Daniel Defoe: why the famous writer was chained to the pillory. Defoe, Daniel - short biography

English writer Daniel Defoe was born in Stoke Newington (near London) most likely in September 1660. His father, James Faux (Daniel changed his surname from Faux to Defoe around 1703), was initially a candle maker and then a butcher.

Daniel's early passion for reading, caused by his insatiable curiosity, caused his mother to have serious fears for her son's future, but gave his father hope that the boy could eventually become a successful merchant or clergyman. His mother did not agree with this opinion, since Daniel was fond of reading books of predominantly historical content, descriptions of travel and fantastic adventures.

When Defoe was twelve years old, he was sent to school, where he stayed until he was sixteen. After graduating from school, the young man, at the insistence of his father, entered the office of a wealthy merchant, who promised to make Daniel a participant in his business in a few years. Daniel performed his duties conscientiously. However, not having the slightest inclination towards commercial activity, after three years he became interested in journalism and began publishing his articles on issues that worried society in one of the political magazines.

At the age of twenty, Daniel Defoe joined the army of the Duke of Monmouth, who rebelled against his uncle, Jacob Stuart, who pursued a pro-French policy during his reign. Jacob suppressed the uprising and dealt harshly with the rebels. Daniel Defoe had to hide from persecution.

Despite the fact that Daniel was born into a simple family, he managed to enter Stoke Newington Seminary. He then took up commerce and for this purpose visits Spain, France, Germany and Italy. In 1683, he opened his own haberdashery store and a year later married Mary Tuffley, who subsequently bore him seven children. Around the same time, he began to become interested in politics, took part in the Monmouth Rebellion and contributed to the accession of Guillaume of Orange to the throne.

With the advent of more favorable times, that is, with the accession of William of Orange to the throne, Defoe returned to literary activity. When the people began to grumble that a stranger had been placed on the throne, Daniel Defoe wrote a satirical poem “The True Englishmen,” in which he showed that the entire English nation consists of a mixture of different tribes, and therefore it is absurd to look with hostility at a king who is impeccable in all respects just because he was born not in England, but in Holland. This poem caused a lot of noise at court and in society. Wilhelm wished to see the author and gave him a rather significant monetary gift.

In 1702, Queen Anne ascended to the English throne, the last of the Stuarts to be influenced by the Conservative party. Defoe wrote his famous satirical pamphlet, The Surest Way to Get Rid of Dissenters. Protestant sectarians in England called themselves dissenters. In this pamphlet, the author advised parliament not to be shy with the innovators who were bothering it and to hang them all or send them to the galleys. At first the parliament didn’t understand true meaning satyrs were glad that Daniel Defoe directed his pen against the sectarians. Then someone figured out the real meaning of the satire. Parliament declared him a rebel and sentenced him to a fine, pillory and imprisonment. But the enthusiastic people strewed his path to the pillory with flowers and gave him an ovation. During his time in prison, Defoe wrote “Hymn to the Pillory” and managed to publish the magazine “Review”.

Two years later, Defoe was released from prison. On behalf of the minister, Harley went to Scotland on a diplomatic mission - to prepare the ground for the union of Scotland with England. Defoe turned out to be a talented diplomat and brilliantly completed the task assigned to him.

Upon his accession to the English throne of the House of Hanover, Daniel Defoe writes another poisonous article, for which Parliament awarded him a huge fine and imprisonment. This punishment forced him to leave political activity forever and devote himself exclusively to fiction.

After his release from prison, Daniel Defoe publishes Robinson Crusoe. This book was published in 1719. Defoe himself traveled only once: in his youth he sailed to Portugal, and the rest of the time he lived in his homeland. But the writer took the plot of the novel from life. Residents of England at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries could repeatedly hear stories from sailors about people who lived for more or less long periods of time on various uninhabited islands. But no story of this kind has attracted as much attention as the story of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who lived on a desert island all alone for four years and four months (1705-1709) until he was picked up by a passing ship. Selkirk's story served as the most important source for Robinson. This book has earned extraordinary popularity not only in England, but in all countries of the civilized world. The entire novel is imbued with educational ideas - the glorification of reason, optimism and the preaching of work.

Encouraged by the enormous success of Robinson, Daniel Defoe wrote many other works in the same spirit: “ Sea Robber", "Colonel Jack", "A Voyage Around the World", "The Political History of the Devil" and others. Defoe wrote more than two hundred books and pamphlets, which were popular with his contemporaries. But despite this, he, like other talents, lived and died in poverty in London. Early biographers of Defoe say that the tombstone placed on his grave in the 18th century had a modest but significant inscription: “Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe.” He died on April 24, 1731, at the age of 70.”

Regarding literary significance Defoe, then in this respect he can safely be considered the predecessor of Richardson and Fielding and the founder of that literary school, which reached its highest peak in England under Dickens and Thackeray.

In 1692, Defoe's entire commercial activity was on the verge of bankruptcy. He tries with all his might to save his trade, embarks on all sorts of intrigues for this purpose and, finally, he manages to get an audience with the king. In 1701 he published satirical poem"A real Englishman." This poem satirizes popular prejudices against a king who was born abroad. In 1792, he published a libel entitled “The easiest way to put an end to dissent,” in which he portrays himself as a dissident and demands that all dissent be suppressed at all costs. This work of his did not find much popularity. The death of Guillaume of Orange worsened Defoe's situation. He is sent to prison, where he is kept from May to November 1703, and then a punishment is determined for him - tied to the pillory.

Convinced that his shameful stay in prison does not bode well for him in the future, Daniel Defoe begins to shamelessly use journalism, accepting orders to write pamphlets. In 1704, after publishing a series of controversial pamphlets, he founded the newspaper Obzor. He either works as a spy in Scotland, being on the payroll of official London, which is making efforts to further unite England and Scotland, or participates in ambiguous affairs related to the accession of George I. For a number of his articles, charges of treason are brought against him, and the authorities again throw him into prison. In 1713, he renamed his newspaper: now it is called more sonorously - “Mercator”. In 1715, Defoe writes and publishes a book called The Family Tutor. This book is entirely based on Puritan morality and is accompanied by numerous more or less romanticized biographies of famous people.

