Daniel Defoe - English writer publicist, journalist and pamphleteer, best known for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Born in 1660 in London, Cripplegate. The writer's father was a merchant and Presbyterian named James Fo. Daniel also bore the surname Fo at birth, but later took the pseudonym Defoe. Initially, he was preparing for a career as a pastor, but then refused and entered Newington Academy, where he studied classical literature and foreign languages.

By nature, Defoe was an adventurer and adventurer. He often traveled to Western Europe on trade matters, participated in political campaigns, although he did not have an official position, and was also an entrepreneur. According to some reports, he was once captured by Algerian pirates, but was soon released. In 1684, Defoe married a girl with a rich dowry named Mary Tuffley. She bore him eight children. Her dowry gave the possibility of a comfortable existence. However, in 1692 they were ruined due to Defoe's negligence. He subscribed to naval insurance obligations, from which he never recovered.

The first poem of the writer appeared in 1701 - "Pure-blooded Englishman". It ridiculed prejudices about racial superiority and provoked controversy in society. Soon he wrote a caustic essay "How to shorten the non-believers", which caused a storm of indignation from the high church. In 1703, he was accused of political transgressions and was forced to stand at the pillory, as well as pay a fine. Then he made a revealing speech, for which he was sent to prison. Soon, thanks to the Speaker of the House of Commons, he was released. Defoe became interested in prose in 1719. It was during this period that the book "The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" was published. And it was followed by "Notes of a Cavalier", "Fortune and Misfortune of Moll Flanders", "Captain Singleton", "Marine Trade Atlas" and other famous works. Daniel Defoe died on April 24, 1731 in London.

Daniel Defoe has been called the first British writer to popularize the genre of the novel. A brilliant publicist and prolific writer, he presented readers with half a thousand books, articles, pamphlets, in which he touched on a wide range of topics. Defoe wrote about politics, religion, economics, psychology, and the supernatural.

He became the founder of economic journalism and propagandist of bourgeois sanity. He fought for freedom of speech and religious self-determination. But the main thing is that Daniel Defoe gave mankind a fascinating novel about, based on which dozens of novels and stories were written, films and TV shows were made.

Childhood and youth

The exact date of Defoe's birth is unknown. The future novelist appeared in the London area of ​​​​Cripplegate around 1660 in the family of a wealthy meat merchant and the owner of a candle factory. The parents of Daniel Fo - this is the real name of the writer - were adherents of Presbyterianism, a Protestant direction based on the teachings of John Calvin.

Parents saw their son in the future as a Presbyterian pastor, so at the age of 14 they were assigned to a theological seminary. After graduating from it, Fo entered the Protestant Academy in Stoke Newington. The young man excelled in classical literature, knew Latin and Greek excellently, but he was not going to become a pastor: Daniel was attracted by commerce and trading.

After graduating from the academy, Daniel Defoe, on the advice of his father, got a job in the office of a hosiery company that traded with foreign suppliers. 19-year-old Daniel mastered the basics of accounting in the office and at the same time worked as a clerk in a stocking shop.

In the mid-1680s, Defoe considered that he had learned everything, and went into business: he opened a hosiery company in Cornhill, which worked successfully for 10 years. Then the businessman mastered new directions: he traded in wine, tobacco products and building materials.

Expanding his business, he traveled to France, visited Portugal and Spain. On long business trips, Daniel Defoe got acquainted with the life of Europe, studied the customs and languages ​​of the population.

Contemporaries described the Briton as a risky businessman who embarked on dubious ventures and repeatedly found himself on the verge of ruin. But each time, Defoe found solutions to help return the money.

In addition to business, the British were interested in political and religious affairs. In the mid-1680s, the future novelist participated in the uprising of the Duke of Monmouth, who opposed the policies of the last British Catholic king, James VII. The authorities put down the rebellion and executed Monmouth. Daniel Defoe hid from his pursuers and miraculously escaped punishment.

Literature

the beginning creative biography An English prose writer is called 1697, when Daniel Defoe wrote the first work, called "Experience on Projects".

