel is the autobiography of a woman who has traded her virtue at first for survival and then for fame and fortune. Its narrator tells the story of her own `wicked life as the mistress of rich and powerful men. A resourceful adventuress she is also an unforgiving analyst of her own susceptibilities who tells us of the price she pays for her successes. Endowed with many seductive skills she is herself seduced: by money by dreams of rank and by the illusion that she can escape her own past. Unlike Defoe's other penitent anti - heroes however she fails to triumph over these weaknesses. The novel's drama lies not only in the heroine's `vast variety of fortunes' but in her attempts to understand the sometimes bitter lessons of her life as a ` Fortunate Mistress'. Defoe's achievement was to invent in ` Roxana' a gripping story - teller as well as a gripping story. This edition uses the rare first edition text with a new introduction detailed notes textual history and a map. About THE Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up - to - date bibliographies for further study and much more.
Title: Roxana The Fortunate Mistress
Author(s): Defoe Daniel, Mullan, John (Lecturer In English, Lecturer In English, University College, London)
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Barcode: 9780199536740
Pages: 400 Pages, 2 Halftones, 1 Map
Publication Date: 9/1/2008
Series: Oxford World's Classics
Category: Classic Fiction