Only at the age of 60 did Daniel Defoe discover real literary talent. His first novel immediately became famous and was called “Robinson Crusoe” (the full title of the novel sounds very long and outdated - “The Life, Extraordinary and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a sailor from York, who lived for 28 years all alone on a desert island off the coast of America near the mouth of the Orinoco River, where he was thrown out by a shipwreck, during which the entire crew of the ship except him died, with an account of his unexpected liberation by pirates, written by himself). The book was published in 1719 and was a huge success with the public - adventure books were very popular in those days. Robinson Crusoe was followed by Memoirs of a Cavalier, The Life and Pirate Adventures of the Glorious Captain Singleton, Moll Flanders, Diary of the Plague Year, The History of Colonel Jack, The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana.

But all these novels reveal the character of a writer who prefers easy victory to serious literary research. In fact, Daniel Defoe submits draft novels to his publisher, and he determines the number of pages based on how much he was paid under the contract. He never misses an opportunity to advertise himself. So, having written a biography of a person sentenced to death, he wants to give him a copy of this book on the very day when the death sentence is carried out. And he does it, handing the condemned a copy with his autograph in front of the amazed crowd who came to admire the execution. In addition to these novels, other books came from his pen: “Travels in Great Britain” (something like a guide for tourists), “The Political History of the Devil” (an essay on the occult) and “The Ideal English Merchant”.

As a man whose moral principles were very ambiguous, in his books Daniel Defoe represents the newfound power of the English bourgeoisie early XVIII century. He writes his works in a simple and realistic language, although they are all replete with obvious psychological miscalculations that are found in literally all of his novels. Today Daniel Defoe, like Henry Fielding, is considered one of the founders modern genre storytelling and journalism. Defoe writer Crusoe novel

The poem “Hymn to the Pillory,” written in prison, created Defoe’s popularity as a defender of religious tolerance and freedom of thought. The shameful execution suddenly turned into a triumph. Crowds of people greeted the condemned man and threw flowers at his feet. Defoe wrote unusually a lot and on a wide variety of topics. Simultaneously with the publication of the first political newspaper in England, “Review of French Affairs” (1704-1713), he published many works on history, pedagogy, statistics, economics, geography, philosophy, medicine, religion, etc. Of particular note is his “Impartial History the life and deeds of Pyotr Alekseevich, the current Tsar of Muscovy,” a book reflecting the interest of the British in developing trade with the rich and powerful “Muscovy.” Until his last days, Defoe did not stop his literary activity. If we put together everything that he managed to write during his career long life, then his works would form a whole library of 250-300 volumes.

A cheerful attitude, faith in the limitless strengths and possibilities of man - distinctive feature his artistic works. Defoe's heroes are businesslike and energetic, in a moment of danger they do not lose their composure, and always find a way out of the most difficult and seemingly hopeless situation. The novels are written in simple, protocol-clear, even somewhat dry language. The story is told from the perspective of the title character - the merchant Robinson, the adventuress Moll Flanders, the pirate Singleton, the street thief "Colonel" Jack, etc. Each of them appears on the title page as the author of the notes. Therefore, Defoe's novels were perceived by contemporaries as truthful and instructive stories of experienced people about their amazing lives, and thanks to this they were sold in great demand.

Of all that Defoe wrote, he created one novel world fame and glorified him for centuries. The full title of this novel: “The Life and Extraordinary Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a sailor from York, who lived twenty-eight years all alone on a desert island off the coast of America, near the mouth of the great Orinoco River, where he was thrown by a shipwreck, during which the entire crew died , excluding him alone, with an account of his unexpected liberation by pirates, written by himself" (1719).

The enormous success of the novel prompted Defoe to release a sequel in the same 1719: “The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, constituting the second and last part of his life, and covering an account of his travels in the three parts of the world, written by himself.” In the second volume, Defoe forced his hero to travel around almost the whole world: to visit a second-time colonized island, to Madagascar, India, China and, finally, to make a difficult and dangerous journey through all of Siberia - from Beijing to Arkhangelsk - and return to his homeland already seventy-two years old. Particularly interesting are the chapters in the second volume, which describe Robinson’s adventures in Siberia, his life in Tobolsk and communication with political exiles. As for the third volume of the novel, published under the title “Serious Thoughts Changed by Robinson During His Life” (1720), it disappointed the expectations of readers, as it turned out to be a rather incoherent set of edifying discussions on religious and commercial topics. The first volume of Robinson remains the most popular forever. Defoe's Robinson Crusoe gave rise to countless translations, adaptations and imitations, the so-called Robinsonades. Robinsonades depict the vicissitudes of the working life of one person or a small group of people on a desert island.

The literature of the 18th century was filled with dozens of Robinsonades, written under the influence of Defoe's novel. Every country and even many provinces and cities have their own Robinsons. For example, the Robinsonades of France, Denmark, Holland, Greece, Ireland, Silesia, Berlin, Leipzig, etc. were known. In Germany alone, before 1760, there were about forty Robinsonades. The first one to notice educational value Defoe's books and, one might say, introduced it to children's literature, was the French educator Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In his pedagogical novel “Emile” (1762), he declared “Robinson Crusoe” a book worthy of compiling “the entire library” of a teenager for a long time. In the same year, 1762, when Rousseau’s “Emile” appeared, Defoe’s book was first published in Russian in a translation by Yakov Trusov, who took the French text of the novel as a basis. A comparison of the translation with the original showed that Trusov greatly shortened the novel and retold entire chapters in his own words, adapting the work for a less prepared audience, most likely for children. The book was reprinted several times and was a great success among young readers. A more complete translation of Robinson Crusoe was published in Russian in 1843 by A. Krasovsky. In the 30-40s of the 19th century, numerous adaptations and retellings of “Robinson” continued to appear - Russian and foreign authors who were subjected to sharp criticism from V.G. Belinsky. He rightly believed that this work was useful to children not only because of its rich educational material, but also as an example of the will and courage of the hero. However, all the best that is in Defoe's novel disappeared when the work was retold.