The name of the Briton thundered in his homeland 2 years later, after the publication of a satirical pamphlet in verse "Pure-blooded Englishman", in which he ridiculed xenophobia. The reason for writing the pamphlet was the attacks on foreigners in general and King William of Orange in particular. Defoe fiercely defended the reforms of the liberals and the revolution, he had an army of admirers and enemies.

The writer invented a noble origin, a family coat of arms with three griffins and lilies, as well as Norman roots, adding the “de” particle to the common surname. Soon "Mr. De Foe" merged into one word.

In 1702, the author composed a new pamphlet called " The simplest way deal with dissenters. At first, the parliamentarians, whom the author advised to crack down on the Protestants by linking to galleys and hanging on poles, were delighted, but soon realized the catch: the author mocked them.

Researchers of Defoe's work called the work the literary event of the century. The text made so much noise that the pamphleteer was put on the wanted list. Six months later, he was arrested, fined and sentenced to pillory.

Medieval punishment was painful: street onlookers and lackeys had the right to mock the convict. But Daniel Defoe, unexpectedly for the authorities, was showered with flowers, and the pamphlet “Hymn to the Pillory” written by him in the dungeons was sung by the crowd in the squares and streets.

The debt-ridden writer was offered a covert job for the British government. "Agent of influence" undertook to show the work of power in a favorable light. And Defoe was also made a secret agent in Scotland, forcing him to spy and inform the British government about the activities of the opposition and to influence the mindset of the Scots through publications.

After the publicist agreed to the conditions put forward, a fine was paid for him from the royal treasury, and the Defoe family, which was on the verge of starvation, was given money. The pages of the Observer, a newspaper sponsored by the British authorities, became the place where the articles of the popular satirist appeared.

It is unlikely that contemporaries would have known about the existence of the publicist Daniel Defoe if the writer had not presented them with a masterpiece, which adults and children adore even today. The novel about a sailor from York, who was shipwrecked on a deserted island, was first published in 1719.

The 59-year-old author came up with the idea of ​​a work about Robinson Crusoe after reading a story about a Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who lived on a desert island washed by the waves of the Pacific Ocean for 4 years. The lost sailor was discovered by the ship's captain, Woods Rogers. He wrote the book that caught the eye of Defoe.

Then came a sketch of Selkirk's adventures, sparking even more interest in the character. Daniel Defoe played the story of a hermit, supplemented it with fictitious details and turned it into a fascinating novel that captivated millions of readers on the planet. His hero Robinson Crusoe lived on the island for 28 years.

The success of the book was overwhelming, and the author wrote a sequel. It turned out to be less exciting than the first, but also attracted the attention of millions of readers. The writer "settled" the hero in Great Tataria - a fictional country, which refers to Russia, Mongolia and Tatarstan.

The second book-sequel was followed by the third - like the second, not comparable in reader success to the first novel.

When asked whether the British novelist has been to Russia (in the second book about the adventures of Crusoe, he describes Siberia, Arkhangelsk), the researchers claim that he has not been. The writer knew about the Russian tsars by hearsay. In Russia, Defoe's admirers appeared 100 years after the publication of the novel: only in the second half of the 19th century was a mass reader born in the country.

Peru of the writer and publicist, often signed by Charles Johnson, owns 500 works. In the mid-1720s he published a book, General history piracy." In the same years, four novels appeared, including The Joys and Sorrows of Mole Flanders and The Diary of a Plague Year. At the same time, Daniel Defoe also wrote works on trade.

In 1726, the admirers of the novelist were delighted with a new book - the novel Travels in England and Scotland. Historical and adventure themes predominated in the British novels.

Personal life

The writer married in 1684. He married his compatriot Mary Tuffley, a girl with a rich dowry. After 8 years, almost 4 thousand pounds sterling, Mary, as well as the savings of the merchant, were swallowed up by bankruptcy.

The wife bore her husband eight children. The life of the family was overshadowed by the persecution of the authorities and creditors. Defoe lived in the criminal quarter of Mint, where London criminals lived, then in Bristol. Daniel Defoe left the house only on Sundays - these days it was forbidden to arrest debtors.

