Defoe’s Ideas on Marriage and His Critique of the Period in “Roxana”. 

 Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s “The Bolt” (circa 1777), from “The Libertine.”

Published in 1724, Roxana briefly criticizes Daniel Defoe's views on marriage and the norms imposed on women of his time. Roxana is a story told by a woman with the awareness and ambition that most women in the 18th century did not have. One of the meanings of the name Roxana is a prostitute. Roxana is a woman who has relations with men before marriage, which was not welcome at that time due to the marital responsibilities given to women. Another name given to the novel is 'The Fortunate Mistress'. Roxana is fortunate because she has done what no other woman has and decided to become a masculine woman: treat men as they treat women. 

Frontispiece to Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress by Daniel Defoe, edition published in 1765.

Marriage was frequently viewed as a means of securing financial stability and social status in 18th-century England. Women were expected to marry and be subordinate to their husbands, with little room for personal development or independence. In some ways, marrying was the best option for women because they needed a male to have a stable existence. Any woman of low social standing had to become a prostitute or work as a maid if she could. Through the character of Roxana, who opposed the typical marital path and instead attempted to preserve her autonomy, Defoe highlighted and criticized these societal expectations imposed on women. 

Roxana's lover, the Dutch merchant, expresses his love for her and suggests that they take their relationship to the next level and marry. Despite their intimate relationship, Roxana refuses to marry him for fear of losing her newfound independence and control over her life. She argues that their relationship may continue without the confines of marriage, allowing her to retain her independence and control over her life. Roxana is fully aware of the damage that marriage has done to her as a woman in society, and she has lost faith and trust in marriage due to her previous experiences as a married woman. "...but that as to marrying, which was giving up my liberty, it was what once he knew I had done, and he had seen how it had hurried me up and down in the world…" (Defoe 173). The only thing she cares about is maintaining her financial power and survival. However, Roxana is unwilling to take the risk because, at the time, once a woman marries, all of her wealth is combined with her husband's holdings. Although the Dutch merchant claims that he will not touch Roxana's possessions, "...I have an offer to make to you that shall take off all the objection, viz., that I will not touch one pistol of your estate more than shall be with your voluntary consent, neither now or at any other time, but you shall settle it as you please for your life, and upon who you please after your death…" (Defoe 174), this is untrustworthy because she has no say in the matter. Roxana's choice demonstrates that Defoe criticizes marriage as an institution that subjugates women and limits their freedom. 

Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Stolen Kiss, late 1780s.

Roxana expresses her feelings about men and women's relationships when she says, "...it was true I had let him come to bed to me, which was supposed to be the greatest favor a woman could grant..." (Defoe 173). The belief that a woman's body is the greatest offering a woman can give a man was widespread in marriage, not only at the time but, unfortunately, also now. Roxana's life as a prostitute represents the materialization of women in marriage, in which women are viewed as objects to be bought and sold. Furthermore, it does not make sense for the Dutch merchant to pretend that he is not thinking of these ideas and to state that if Roxana accepts to marry, she will be free in their marriage and that he will not touch her fortune. Although he attempts to pose as a man with good intentions, he is a manipulator since Roxana understands that, while she has the right to be an individual in a marriage, everything still depends on the man's desires and wishes. 

In conclusion, Roxana is a satire of the societal conventions and expectations imposed on women in the 18th century. Roxana is a lady who exploits her sexuality and glamour to gain financial independence and security while keeping her independence and freedom. By refusing to be faithful to her husband or any other man, she challenges the notion that a woman must be devoted and submissive to a man to be respected, and she criticizes society's double standards. Daniel Defoe questions traditional expectations of women and portrays the frequently restrictive nature of marriage through the character of Roxana and her connections with other men, especially the Dutch merchant.

Works Cited

Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress, Penguin Books Ltd, 1982, pp. 173–174.