In 1862, “Robinson Crusoe” was published in a short retelling by L.N. Tolstoy, adapted for Yasnaya Polyana schoolchildren who had just begun to master literacy. This alteration is very arbitrary, and Tolstoy himself subsequently recognized it as unsuccessful. But the great writer’s attempt to use Defoe’s novel to promote his pedagogical and moral ideas deserves, of course, attention.

Daniel Defoe (birth name Daniel Faw) - English writer and publicist - born around 1660 in the Cripplegate area of ​​London, in the family of Presbyterian meat trader James Faw (1630-1712), he received ecclesiastical education and prepared to become a pastor, but abandoned a church career. He was engaged in commercial activities. In 1681 began to write poetry on religious themes.

Took part in the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion against James II Stuart and the Battle of Sedgemoor 6 July 1685, lost by the rebels.

After graduating from Newington Academy, where he studied Greek and Latin languages And classical literature, became a clerk at a wholesale hosiery merchant. On trade matters he often visited Spain, Portugal and France, where he became acquainted with the life of Europe and improved his 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 he went bankrupt. Defoe had the spirit of an entrepreneur-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 government position, at one time exercised great influence on the king and the government.

In 1697 wrote my first literary work"Experiences about projects." In 1701 wrote a satirical work “The True-Born Englishman”, ridiculing xenophobia. For the pamphlet “Shortest Way with the Dissenters” in 1703 was sentenced to pillory and imprisonment. While in prison, Defoe continued his literary activity, writing “Hymn to the Pillory.” That same year, he was released on the condition that he would carry out secret orders for the government, that is, he would become a spy.

At the age of 59, in 1719, Daniel Defoe published the first and best novel of his entire creative life - “The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a sailor from York, who lived twenty-eight years all alone on a desert island off the coast of America near the mouth of the Orinoco River, where he was thrown by a shipwreck, during which the entire crew of the ship except him died; with an account of his unexpected liberation by the pirates, written by himself." We know this work as “Robinson Crusoe”.

The idea of ​​the novel was suggested to the writer by a real incident: in 1704, a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, after a quarrel with the captain, landed on an unfamiliar shore with a small supply of provisions and weapons. For more than four years he led a hermit's life, as it turned out, on the island of Juan Fernandez in the Pacific Ocean, until he was taken onto a ship commanded by Woods Rogers.

Defoe conveys an educational concept of history through the novel. Thus, from barbarism (hunting and gathering) Robinson on the island moves to civilization (agriculture, cattle breeding, crafts, slaveholding).

In the continuation of the novel about Robinson Crusoe, Defoe described his adventures in Great Tartary and the states located on its lands - Chinese and Russian Empire, as well as the life and customs of the peoples inhabiting it - the Chinese, Tatars and Russian (Siberian) Cossacks.

Defoe wrote more than 500 books, pamphlets and magazines on various topics (politics, economics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, the supernatural, etc.). He was also the founder of economic journalism. In his journalism he promoted bourgeois sanity and defended religious tolerance and freedom of speech.

Works of Daniel Defoe:

"Robinson Crusoe" - 1719.
“The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” – 1719.
"The Life and Pirate Adventures of the Glorious Captain Singleton" - 1720.
“Memoirs of a Cavalier” (Memoirs of a Cavalier) – 1720 .
A Journal of the Plague Year – 1722 .
"The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Moll Flanders" - 1722 .
“The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana” (Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress) – 1724 .
"The King of Pirates"
"The Story of Colonel Jack"
"A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs. Veal The Next day after Her Death to One Mrs. Bargrave at Canterbury The 8th of September 1705) – 1706.
"The Consolidator or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon" (Consolidator, or memories of an incoming transaction from the light of the Moon) – 1705 .
“Atlantis Major” (Main Atlantis) – 1711 .
"A Tour Thro" The Whole Island of Great Britain, Divided into Circuits or Journies" - 1724–1727 .
"The Family Instructor" (Family of the Instructor).
« General history piracy" (The Pirate Gow) – 1724 .
"The Storm"
"A New Voyage round the World" trip around the world) – 1725.
“The Political History of the Devil” – 1726 .
"System of Magic" – 1726 .
"The History Of The Remarkable Life of John Sheppard" wonderful life John Sheppard) - 1724 .
"A Narrative Of All The Robberies, Escapes, &c. of John Sheppard" (The Narrative of All Robberies, Escapes) – 1724 .
"The Pirate Gow" - 1725 .
“A Friendly Epistle by way of reproof from one of the people called Quakers, to T. B., a dealer in many words” - 1715 .
"Conjugal Lewdness"
"Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe" - 1720 .
"The Complete English Tradesman"
"An Essay Upon Projects"
“An Essay Upon Literature” (Essay on Literature) – 1726.
"Mere Nature Delineated" - 1726.
"A Plan of English Commerce" - 1728 .
“Essay on the Reality of Apparitions” – 1727 .
"The True-Born Englishman" - 1701 .
“Hymn to the Pillory” – 1703 .
Moubray House (Mowbray House).

Biography

Born into the family of a Presbyterian meat merchant, he trained to become a pastor, but was forced to abandon 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 became acquainted with the life of Europe and improved his skills 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 he went bankrupt. In general, Defoe was an entrepreneur-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 government position, at one time exercised great influence on the king and the government.

Journalism

Defoe began his literary career with political pamphlets (anonymous) and newspaper articles. He proved himself to be a talented satirist and publicist. He wrote on various political topics. In one of his works - “Experience of Projects” - he proposes to improve communications, open banks, savings banks for the poor and insurance societies. The significance of his projects was enormous, considering that at that time almost nothing he proposed existed. The functions of banks were performed by moneylenders and jewelers-money 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 attacks by 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 did not even speak English well. Defoe spoke in his defense and, not so much defending the king as attacking the aristocracy, argued that the ancient aristocratic families trace their origins to the Norman pirates, and the new ones - from the French footmen, hairdressers and tutors who poured into England during the Stuart restoration. After the publication of this pamphlet, Daniel Defoe became close friends with the king and provided enormous services to the English bourgeoisie in obtaining trade privileges and securing them by acts of parliament. A true son of his turbulent century, Defoe more than once experienced the vicissitudes of fate: he embarked on risky adventures, went bankrupt, got rich, went bankrupt again and made capital again. He tried the professions of a merchant, sailor, journalist, spy, politician, and at the age of 59 he became a writer.