Death

The world famous novelist was dying alone. The publisher deceived by him pursued Defoe and turned the last year of his life into hell. Hiding from his pursuer, Daniel Defoe left his family, moved from city to city, and when the publisher caught up with him and tried to pierce him with a sword, the 70-year-old writer disarmed the enemy.

Mad with fear and constant threats, Defoe hid under false names, renting apartments and rooms. In 1731, the writer rented a dwelling in a remote area of ​​London, where he died at the end of April. There was no wife or eight offspring nearby. The sons went away on business, the daughters got married and started families. There was no one to look for his father in the slums of London.

The cause of the novelist's death is said to be a fit of lethargy. The owner of the apartment took care of organizing the funeral, and then, in order to reimburse the expenses, she took the remaining belongings of the deceased tenant to the auction. Newspapers responded to the death of the novelist with short obituaries, many ironic, calling Defoe "the greatest citizen of the Republic of Grub Street" - a famous street in London where writers of low rank gathered.

A white slab appeared on the grave of the writer and publicist, soon overgrown with grass. But a century later, in 1870, a British tabloid asked the boys and girls of the country to donate money for a monument to Daniel Defoe - a century-old slab was shattered by a lightning strike. Thousands of fans responded. A granite monument appeared on the grave with the words carved: “In memory of the author of Robinson Crusoe.”

Bibliography

• 1719 - "Robinson Crusoe"
• 1719 - "The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe"
• 1720 - "King of Pirates"
• 1720 - "The Life and Pirate Adventures of the Glorious Captain Singleton"
• 1720 - "Memoirs of a gentleman
• 1722 - "Diary of the Plague Year"
• 1722 - "The joys and sorrows of the famous Moll Flanders"
• 1722 - "The Story of Colonel Jack"
• 1724 - "The Happy Courtesan, or Roxanne"
• 1724 - "A General History of Piracy"
• 1726 - "The Story of the Devil"

Daniel Defoe - English writer, publicist, journalist, founder of economic journalism, popularizer of the novel genre in the UK, author of the novel about Robinson Crusoe - was born around 1660 near the English capital, in Cripplegate. His father, a meat merchant, groomed him for a career as a Presbyterian pastor and sent him to the seminary, Morton Academy in Stoke Newington, where his son studied classical literature as well as Latin and Greek. However, Defoe Jr. was attracted by a completely different path - commercial activity, trade.

After graduating from the academy, he went to work for a hosiery merchant as a clerk, and repeatedly made business trips to Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Subsequently, he acquired his own hosiery production, in his entrepreneurial biography was the management and ownership of a large factory that produced bricks and tiles. In this sense, Defoe was a man of his time: then there were many such merchant-adventurers, and he was among those whose commercial activities eventually ended in bankruptcy.

However, entrepreneurship was far from Daniel Defoe's only interest; he lived a bright and eventful life. As a young man, he took an active part in political life, was one of the rebels against King James II Stuart, then hid in different cities to avoid imprisonment.

Activities in the field of literature began with pamphlets and satirical poems, as well as prose treatises on issues entrepreneurial activity. In 1701, Defoe wrote a pamphlet called "The Thoroughbred Englishman" that ridiculed the aristocracy. He gained incredible popularity: he was sold on the street, and all 80 thousand copies were immediately sold out. For the pamphlet, the authorities sentenced him to a pillory, a huge fine and put him in prison until the execution of the punishment. When Defoe stood at the pillory, the people of London came to support him, but considerable damage was done to his business reputation, and while he was in prison, his business enterprise - a factory that produced tiles - essentially collapsed.

The prison sentence could have been very long, and the prospects were unclear, if Daniel Defoe had not been rescued by Robert Harley, Speaker of the House of Commons, Minister. After that, Defoe worked for him as a secret agent, collecting various information of interest to the patron in England and Scotland. Harley in 1704 placed him in the civil service - in the well-known periodical "Review", where he was charged with writing and editing articles. The publication lasted until 1713, and Defoe's comments during his work in the Review became the most famous of his writings of a political nature.

