Daniel Defoe was born on April 24, 1660 in London, England. He was a famous British writer.
Biography and Career :
His father, James Foe a butcher, wanted him to be a priest but he entered the Newington Green Academy in 1673 but Daniel Defoe abandoned the religious studies in 1687.
Between 1680-1683 he traveled to France, Holand and Spain.
In 1684 he married Mary Tuffley, a wealthy merchant's daughter. He was a wine, tobacco and other products merchant.
The next year he took part of the action of duke of Monmouth's army.
After the new protestant king entered in London Daniel published his first pamphlet in 1689.
Between 1688-1692 Daniel Foe was charged several times because of his creditors.
Between 1697-1702 Daniel Defoe published "The character of the Dead
Doctor Samuel Annesley", "Arguments for a Permanent Army", "The Two Big Questions Which Must Be Noticed", "The Most Expeditious Way with Declines" and he was sentenced to prison after the last one. He run out of London and had approaches with the queen and the authorities.
In 1703 he went to jail and exposed to the infamy pillory, but the crowd covered him with flowers. He changed his name from Daniel Foe to Daniel Defoe.
One year later in 1704 he was freed by Harley, the new minister. He founded a periodical Weekly Review.
Because of other pamphlets in 1713 he went to jail again in Newgate and his periodical ended its publication.
After he founded a new periodical in 1719, Daily Post, where he discovered his vocation of novelist and wrote the first two parts of "Robinson Crusoe".
Between 1722-1725 he published "Moll Flanders", "Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress", "The Story of Captain Jacque", "Cartouche’s Life", "The History of Peter the Great", "A Journey Through Britain", "A New Journey Around the World".
In 1730, because of a financial mess, he had to run away.
On the 26th of April 1731 he died in his house on the Ropenmarker's Alley, Moorfields.
Important Works :
"The character of the Dead Doctor Samuel Annesley"
"Arguments for a Permanent Army"
"The Two Big Questions Which Must Be Noticed"
"The Most Expeditious Way with Declines"
"Robinson Crusoe"
"Moll Flanders", "Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress"
"The Story of Captain Jacque", "Cartouche’s Life"
"The History of Peter the Great"
"A Journey Through Britain"
"A New Journey Around the World"
Quotes :
- "The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear"
- "It is better to have a lion at the head of an army of sheep, than a sheep at the head of an army of lions"
- "He that is rich is wise"
Trivia :
- In 1692 he was declared bankrupt and had to escape from London.
- In 1706 he met Queen Anne and was sent to a secret mission in Edinburgh.
- He was buried in Bunhill Fields.
Daniel Defoe Image : todayinliterature.com
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