The bourgeoisie fought against the aristocracy on all fronts, in particular in the field of religion. And Defoe came out with a malicious pamphlet entitled “The shortest way to deal with dissidents.” Aristocrats and fanatical clergy took this satire seriously, and the advice to deal with dissidents by gallows was considered a revelation equal to the Bible. But when it became clear that Defoe had brought the arguments of the supporters of the ruling church to the point of absurdity and thereby 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, since it gave the right to street onlookers and voluntary lackeys of the clergy and aristocracy to mock the convicted person. But the bourgeoisie turned out to be so strong that it managed to turn this punishment into a triumph for its ideologist: Defoe was showered with flowers. On the day of standing in the pillory, Defoe, who was in prison, managed to print “Hymn to the Pillory.” In it, he trashes the aristocracy and explains why he was put to shame. The crowd sang this pamphlet in the streets and squares while Defoe's sentence was carried out.

"Robinson Crusoe"

First edition

TO artistic creativity Defoe turned late. In the fifty-eighth year of his life he wrote his Robinson Crusoe. Despite this, literary heritage what he left behind is enormous. Along with journalism, there are over 250 works by Defoe. Currently, 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 globe, continues to be reprinted in huge numbers of copies. Occasionally, Captain Singleton is also republished in England.

"Robinson Crusoe" is the brightest example of the so-called adventurous sea genre, the first manifestations of which can be found in English literature of the 16th century. The development of this genre, which reached its maturity in the 18th century, was determined by the development of English merchant capitalism.

Some “Travels” were written in the form of a diary, others in the form of a report or memo, others had a narrative form, but were not distinguished by consistency of presentation. The “diary” was interrupted by a narration; a diary was included in the narrations, depending on the requirements for accuracy of transmission. If special accuracy was required in conveying a conversation with a person, the conversation was recorded in the form of a dramatic dialogue; if an accurate transmission of the sequence of a series of events was required, they were recorded in the form of a diary, divided into hours and minutes; if it was necessary to describe something in less detail, they resorted to narration.

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

In “Travel” 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 “apricot fog”, but at 6:37 am; the wind does not “caress” the sails, it is not “light-winged”, but blows from the northeast; they are not compared, for example, in whiteness and firmness with the breasts of young women, but are described, as in textbooks of nautical schools. The reader's impression of the complete reality of Robinson's adventures is due to this style of writing. Defoe also interrupts the narrative form with a dramatic dialogue (Crusoe's conversation with Friday and the sailor Atkins), Defoe introduces into the fabric of the novel a diary and an office book entry, where good is recorded in debit, evil in credit, and the remainder is still a solid asset.

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

The bourgeois did not close his eyes to the fact that in the world of struggle not everything goes smoothly. In the struggle with nature and people, he overcame obstacles, did not complain or grumble about failures. The world is good, but the world is disorganized, there is mismanagement everywhere. No matter where on the globe Crusoe finds himself, everywhere he looks at his surroundings through the eyes of the owner, the organizer. In this work, with the same calmness and tenacity, he tars the ship and pours hot brew on the savages, breeds barley and rice, drowns extra kittens and destroys cannibals who threaten his cause. All this is done as part of normal daily work. Crusoe is not cruel, he is humane and fair in the world of purely bourgeois justice.

The first part of Robinson Crusoe was sold in several editions at once. Defoe captivated readers with the simplicity of his descriptions of real travel and the richness of his fiction. But Robinson Crusoe never enjoyed wide popularity among the aristocracy. The children of the aristocracy were not brought up on this book. But Crusoe, with its idea of ​​the rebirth of man through work, has always been a favorite book of the bourgeoisie, and entire educational systems are built on this Erziehungsroman. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in his “Emile,” also 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 “Robinsonades,” one can note Kampe’s “New Robinson” (), in which an element of individualism is developed: Robinson found himself on an island without any supplies or tools and had to start everything with his bare hands. “Swiss Robinson” by Wyss is focused on 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 of social forms, of course from the point of view of the bourgeoisie.

In the rest of the alterations, the center is Robinson's life on the island, viewed from different points of view. “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 of development of the English bourgeoisie, its strengthening in the colonies, and the achievement of world power.

The influence of Defoe's novel on European literature is not limited to the “Robinsonade” he generated. It is both wider and deeper. With his work, Defoe introduced the subsequently extremely popular motif of simplification, the loneliness of man in the lap of nature, the beneficial nature of communication with it for his moral improvement. This motif was developed by Rousseau and varied many times by his followers (Bernardin de Saint Pierre and others).

The technique of the Western European novel also owes a lot to Robinson. Defoe's art of depicting characters, his inventiveness expressed in the use of new situations - all this was a great achievement. With his philosophical and other digressions, skillfully intertwined with the main presentation, Defoe raised the importance of the novel among readers, turned it from a book for entertaining pastime into a source important ideas, into the engine of spiritual development. This technique was widely used in the 18th 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 since the appearance in Russia of not only the aristocratic reader, Robinson has not ceased to be translated and published in different volumes.

See also

Bibliography

  • The True Relation 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, 16 vv, ;
  • G. H. Moynadier, 16 vv. ;
  • Boston, Constable's sumptuous reprints, - ;
  • "Abbey Classics" series. Translations and publications in Russia: Robinson Crusoe, in two parts, trans. from French, St. Petersburg, ;
  • Robinson Crusoe, in two volumes. 200 drawings by Granville, engraved on stone and printed in two tones, new translation. from French, M., ;
  • Robinson Crusoe, trans. P. Konchalovsky, M., ;
  • translation M. Shishmareva and Z. Zhuravskaya, St. Petersburg, ;
  • translation L. Murakhina, ed. Sytina, M., ed. 4th and many more etc.
  • The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Moll Flanders, trans. P. Konchalovsky, “Russian wealth”, ЇЇ 1-4, dep. ed., M., with art. V. Lesevich, G. Gettner, Ten, P. S. Kogan, V. M. Fritsche;
  • 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, “The Observer”, Ї 6;
  • Lesevich V., Daniel Defoe as a person, writer and public figure, "Russian" wealth", ЇЇ 5, 7, 8;
  • His, Regarding “Mall Flanders” by D. Defoe, “Russian. wealth", Ї 1;
  • Alferov A. et al., “Ten readings on 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 language: Dottin, 3 vv., . In German. language: 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 language: Secord A. W., Studies in the narrative method of Defoe, . Research in the field of text - Lannert G. L., . About 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

The article is based on materials from the Literary Encyclopedia 1929-1939.