Working tirelessly in the field of journalism, Daniel Defoe writes and literary works. In 1719, the book "The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" was published - a work that entered the treasury of world literature and brought the author a stunning success. On his wave, Defoe wrote in the same year "The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe", and a year later - another story-continuation, but the glory of "Life and Adventures ..." turned out to be out of reach. It is with this work, glorifying the strength of the human spirit, his indestructible will to live, that the name of Daniel Defoe is associated primarily, although his creative heritage was very rich and diverse in subject matter, genre, and scale.

He wrote more than half a thousand works, including the novels The Joys and Sorrows of Mole Flanders (1722), The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana (1724), The Life, Adventures, and Pirate Explosions of the Illustrious Captain Singleton (1720) and The History Colonel Jack" (1722), the works "The Perfect English Merchant", "Marine Trade Atlas", "General History of Piracy", "Journey through the Island of Great Britain". Daniel Defoe died in April 1731 in London.

Biography

Born in the family of a Presbyterian meat merchant, he was preparing to become a pastor, but he was forced to give up his church career. After graduating from Newington Academy, where he studied Greek and Latin and classical literature, he became a clerk at a wholesale hosiery merchant. On trade matters he often visited Spain and France, where he got acquainted with the life of Europe and improved in languages.

Subsequently, he himself was at one time the owner of a hosiery production and then first the manager, and then the owner of a large brick and tile factory, but went bankrupt. In general, Defoe was an entrepreneurial businessman with an adventurous streak - a type common in that era. He was also one of the most active politicians of his time. A talented publicist, pamphleteer and publisher, he, without officially holding any public office, at one time had a great influence on the king and government.

Publicism

Defoe's literary activity began with political pamphlets (anonymous) and newspaper articles. He showed himself as a talented satirist-publicist. He wrote on various political topics. In one of his works - "Project Experience" - he proposes to improve communication lines, open banks, savings banks for the poor and insurance companies. The significance of his projects was enormous, considering that at that time almost nothing he proposed existed. The functions of banks were performed by usurers and jewelers-changers. The Bank of England, one of the centers of world financial capital at the present time, had just opened at that time.

Defoe gained especially wide popularity since the appearance of his pamphlet The True Englishman. Eighty thousand copies were sold semi-legally on the streets of London within a few days. The appearance of this pamphlet was due to the attacks of the aristocracy against King William III, who defended the interests of the bourgeoisie. The aristocrats attacked the king in particular because he was not an Englishman, but a foreigner who even spoke English poorly. Defoe spoke in his defense and, not so much defending the king as attacking the aristocracy, argued that the ancient aristocratic families originate from the Norman pirates, and the new ones from French lackeys, hairdressers and tutors who flooded into England during the restoration of the Stuarts. After the publication of this pamphlet, Daniel Defoe became close friends with the king and rendered enormous services to the English bourgeoisie in obtaining trade privileges and securing them by acts of parliament. A true son of his turbulent age, Defoe experienced the vicissitudes of fate more than once: he embarked on risky adventures, went bankrupt, grew rich, went bankrupt again and again made capital. He tried the professions of a merchant, a sailor, a journalist, a spy, a politician, and at the age of 59 he became a writer.

The bourgeoisie waged a struggle against the aristocracy on all fronts, in particular in the field of religion. And Defoe came out with a caustic pamphlet called " The shortest way to deal with dissidents". Aristocrats and fanatics from the clergy took this satire seriously, and the advice to crack down on dissidents with the gallows was considered a revelation equal to the Bible. But when it turned out that Defoe had brought the arguments of the supporters of the ruling church to the point of absurdity and thus completely discredited them, the church and the aristocracy considered themselves scandalized, achieved Defoe's arrest and trial, by which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, a fine and three times pillory.

This medieval method of punishment was especially painful, as it gave the right to street onlookers and voluntary lackeys of the clergy and aristocracy to mock the convict. But the bourgeoisie turned out to be so strong that they managed to turn this punishment into a triumph for their ideologist: Defoe was showered with flowers. By the day of standing at the pillory, Defoe, who was in prison, managed to print the “Hymn to the pillory”. In it, he smashes the aristocracy and explains why he was put to shame. This pamphlet was sung by the crowd in the streets and in the square, while the sentence on Defoe was carried out.

