Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) was an English writer and journalist, best known for his novel “Robinson Crusoe”. He was born Daniel Foe on September 13, 1660, in London, England.
Defoe’s father was a prosperous tallow chandler, but Defoe chose to pursue a career in business and politics. He became a successful merchant, but his business ventures eventually failed, and he turned to writing to support himself.
Defoe’s first significant work was “An Essay Upon Projects,” published in 1697, in which he proposed various social and economic reforms. He also wrote political pamphlets and journalistic articles, including “The Review,” a periodical that he published from 1704 to 1713.
In 1719, Defoe published his most famous work, “Robinson Crusoe,” which tells the story of a man who is shipwrecked on a deserted island and must learn to survive on his own. The novel was an immediate success and has since become a classic of English literature. Defoe went on to write several other novels, including “Moll Flanders” (1722) and “Roxana” (1724), which are also considered to be masterpieces of English literature.
Defoe’s writing is characterized by its realism and its exploration of themes such as individualism, self-reliance, and the struggle for survival. His work is also notable for its social commentary and its use of a first-person narrative style.
Defoe died on April 24, 1731, in London, England, at the age of 70. Despite his success as a writer, he faced financial difficulties throughout his life and was often in debt. Nevertheless, his work has had a lasting impact on English literature and continues to be read and studied by readers around the world.
