37 pages • 1 hour read
Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress
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Essay Topics
Do you think religion and a sense of religious morality play an important role in Roxana’s fate? With close reference to text, give reasons for your answer.
How does Roxana negotiate the boundary between her position as a revered mistress and a “common Whore” (208)?
Roxana famously argues that a wife is “look’d upon, as but an Upper-Servant” whereas “a Mistress is Sovereign” (132). With close reference to the text, state whether you think that Roxana’s life and attitudes fulfil this statement.
How does Defoe both create and take away sympathy from his protagonist? Further, how might a modern, secular readership’s response to Roxana differ from that of Defoe’s original audience?
What role do scapegoats and scapegoating play in Defoe’s novel?
What role do travel and notions of the Orient and exoticism play in Defoe’s depictions of Roxana?
What function do relationships between women play in Defoe’s novel? In your opinion, does Defoe give a convincing portrayal of female solidarity?
Paying close attention to Defoe’s style and Roxana’s manner of speaking, how far do you think the author conveys an impression of his protagonist’s credibility?
Do you think desire or ambition is the driver of Roxana’s “wicked Courses” (2)? With close reference to the text, give reasons for your answer.
How do factors outside of Roxana’s actions enable her to get away with her life of vice? With close reference to the text, explain how Defoe shows that a run of wicked successes is not just the responsibility of the individual, but the world that conspires to help them.
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