"Robinson Crusoe"

First edition

TO artistic creativity Defoe arrived late. In the fifty-eighth year of his life, he wrote his "Robinson Crusoe". Despite this, literary heritage left by him is huge. Together with journalism, there are over 250 works by Defoe. At present, his numerous works are known only to a narrow circle of specialists, but Robinson Crusoe, read both in major European centers and in the most remote corners of the globe, continues to be reprinted in a huge number of copies. Occasionally, Captain Singleton is also reprinted in England.

"Robinson Crusoe" - the brightest example the so - called adventurous maritime genre , the first manifestations of which can be found in English literature of the 16th century . The development of this genre, reaching its maturity in the 18th century, is due to the development of English merchant capitalism.

Some "Journeys" were written in the form of a diary, others - in the form of a report or memorandum, others had a narrative form, but did not differ in consistency of presentation. The "diary" was interrupted by the narration, the diary was included in the narrations, depending on the requirements for the accuracy of the transmission. If special accuracy was required in conveying a conversation with some person, the conversation was recorded in the form of a dramatic dialogue; if an exact transmission of the sequence of a series of events was required, they were recorded in the form of a diary, subdivided into hours and minutes; if it was required to describe something in less detail, they resorted to narration.

But always in such works the maximum accuracy dominated. However, the documentary genre of travel even before the advent of "Robinson Crusoe" showed a tendency to move into the fiction genre. In Robinson Crusoe, this process of changing the genre through the accumulation of elements of fiction was completed. But Defoe uses the Journey style. His features, which had a certain practical significance, become a literary device in Robinson Crusoe: Defoe's language is also simple, precise, protocol. The specific techniques of artistic writing, the so-called poetic figures and tropes, are completely alien to him.

In Journeys one cannot find, for example, an "endless sea", but only an exact indication of longitude and latitude in degrees and minutes; the sun does not rise in some kind of “apricot haze”, but at 6:37; the wind does not "caress" the sails, not "light-winged", but blows from the northeast; they are not compared, for example, in whiteness and elasticity with the breasts of young women, but are described as in the textbooks of nautical schools. The reader's impression of the complete reality of Robinson's adventures is due to this manner of writing. Defoe also interrupts the narrative form with a dramatic dialogue (Crusoe's conversation with Friday and the sailor Atkins), Defoe introduces a diary and an account book entry into the fabric of the novel, where good is written in debit, evil is written in credit, and the remainder is nevertheless a solid asset.

In his descriptions, Defoe is always accurate to the smallest detail. We learn that it takes 42 days for Crusoe to make a board for a shelf, 154 days for a boat, the reader moves along with him step by step in his work and, as it were, overcomes difficulties and fails with him. Crusoe suffers many failures.

The bourgeois did not turn a blind eye to the fact that not everything goes smoothly in the world of wrestling. In the struggle with nature and people, he overcame obstacles, did not complain about failures, did not grumble. The world is good, but the world is unorganized, mismanagement is everywhere. Wherever Crusoe finds himself on the globe, everywhere he looks at his surroundings through the eyes of the owner, the organizer. In this work of his, with equal calmness and tenacity, he pitches the ship and douses the savages with hot brew, breeds barley and rice, drowns extra kittens and destroys cannibals that threaten his cause. All this is done in the order of normal daily work. Crusoe is not cruel, he is humane and fair in a world of purely bourgeois justice.

The first part of "Robinson Crusoe" sold out in several editions at once. Defoe bribed readers with the simplicity of descriptions of real travels and the richness of fiction. But "Robinson Crusoe" never enjoyed wide popularity among the aristocracy. The children of the aristocracy were not brought up on this book. On the other hand, Crusoe, with its idea of ​​the rebirth of man in labor, has always been a favorite book of the bourgeoisie, and entire educational systems are built on this Erziehungsroman. Even Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his "Emile" recommends "Robinson Crusoe" as the only work on which youth should be brought up.

