Throughout the novel, Moll goes through a series of relationships, legitimate and not, and through these relationships she bears many children. The lack of character names and Defoe's inability to keep clear distinctions between his many, nameless characters give the reader the difficult task of keeping track of not just characters as a whole, but specifically Moll's marriages, relationships, and children, which make up a majority of her life's story. The following maps out Moll's relationships and marriages in the order that they appeared in the novel as well as any children that might have been born as a result of their union.[1]
An Expanded View of Moll's Lifespan
| Man
|
Marriage?
|
Children?
|
Children: Status
|
Man: Status
|
Additional Information
|
| The older foster brother
|
Yes (Unofficial)
|
No
|
N/A
|
Alive
|
Her first love
|
| The younger foster brother (Robin/Robert)
|
Yes
|
Yes (2)
|
Both Alive
|
Dead
|
Did not love him
|
| Draper
|
Yes
|
Yes (1)
|
Dead
|
Alive
|
Was fond of, but did not love him
|
| Plantation Owner/ Half-Brother
|
Yes
|
Yes (3)
|
2 Dead, 1 Alive (Humphrey)
|
Dead
|
Did love him, then fell out of love after realising the relationship was incestuous
|
| Married Man
|
No (Moll acted as a mistress)
|
Yes (3)
|
2 Dead, 1 Alive
|
Alive
|
Abandons Moll after a religious experience that spurred his penitence. She left their remaining child with him
|
| Jemy/James AKA "Lancashire Husband"
|
Yes
|
Yes (1)
|
Alive
|
Alive
|
Agree to separate after claiming poverty. Moll gives birth to their child in secret and sells the child to another family with the help of her midwife
|
| The Banker
|
Yes
|
Yes (2)
|
Unknown
|
Dead
|
The children are mentioned periodically after the banker's death, yet their statuses and whereabouts are unknown
|
| Jemy/ James (again)
|
No
|
No
|
N/A
|
Alive
|
Find each other and rekindle their love. Move to America to claim Moll's riches obtained from her 3rd marriage's plantation. Reunites with her last living child with her half-brother, a son named Humphrey
|
A Quick View of Moll's Lifespan
| Official Marriages
|
x5
|
| Unofficial Marriages
|
x1
|
| Acted as Mistress
|
x1
|
| Husband Deaths
|
x3
|
| Child Deaths
|
x5
|
| Children accounted for
|
x7
|
| Children unaccounted for
|
x2
|
| Children she sees again:
|
x1
|