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born in London into the family of James Fo, a meat merchant and candle manufacturer. The writer subsequently changed his last name to Defoe.
The interests of the family in which Daniel grew up were trade and religion. Daniel's father was a Puritan and a dissident in his religious views. Loyalty to Calvinism, irreconcilable attitude towards the dominant Church of England were for English merchants and artisans a unique form of protection of their bourgeois rights during the years of political reaction and Stuart restoration (1660-1688).
Daniel's father, noticing his son's exceptional abilities, sent him to a dissident school that bore the name of the academy and trained priests for the persecuted Puritan church.
Defoe abandoned his future as a priest and took up trade. Throughout his life, Defoe remained a businessman. He was a hosiery manufacturer and trade intermediary in the export of fabrics from England and the import of wines. He subsequently became the owner of a tile factory. As a trade intermediary, he traveled extensively throughout Europe, spending a particularly long time in Spain and Portugal. A wide variety of commercial plans arose in Defoe's head; he started more and more new enterprises, got rich and went bankrupt again. At the same time, he took an active part in the political events of his era.
Defoe took whatever part he could in the so-called “glorious revolution” of 1688. He joined William's army when he landed on the English coast, and then, as part of a guard of honor put up by the richest merchants, was present at the king's triumphal procession.
In subsequent years, Defoe, together with the bourgeois Whig party, actively supported all the activities of William III of Orange. He issued a series of pamphlets in defense of his foreign policy and the extensive military appropriations intended for the war with France. But especially great value had his poetic pamphlet “Pureblood Englishman” (1701), directed against the noble-aristocratic party. In the pamphlet, Defoe defends William III from his enemies, who shouted that the Dutchman should not rule “pure-blooded Englishmen.” The pamphlet had a strong anti-feudal overtones. Defoe denies the very concept of a “purebred Englishman,” since the English nation was formed as a result of the mixing of various nationalities, as a result of the conquest of the British Isles by the Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. But with the greatest harshness he attacks the English aristocrats who are proud of the “antiquity of their family.” Recent immigrants from the bourgeoisie, they acquired coats of arms and titles for money and, forgetting about their bourgeois origins, shout about noble honor, about noble dignity.
The writer calls on the English aristocrats to recognize the class compromise that has already been accomplished, forget about the imaginary honor of the nobility and finally follow the bourgeoisie. A person's dignity should henceforth be measured by his personal merits, and not by a brilliant title. Satirical attacks against the nobility ensured the pamphlet's success among the widest readership. William III, pleased with the support of the talented pamphleteer, began to provide Defoe with constant patronage.
The death of William III in 1702 put an end to the hopes that Defoe had placed in this king. In his pamphlet “Feigned Mourners,” he indignantly attacked the Tory nobles who rejoiced at William’s death.
The reign of Queen Anne (daughter of James II) was marked by temporary political and religious reaction. Anna hated the Puritans and secretly dreamed of a complete restoration of the Stuarts. With her assistance, in 1710, a Tory coup took place in parliament. Even earlier, under her auspices, the brutal persecution of dissident Puritans began. Bishops and pastors, fanatics of the Church of England, openly called in their sermons for reprisals against dissidents.
Defoe felt somewhat alone in his own Puritan party, as he was outraged by manifestations of all kinds of religious fanaticism. But during these difficult years for the Puritans, he spoke out in their defense with unexpected fervor. The writer chose the path of parody and literary mystification for this and published in 1702 an anonymous brochure “The Shortest Way to Deal with Dissidents.” The pamphlet was written on behalf of the Representative of the Church of England, calling for the complete extermination of dissidents. In this pamphlet-parody, the anonymous author advised to destroy the English Puritans, as the Huguenots were once destroyed in France, proposed to replace penalties and fines with gallows, and in conclusion recommended “the crucification of these robbers who have crucified the hitherto holy Church of England.”
This hoax was so subtle, so reproducing the unbridled tone of pogrom sermons heard in churches, that both religious parties did not at first understand its true meaning. Some supporters of the Church of England declared their full solidarity with the author of the pamphlet. It was attributed to one of the bishops. The confusion and horror of the dissidents, who expected total extermination, was so great that Defoe was forced to release “An Explanation of the Shortest Way,” in which he revealed his plan to ridicule the bloodthirsty churchmen. This explanation, like the pamphlet itself, was anonymous, but friends and enemies now guessed Defoe's authorship. True, the dissidents had not yet completely calmed down, they did not fully believe their defender, who acted under the guise of an enemy.
But the government and the Anglican clergy fully understood the meaning of the pamphlet and appreciated the danger that the indomitable pamphleteer posed to them. In January 1703, an order was given for the arrest of Defoe, "guilty of a crime of extreme importance."
Dafoe fled and eluded the police. An advertisement appeared in the London Gazette for a government reward of £50 to anyone who would hand over Defoe, “a thin man of average height, about 40 years of age, dark, with dark brown hair, gray eyes, a hooked nose, and a large mole near the mouth.” Defoe was extradited and imprisoned in Newgate prison. The pamphlet was burned in the square by the executioner.
The sentence imposed on the writer was exceptionally harsh. He was sentenced to pay a heavy fine, stand in the pillory three times, and be imprisoned for an indefinite period until further order of the Queen. Defoe bravely accepted his punishment. While still in pretrial detention, he wrote “Hymn to the Pillory” (1703), in which he stated that he was proud of his fate. This hymn was spread by his friends, sold on the streets by boys, and was soon on everyone's lips. The appearance in the pillory turned into a real triumph for Defoe. A huge crowd greeted him enthusiastically, women threw flowers at him, and the pillory was decorated with garlands. However, this ended the heroic period in Defoe's life. He was released that same year, having secretly accepted the terms offered to him by Tory circles and, above all, by Robert Harley, later Prime Minister of the Tory government.
Subsequently, Defoe was no longer subject to political persecution.
Towards the end of his life he found himself alone. In a suburban outback, Defoe lived out his days. Your own children have long since flown away from the nest. The sons trade in the City, the daughters are married. And only the children of his imagination, the heroes of his books, did not abandon old man Defoe when fate dealt him a fatal blow. Sick and weak, she again forced him to leave his comfortable home, run, and hide. And as once upon a time, in days gone by, Defoe unexpectedly took refuge in the slums of London that were so familiar to him.
He died at the end of April 1731. The compassionate Miss Brox, the owner of the house where Defoe was hiding, buried him with her own money. Newspapers devoted short obituaries to him, mostly of a mocking nature, in the most flattering of which he was honored to be called “one of the greatest citizens of the Grub Street Republic,” that is, the London street where the then greyhound writers and rhymers lived. A white tombstone was placed on Defoe's grave. Over the years, it became overgrown, and it seemed that the memory of Daniel Defoe - a free citizen of the city of London - was covered with the grass of oblivion. More than a hundred years have passed. And time, whose judgment the writer so feared, retreated before his great creations. When Christian World magazine in 1870 appealed to “the boys and girls of England” with a request to send money to build a granite monument on Defoe’s grave (the old slab was split by lightning), thousands of admirers, including adults, responded to this call. In the presence of the descendants of the great writer, the opening of a granite monument took place, on which was carved: “In memory of the author of Robinson Crusoe.” And this is fair: of the three hundred works written by Daniel Defoe, it was this work that brought him true fame. His book is a mirror of the era, and the image of Robinson, in which the writer sang the courage of man, his energy and hard work, is the hero of the great epic of labor.

