The Midwife Character Analysis in Moll Flanders

The midwife is Moll’s friend. The midwife is a pickpocket early in life, but after she is arrested and transported to Ireland, she becomes a midwife and procuress—meaning she is prostitute who also delivers babies and provides other, usually illegal, services. The midwife ignores her sentence and returns to England early, where, thinking pickpocketing too risky, she continues her work as a midwife. After Moll becomes pregnant with James’s baby, she is introduced to the midwife, and the midwife cares for Moll at her London brothel throughout the rest of Moll’s pregnancy. The midwife arranges for a woman to take Moll’s baby for a yearly sum, and Moll goes off to marry the banker, but she comes back after the banker dies. Moll boards with the midwife and they become friends. The midwife introduces Moll to her “Comrades”—the midwife’s criminal associates—and sets her up to learn the pickpocketing trade. Moll and the midwife live together for years, and the midwife encourages Moll’s life of crime. The midwife has for years made her living off facilitating jobs for her Comrades and acting as a pawn broker, and Moll is a cash cow. Moll grows into a successful thief, and once the midwife is set for life, she suggests Moll retire. Moll won’t hear of retiring, however, and she starts stealing more and more. Moll is finally arrested and sent to Newgate Prison, where she is found guilty and sentenced to hang, and the midwife is devastated. She has watched many of her Comrades hang, but Moll is her friend, and she can’t bear to see her die. When Moll’s life is spared, the midwife is overjoyed and begins to reflect on her own wicked past. She grows sincerely remorseful—at times more than Moll—and abandons her criminal life. The midwife represents sin and repentance within the novel. She lives a life of sin and vice, sees the error of her ways, and repents. While Moll’s remorse may be doubtful at the novel’s end, the midwife is depicted as genuinely penitent.

The Midwife Character Timeline in Moll Flanders

The timeline below shows where the character The Midwife appears in Moll Flanders. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

In short time, the lady of the house where Moll boards sends a midwife to see her. The woman seems to be an experienced midwife, and she has a... (full context)

The midwife tells Moll that she has an agreement with the local Parish to handle such cases,... (full context)

Moll soon moves to the midwife’s house, where Moll is pleased to find the house clean and quite luxurious. The midwife... (full context)

During Moll’s time with the midwife, Moll is comfortable and well cared for. It is obvious to Moll that the midwife... (full context)

...isn’t sure what to do with the child. In search of advice, Moll tells the midwife all about her predicament—her marriage to James, his inability to go to London, and his... (full context)

However, the thought of giving up her child deeply pains Moll. The midwife reassures Moll and tells her that the children she places are cared for just as... (full context)

...too expensive to simply sell on the street, so she decides to go see the midwife for advice. (full context)

Luckily for Moll, the midwife happily receives her and reveals that she also works as a pawn broker, so she... (full context)

The midwife sets Moll up with a “Comrade” and experienced thief, who teaches Moll to shoplift and... (full context)

...distress. Part of the neighborhood in which she lives is engulfed in flames, and the midwife tells Moll that the commotion of the fire is the perfect opportunity to rob the... (full context)

...which is incredibly risky. As such, Moll sticks mostly to pickpocketing and lives with the midwife, who encourages Moll to keep stealing and introduces her to new comrades, including a couple.... (full context)

...Moll, having so narrowly escaped joining them, again grows hesitant to continueas a thief. The midwife tries to talk Moll out of quitting and tells her about a nearby house where... (full context)

...eight or nine pounds when no one is looking. Moll divides her profits with the midwife and goes back to work. She decides to lift a gold watch off a woman... (full context)

...decides it is best not to steal anymore for a while. In the meantime, the midwife tells Moll a bit of her own story. The midwife was born a pickpocket, but... (full context)

Moll marvels at the midwife’s history. Moll herself has been a thief for over five years and Newgate doesn’t even... (full context)

...runs down the street with the police in hot pursuit. Moll runs back to the midwife’s house and slips inside, a group of concerned citizens chasing her. When the citizens bang... (full context)

Soon after, a constable knocks on the midwife’s door, and she allows him inside. He looks the house up and down for the... (full context)

After the excitement with the constable, Moll refuses to let the midwife dress her up as man again. The male comrade is arrested and agrees to inform... (full context)

...to receive word that his voyage has been delayed. Moll returns to London, where the midwife promises not to make her dress up as a man anymore. Plus, the midwife points... (full context)

...she thinks he probably has a nice wife and family. Moll goes home to the midwife and tells her the story. The midwife is very pleased to hear the story and... (full context)

The midwife goes to a friend and asks about the drunk man, and the next day, the... (full context)

Ten days later, the midwife goes to visit the drunk man. Even though she is a stranger, the midwife says... (full context)

The drunk man tells the midwife it is very unfortunate that a stranger should know all about the worst day of... (full context)

The drunk man looks immediately relieved and again tells the midwife that he doesn’t care about his money. Perhaps the woman is poor, he says, and... (full context)

The drunk man tells the midwife that he very much wants to the see the woman, as he would like his... (full context)

Moll has serious reservations about seeing the drunk man again, but the midwife goes to see him often. Each time she sees him, he is exceedingly kind and... (full context)

...another man since her husband died some eight years ago. Yes, the man says, the midwife has already told him that Moll is a widow. Finally, the man tells Moll that... (full context)

The midwife suspected the visit would come to this, as did Moll, so they had readied a... (full context)

Moll takes the package home to the midwife, and they find it full of fine clothing worth quite a bit of money. Given... (full context)

Moll goes home and tells the midwife all about her eventful morning, and the midwife laughs heartily. She asks Moll if she... (full context)

...goes inside, Moll walks off with the horse. She takes the horse home to the midwife, who is very confused. She doesn’t know what to do with a horse or how... (full context)

Moll returns home and shares her winnings with the midwife, who is indeed happy to have them. She commends Moll on her ability to secure... (full context)

...and after a few days, she moves on. She returns to London and tells the midwife all about her travels. Moll claims her story is most useful to honest people, as... (full context)

...women give her a hard time and try to take advantage of her. Soon, the midwife comes to visit Moll and offers her much comfort, but she can’t help Moll any... (full context)

The midwife tries to bribe the jury, but she is unsuccessful, and they indeed will try Moll... (full context)

...she broke nothing and took nothing. The Justice says nothing, and Moll’s sentence stands. The midwife is inconsolable. She vacillates between anger and mourning, and she appears to be “as any... (full context)

The midwife sends a minister to see Moll, and he begs Moll to repent and see the... (full context)

Meanwhile, the midwife tries to get Moll’s case pardoned, but the cost is way more than they can... (full context)

Two days later, the midwife delivers Moll’s goods to the ship at port. She brings a trunk full of things... (full context)

...James won’t be able to meet up with her at all, so she tells the midwife all about their relationship—except that they were married—and she tells her about their plans to... (full context)

...few shillings—but she doesn’t tell him about the £300 bank she left safe with the midwife in London. Their main problem at present is that their stock is all in money,... (full context)

Before the ship sails, however, the midwife finds occasion to befriend the captain and inquires what kind of equipment one would need... (full context)

...success. They build a large house and buy more servants, and then Moll writes the midwife and asks her to take Moll’s remaining bank in England—£250 or so—and spend it on... (full context)