Bourgeois writers eagerly imitated Robinson Crusoe. From the vast literature of "Robinsonade" one can note the "New Robinson" Campe (), in which the element of individualism is developed: Robinson found himself on the island without any supplies and tools and had to start everything with his bare hands. The “Swiss Robinson” of Wiss is pointed towards collectivism: Robinson found himself on an island with four sons, different in character and individual inclinations. In the first "Robinson" the problem of the development of productive forces is posed, in the second - the development public forms, of course, from the point of view of the bourgeoisie.

In the rest of the mass of alterations, Robinson's life on the island, viewed from different points of view, serves as the centerpiece. Robinsonade took on a different character from the so-called successors of Defoe. The most prominent are T. Smollett and F. Marryat. They sharply showed a bias towards maritime romance and the preaching of great-power British imperialism, due to the subsequent stage in the development of the English bourgeoisie, its strengthening in the colonies, the achievement of world power.

The influence of Defoe's novel on European literature is not exhausted by the “Robinsonade” generated by him. It is wider and deeper. Defoe, with his work, introduced the subsequently extremely popular motif of simplification, the loneliness of a person in the bosom of nature, the beneficialness of communication with her for his moral improvement. This motif was developed by Rousseau and varied many times by his followers (Bernardin de Saint-Pierre and others).

Much is due to "Robinson" and the technique of the Western European novel. The art of depicting characters in Defoe, his ingenuity, expressed in the use of new situations - all this was a great achievement. With his philosophical digressions, etc., skillfully intertwined with the main exposition, Defoe raised the significance of the novel among readers, turned it from a book for an amusing pastime into a source of important ideas, into an engine of spiritual development. This technique was widely used in the XVIII century.

It is characteristic that Defoe's contemporary - Swift - became known in Russia from the middle of the 18th century, and the works of Byron and W. Scott were read almost simultaneously in England and Russia. But on the other hand, since the appearance in Russia of not only an aristocratic reader, Robinson has not ceased to be translated and published in various volumes.

see also

Bibliography

• The True Relationship of the Apparition of one Mrs. Veal, ;
• Robinson Crusoe, ;
• Captain Singleton, ;
• Moll Flanders, ;
• Colonel Jack, ;
• Journal of the Plague Year, ;
• A Tour through Great Britain, - ;
• A New Voyage round the World, ;
• The Complete English Tradesman (apology for profit), - ;
• The Political History of the Devil, ;
• System of Magic, ;
• Essay on the Reality of Apparitions, . Ed. D.: Scott, ; Hazlitt, 1840; Bohn, - - ; Aitken, 16vv, ;
• G. H. Moynadier, 16 vv. ;
• Boston, Constable's sumptuous reprints, - ;
• "Abbey Classics" series. Translations and publications in Russia: Robinson Crusoe, in two parts, transl. from French, St. Petersburg,;
• Robinson Crusoe, in two vols. 200 drawings by Granville, engraved on stone and printed in two tones, new translation. from French, M.,;
• Robinson Crusoe, trans. P. Konchalovsky, M.,;
• transl. M. Shishmareva and Z. Zhuravskaya, St. Petersburg, ;
• transl. L. Murakhina, ed. Sytina, M., ed. 4th, and more. others
• The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Mall Flanders, transl. P. Konchalovsky, "Russian wealth", ЇЇ 1-4, ed. ed., M., with art. V. Lesevich, G. Gettner, Taine, P. S. Kogan, V. M. Friche;
• Universal history of literature, ed. Korsh and Kirpichnikov;
• Kamensky A. Daniel Defoe, his life and work, St. Petersburg, (in the biographical series of Pavlenkov);
• Zalshupin A., English. publicist of the 17th century, "Observer", , Ї 6;
• Lesevich V., Daniel Defoe as a person, writer and public figure, “Russian. wealth”, ЇЇ 5, 7, 8;
• His same, About "Mall Flanders" D. Defoe, "Russian. wealth”, , Ї 1;
• Alferov A. et al., “Ten readings in literature”, M., ed. 2nd, M., . Biographies of D. (English): Chambers, ; Lee, ; Morley H., ; Wright, ; Whitten, 1900.
• Lamb, Hazlitt, Forster, Leslie Stephen, Minto, Masefield, W. P. Trent (Cambridge History of English Literature). In French lang.: Dottin, 3 vv., . In German. lang.: Horten F., Studien über die Sprache Defoe’s, Bonn, ;
• Schmidt R., Der Volkswille als realer Faktor des Verfassungslebens und D. Defoe, ;
• Dibelius, Der englische Roman. In English. lang.: Secord A. W., Studies in the narrative method of Defoe, . Research in the field of text - Lannert G. L., . On the sources of "Robinson Crusoe": Nicholson W., ; Lucius L. Hubbard, ;
• Lloyd's Catalog of edition of Robinson Crusoe and other books by and ref. to Defoe, L., .