Defoe's writing activity was unusually varied. He wrote more than 250 works of various genres - from poetic and prose pamphlets to extensive novels. In addition to the political pamphlets mentioned above and the Essay on Projects, he published after 1703 huge amount essays and articles of a wide variety of content. There were historical and ethnographic works in which exclusive attention was paid to the development of trade: “A General History of Trade, especially British Commerce” (1713), “A General History of Discoveries and Improvements, especially in the great branches of commerce, navigation and agriculture, in all parts light" (1725), "Travel around the entire island of Great Britain" (1727), "An impartial history of the life and deeds of Peter Alekseevich, the current Tsar of Muscovy" (1723). There were also instructive treatises that in every possible way promoted bourgeois enterprise (“The Model English Merchant”, 1727, etc.). At the same time, new projects by Defoe appeared in print, new attempts at research in the form of “Experiments” - “Defense of the Press, or an experiment on the usefulness of literature” (1718), “An experiment on literature, or a study on the antiquity and origin of writing” - and along with them witty topical pamphlets, sometimes in the form of parodies (“Instructions from Rome in favor of the applicant, addressed to the high-ranking Don Sacheverellio,” 1710, a pamphlet revealing the closeness of the Anglican Church with Catholicism).
Defoe deliberately gives a sensational character to some of his pamphlets and essays and provides them with spectacular, intriguing titles. In one pamphlet from 1713, he poses the question to the reader: “What if the queen dies?”, Another entitled: “What if the Swedes attack?” (1717). Defoe's rapprochement with the ruling circles, as well as the anonymity of the pamphlets, allowed Defoe to have a certain courage and freedom in posing such questions. The English man in the street, of course, greedily pounced on these brochures and sought help and advice in them in the years when the country was threatened by a new Stuart restoration or a Swedish invasion.
The pursuit of literary earnings forced Defoe to create, along with serious works, tabloid “stories” about famous robbers and ghosts, accurate and detailed reports of absolutely fantastic events. He described in detail the terrifying hurricane that swept over England in 1703, being an eyewitness to it; but a few years later he gave an equally accurate and realistic description of a volcanic eruption that did not actually happen. In 1705, he wrote a fantastic account of a journey to the moon, which is a satire on latest events in England, especially on the actions of fanatics of the Church of England.
Defoe should be considered the founder of journalism in England. From 1705 to 1713, he published the newspaper “Review of French Affairs.” This masking title meant a review of all European politics and the internal affairs of England. Defoe published his newspaper alone, was its only employee and, despite his secret connection with Harley, carried out his former progressive principles, constantly offending churchmen and extreme Tories. The newspaper published extensive international reviews and commented on events in the internal political life of England. On the fourth page of the newspaper, entitled “Scandalous Mercury, or News of the Scandal Club,” there was a humorous section that was satirical and moralizing in nature. Here, mainly private vices were ridiculed, satirical images of grumpy or unfaithful wives, gullible and deceived husbands were depicted; but sometimes the injustice of bribed judges, the corruption of journalists, the fanaticism and ignorance of clergy were also exposed; In this case, readers recognized people under the fictitious names of well-known people in London, and this contributed to the popularity of the newspaper. Her sharply independent tone, frank attacks against reactionary circles, and the thoroughness of her political reviews won her wide readership. The newspaper was published twice a week and anticipated in many respects the journals of Steele and Addison (Chatterbox and Spectator), published in 1709–1711. It took all of Defoe’s colossal capacity for work and energy to run this newspaper alone for a number of years, transforming himself either into a serious columnist or into a witty pamphleteer.
Already an old man, enriched by vast experience in journalistic and historiographical work, Defoe began to create works of art. His famous novel “The Life and Strange Wonderful Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” (1719) was written by him in his 58th year. Soon the second and third parts of the novel appeared, and then a number of novels: “The Life and Adventures of the Famous Captain Singleton” (1720), “Memoirs of a Cavalier” (1720), “Notes of the Plague Year” (1721), “The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Moll Flanders "(1721), "The History and Remarkable Life of the Honorable Colonel Jacques" (1722), "The Fortunate Mistress, or the History of the Life and Various Adventures... of the Person Known as Lady Roxanne" (1724), "The Notes of George Carleton" (1724 ).
All of Defoe's novels are written in the form of autobiography and memoirs of fictional persons. All of them are distinguished by simplicity and restraint of language, a desire for accurate descriptions, and an accurate transmission of the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
Defoe was a staunch supporter of simplicity and clarity of style. Each of his novels represents the story of the hero’s life and upbringing, starting from childhood or teenage years, and the education of a person continues in his mature years. Varied adventures, difficult trials shape human personality, and in Defoe’s novels this is always an energetic and calculating person, who wins the blessings of life by all permitted and unauthorized means. Defoe's heroes are most often rogues; their hoarding is accompanied by a number of unseemly actions (the exception is Robinson, Defoe's favorite and therefore positive hero). Captain Singleton is a pirate, Moll Flanders and “Colonel” Jacques are thieves, Roxanne is an adventurer and courtesan. At the same time, they all succeed in their own way. life path and enjoy the writer's well-known sympathy. The author, who knew the Spanish language well, uses the traditions of the Spanish picaresque novel with its motley change of adventures, the wanderings of a clever loner in an indifferent and cruel world. But the perception of life and the attitude towards one’s own heroes in Defoe’s novels is much more complex and deeper than in the picaresque novel. Some of Defoe's heroes are distinguished by their warmth and hard work (Moll Flanders), they are aware of their fall, but the cruel bourgeois environment disfigures them and turns them into immoral adventurers. Defoe perfectly understands and shows his readers that the blame for the moral decline of his heroes falls on society. The spring of personal and social life turns out to be egoism, as in Mandeville’s “The Fable of the Bees.” Like Hobbes, Defoe is inclined to consider this selfish struggle of individuals for material goods the eternal law of human existence.

