Daniel Defoe
Even though Daniel Defoe, a restoration author, is usually remembered for "Robinson Crusoe", he wrote over five hundred different works throughout his life. Defoe, an English novelist, journalist, and pamphleteer, is considered to be the founder of the English novel. According to Liukkonen "he produced some 200 works of nonfiction prose in addition to close to 2,000 short essays in periodical publications, several of which he also edited" (Kirjasto)
Daniel Defoe was born the son of James, a butcher, and Alice Foe. His family were Dissenters, Protestants who didn't approve of the Church of England. Defoe study at Morton's Academy, because he was barred from study at Oxford or Cambridge. His father intended for him to go into the ministry, but Defoe decided against it and went into trade and politics. "He was typical of the new kind of man reaching prominence in England in the 18th cent.:
English: "Daniel Defoe," line engraving, by Michae...
Daniel-Defoe
Daniel Defoe, by James Charles Armytage (died 1902...self-reliant, industrious, possessing a strong notion of personal and moral responsibility" (Columbia).
By 1682, Defoe was well established in the trade industry, but was bankrupt by 1892 owing more than 17,000 pounds. He married Mary Tuffley, an heiress whose dowry was more than 3,700 pounds, in 1684 and had seven children, two sons and five daughters. Later that year, Defoe joined the army of the Monmouth Rebellion, which was trying to take the throne from James the 2nd. When the rebellion failed, Daniel was forced into exile. During his exile he traveled through France, Holland, Italy, and Spain as a merchant dealing in wine, tobacco, and general goods. He also wrote many anti-James the 2nd pamphlets during this time.
Defoe's first important publication was "An Essay upon Projects" (1698), but he didn't receive any fame until he wrote the poem "The True-born Englishman" (1701). His next important publication...