About him

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

The article briefly describes the biography of Daniel Defoe, a writer and journalist, the founder of the English novel. He became famous for his work about Robinson Crusoe.

Short biography of Daniel Defoe: first steps

Defoe was born in 1660 near London. The boy was sent to study at the theological seminary, which brought him knowledge classical literature and ancient languages. Further education took place at the Theological Academy. For some time Defoe even wrote poetry on religious themes. Defoe had the prospect of becoming a priest. But already from early childhood he was more interested in commercial activities.
After graduation, Defoe becomes one of the many merchants then operating in England. He opens his own production, makes numerous business trips to the countries - trading partners of England. Defoe was fluent in many European languages. Defoe's sea voyages lead to him being briefly captured by pirates one day. Defoe's adventurous activity repeats the fate of many commercial enterprises of that time. In the end, he goes bankrupt as a result of a careless transaction.
Defoe distinguished himself in another field. Active political activity leads him to the camp of those who rebelled against James II. He has been on the run for a long time.
The future writer was also prosecuted for his first attempts at literary activity. His pamphlets and satirical poems were sharply directed against existing social vices. He ridiculed Defoe and the noble aristocracy. Ultimately, it was his activity as a writer denouncing society that undermined his business reputation and caused bankruptcy. Defoe was imprisoned, from which he was saved by the future patron - Minister R. Harley, who saw in the prisoner the presence of great talent.

Defoe's biography: journalistic activity

Defoe was arranged for public service as editor and writer of political articles for The Review. Defoe's work in this area was very productive and brought him wide fame. He is considered the founder of political, economic and crime journalism. The newspapers of his time were engaged in dry reporting of facts. Defoe writes interesting articles that people want to read. He publishes interviews in the newspaper with a wide variety of people, including convicted criminals.
Dafoe is engaged literary activity. Noteworthy is his work "The General History of Pirates", which contains absolutely reliable information.
Robinson Crusoe
Working as a journalist, Defoe writes a novel that made his name world famous. "Robinson Crusoe" became the embodiment of the then dominant idea of ​​the omnipotence of man and the complete subordination of the natural elements to him. The novel was based on a real incident with A. Selkir, who was landed on an uninhabited skeleton and spent a long time on it. The fruitful activity of a person who finds himself on a desert island is full of unrealistic events and is subject to many accidents. But Defoe's merit lies in the fact that he showed the existence of limitless possibilities of the human mind. Even in the most difficult conditions, when it would seem that there is no way to avoid inevitable death, his hero finds the strength to continue the struggle for survival.
The fantastic nature of the novel did not in the least affect its artistic value. Moreover, a detailed description of all the actions of Robinson gave the novel greater truthfulness and was perceived by many people as truth. All researchers of Defoe's work note exceptional realism in the description of the most insignificant details, bordering on a documentary presentation.
Defoe, inspired by success, wrote two more parts of the further adventures of Robinson, but they practically did not enjoy any success and went unnoticed.
The writer created about 500 different works. However, they are known only to a narrow circle of specialists in his work. For history, Defoe remains, above all, the author of the adventures of Robinson Crusoe. This novel is read by children and adults around the world.
The writer died in 1731 in England.