Daniel Defoe- English writer, publicist, journalist, founder of economic journalism, popularizer of the novel genre in Great Britain, 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 minister and sent him to a theological 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 as a clerk for a hosiery merchant and repeatedly made business trips to Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Later, he acquired his own hosiery production; his entrepreneurial biography included managing and owning a large factory that produced bricks and tiles. In this sense, Defoe was a man of his time: then there were many such commercial adventurers, and he was among those whose commercial activities ultimately ended in bankruptcy.

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

Activities in the field of literature began with pamphlets and satirical poems, as well as prose treatises on business issues. In 1701, Defoe wrote a pamphlet, The Thoroughbred Englishman, which ridiculed the aristocracy. It gained incredible popularity: it was sold on the street, and all 80 thousand copies were immediately sold out. For the pamphlet, the authorities sentenced him to the pillory, a gigantic fine, and sent him to prison until his sentence was executed. While Defoe stood in 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 commercial enterprise - a tile factory - essentially collapsed.

The imprisonment could have been very long, and the prospects unclear, if Daniel Defoe had not been rescued by Robert Harley, the Speaker of the House of Commons, a minister. After that, Defoe worked for him as a secret agent, collecting various information of interest to the patron in England and Scotland. In 1704, Harley got him a job in the civil service - in the famous periodical "Review", where his duties included writing and editing articles. The publication existed until 1713; Defoe's comments during his work in the Review became the most famous of his political works.

Working tirelessly in the field of journalism, Daniel Defoe also writes literary works. In 1719, the book “The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” was published - a work that was included in the treasury of world literature and brought stunning success to the author. In its wake, Defoe wrote “The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” in the same year, and a year later - another continuation story, but the glory of “The Life and Adventures...” turned out to be unattainable. It is with this work, glorifying the strength of the human spirit, its ineradicable will to live, that the name of Daniel Defoe is primarily associated, although his creative heritage was very rich and varied in themes, genres, and scale.

He is the author of more than five thousand works, including the novels “The Joys and Sorrows of Mole Flanders” (1722), “The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana” (1724), “The Life, Adventures and Pirate Exploits of the Famous Captain Singleton” (1720) and “History Colonel Jack" (1722), works "The Perfect English Trader", "Maritime Trade Atlas", "General History of Piracy", "Travel throughout the Island of Great Britain". Daniel Defoe died in April 1731 in London.

Biography from Wikipedia

Daniel Defoe(birth name Daniel Faw; c. 1660, Cripplegate, London - April 24, 1731, Sprindfel, London) - English writer and publicist. Known mainly as the author of Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is considered one of the first proponents of the novel as a genre. He helped popularize the genre in Britain and is considered by some to be one of the founders of the English novel. Defoe is a prolific and varied writer, having written over 500 books, pamphlets and magazines on a variety of topics (politics, economics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, the supernatural, etc.). He was also the founder of economic journalism. In his journalism he promoted bourgeois sanity and defended religious tolerance and freedom of speech.

In the continuation of the novel about Robinson Crusoe, which is not well known to the Russian-speaking reader, Defoe, in particular, described his adventures in Great Tartary and the states partially located on its lands - the Chinese Empire and Muscovy, as well as the life and customs of the peoples inhabiting it.

Born in London into the family of Presbyterian meat merchant James Faw (1630-1712), he received a clergy education and prepared to become a pastor, but abandoned a church career. He was engaged in commercial activities. In 1681 he began to write poetry on religious themes.

He took part in the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion against James II Stuart and the Battle of Sedgemoor on July 6, 1685, which was lost by the rebels.

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, Portugal and France, where he became acquainted with the life of Europe and improved his 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 he went bankrupt. Defoe had the spirit of an entrepreneur-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 position (he was the head of the British intelligence services), at one time had great influence on the king and the government.

In 1697 he wrote his first literary work, Essays on Projects. In 1701, he wrote a satirical work, “The True-Born Englishman,” ridiculing xenophobia. For the pamphlet “The Shortest Way with the Dissenters” he was sentenced to pillory and imprisonment in 1703.

While in prison, Defoe continued his literary activity, writing “Hymn to the Pillory.” That same year, he was released on the condition that he would carry out secret orders for the government, that is, he would become a spy.

In 1724, a writer under the pseudonym Charles Johnson published a work entitled A General History of Piracy.

