OTHER BODIES: ROXANA'S CONFESSION OF GUILT

Defoe's Roxana1 demonstrates the way characters in a novel cir? cumscribe their fictional world with subconscious psychological dimen? sions. The human figures in Roxana's history embody uncomfortable fantasies of self-realization that she wants to control through her pose as guilt-ridden confessor. Her manipulation of the subordinate characters makes them adhere closely to her most secret fantasies. When seen as reflections of what Roxana tries to conceal behind her narrative mask, these characters point to the inner psychological conflict that she refuses to articulate. Roxana vacillates between her learned awareness of moral norms and social rules, and her instinctive drive for economic survival and psychological fulfillment. In this respect she writes her memoirs in order to ascertain whether or not she deserves to be as guilty as she feels. When she tries to evaluate her past behavior as a courtesan, she becomes even more aware of her society's moral code, which says she must see this behavior as the just cause of her guilt. Yet her perception stubbornly remains egocentric. No matter what Roxana says when moralizing, she cannot conceal her selfish assumption that her survival is more impor? tant than anyone else's. Every person, every action, every desire exists solely to serve or, as she sometimes secretly hopes, to hinder her ego's de? mand for security and happiness at any moral cost. Because of her egocentric perception, Roxana seems capable of en? visioning in her narrative only vague, incomplete images of the other characters. She does not have a cameralike eye, nor does she want one. Rather than exhibiting distinctive personalities, Roxana's lovers blend together; their characteristics merely emphasize the external circum? stances that have forced her into a liaison. We have a surer hold on Amy and, to a lesser extent, on Susan, the Dutch Merchant, and the Quaker Friend, because they serve some selfish purpose of Roxana's in the nar? rative. Roxana herself calls these characters her "Assistants" (p. 239);