He is the author of more than five thousand works, including the novels “The Joys and Sorrows of Mole Flanders” (1722), “The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana” (1724), “The Life, Adventures and Pirate Exploits of the Famous Captain Singleton” (1720) and “History Colonel Jack" (1722), works "The Perfect English Trader", "Maritime Trade Atlas", "Travel Around the Whole Island of Great Britain".

Daniel Defoe died in April 1731 in London.

"Robinson Crusoe"

At the age of 59, in 1719, Daniel Defoe published the first and best novel of his entire creative life - “The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a sailor from York, who lived twenty-eight years all alone on a desert island off the coast of America near the mouth of the river. Orinoco, where he was thrown into a shipwreck, during which the entire crew of the ship died except him; with an account of his unexpected liberation by the pirates, written by himself." The Russian reader knows this work as “Robinson Crusoe”.

The idea of ​​the novel was suggested to the writer by a real incident: in 1704, a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, after a quarrel with the captain, landed on an unfamiliar shore with a small supply of provisions and weapons. For more than four years he led a hermit's life, as it turned out, on the island of Juan Fernandez in the Pacific Ocean, until he was taken onto a ship commanded by Woods Rogers.

Defoe conveys an educational concept of history through the novel. Thus, from barbarism (hunting and gathering) Robinson on the island moves to civilization (agriculture, cattle breeding, crafts, slaveholding).

Bibliography

Novels

  • Robinson Crusoe - 1719
  • "The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" - 1719
  • "The Life and Pirate Adventures of the Glorious Captain Singleton" (Captain Singleton) - 1720
  • "Memoirs of a Cavalier" (Memoirs of a Cavalier) - 1720
  • "Diary of a Plague Year" (A Journal of the Plague Year) - 1722
  • "The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Moll Flanders" - 1722
  • “The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana” (Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress) - 1724
  • "The King of Pirates"
  • "The Story of Colonel Jack"
Other in prose
  • "A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs. Veal The Next day after Her Death to One Mrs. Bargrave at Canterbury The 8th of September 1705) - 1706
  • “The Consolidator or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon” - 1705
  • "Atlantis Major" (Main Atlantis) - 1711
  • "A Tour Thro" The Whole Island of Great Britain, Divided into Circuits or Journies" - 1724-1727
  • "The Family Instructor"
  • "A General History of Piracy" (The Pirate Gow) - 1724
  • "The Storm"
  • “A New Voyage round the World” - 1725
  • "The Political History of the Devil" - 1726
  • "System of Magic" - 1726
  • "The History Of The Remarkable Life of John Sheppard" - 1724
  • "A Narrative Of All The Robberies, Escapes, &c. of John Sheppard" (Narrative of All Robberies, Escapes) - 1724
  • "The Pirate Gow" - 1725
  • “A Friendly Epistle by way of reproof from one of the people called Quakers, to T. B., a dealer in many words” - 1715

Essay

  • "Conjugal Lewdness"
  • Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe - 1720
  • "The Complete English Tradesman"
  • "An Essay Upon Projects"
  • "An Essay Upon Literature" (Essay on Literature) - 1726
  • "Mere Nature Delineated" - 1726
  • "A Plan of English Commerce" - 1728
  • "Essay on the Reality of Apparitions" - 1727

Poems

  • "The True-Born Englishman" - 1701
  • "Hymn to the Pillory" (Hymn to the Pillory) - 1703

Other

  • Moubray House

Edition of Defoe in Russia

  • "Abbey Classics" series. Translations and publications in Russia: Robinson Crusoe, in two parts, trans. from French, St. Petersburg, 1843;
  • Robinson Crusoe, in two volumes. 200 drawings by Granville, engraved on stone and printed in two tones, new translation. from French, M., 1870;
  • Robinson Crusoe, trans. P. Konchalovsky, M., 1888;
  • translation M. Shishmareva and Z. Zhuravskaya, St. Petersburg, 1902;
  • translation L. Murakhina, ed. Sytina, M., 1904, ed. 4th, 1911 and many others. etc.
  • The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Moll Flanders, trans. P. Konchalovsky, “Russian wealth”, 1896 ЇЇ 1-4, dep. ed., M., 1903, with art. V. Lesevich, G. Gettner, Ten, P. S. Kogan, V. M. Fritsche;
  • Universal history of literature, ed. Korsh and Kirpichnikov;
  • Kamensky A. Daniel Defoe, his life and work, St. Petersburg, 1892 (in Pavlenkov’s biographical series);
  • Zalshupin A., English. publicist of the 17th century, “The Observer”, 1892, No. 6;
  • Lesevich V., Daniel Defoe as a person, writer and public figure, “Russk. wealth", 1893, ЇЇ 5, 7, 8;
  • His, Regarding “Mall Flanders” by D. Defoe, “Russian. wealth", 1896, Ї 1;
  • Alferov A. et al., “Ten readings on literature”, M., 1895, ed. 2nd, M., 1903. Biographies of D. (English): Chambers, 1786; Lee, 1869; Morley H., 1889; Wright, 1894; Whitten, 1900.
  • Charles Johnson (Daniel Defoe). General history of pirates / Translation from English, preface, notes, appendices by I. S. Malsky // Day and Night. - 1999. - No. 3. (In 2014 it was published under the title “General History of Piracy”, St. Petersburg: Azbuka, Azbuka-Atticus)

Other Defoe-related materials

  • Lamb, Hazlitt, Forster, Leslie Stephen, Minto, Masefield, W. P. Trent (Cambridge History of English Literature). In French language: Dottin, 3 vv., 1924. In German. language: Horten F., Studien über die Sprache Defoe’s, Bonn, 1914;
  • Schmidt R., Der Volkswille als realer Faktor des Verfassungslebens und D. Defoe, 1925;
  • Dibelius, Der englische Roman. In English language: Secord A. W., Studies in the narrative method of Defoe, 1924. Research in the field of text - Lannert G. L., 1910. On the sources of “Robinson Crusoe”: Nicholson W., 1919; Lucius L. Hubbard, 1921;
  • Lloyd's Catalog of edition of Robinson Crusoe and other books by and ref. to Defoe, L., 1915.
  • G. H. Moynadier, 16 vv. 1903;
  • Boston, Constable's sumptuous reprints, 1924-1925;