Concetti Chiave
- Daniel Defoe was born in London in 1660 to a Nonconformist family, receiving a good education despite not attending university.
- He became a merchant in his twenties, allowing him to travel widely and develop into an excellent economic theorist.
- Defoe was deeply involved in politics, supporting Monmouth's rebellion and William of Orange, whom he defended through his writing.
- After William's death, Defoe struggled financially, going bankrupt in 1692, which led to a lifelong battle with debt.
- His financial struggles gave him insight into societal outcasts, which he explored in his pamphlets, notably The Shortest Way with the Dissenters.
What was Daniel Defoe's early life like?
Daniel Defoe was born in London in 1660, in a family of Nonconformits. His father was the typical lower class man, pratical minded, with a sound Protestant religious spirit and a deep sense of duty and responsabily.
Althought Defoe did not attend university, he received a good education, and in his early twenties set up as a merchant.
This allowed him to travel widely and to become an excellent economic theorist.
Defoe's political involvement
He was also keenly interested in politics; his position as a nonconformist placed him among the opposers of James; 1685 he supported Monmouth's rebellion, and in 1688 was among those who welcomed William of Orange, whom he constantly and devoutly supported during all the time of his reign.
He even wrote a verse satire, The True-Born Englishman to defend against to defend the king against the charge of being a foreigner.
Struggles and literary contributions
William's death shortly afterward deprived the writer of royal protection.
In 1692 Defoe went bankrupt, and this marked the beginning of a lifelong struggle with debts and fear of prison.
This experience, however, gave him a deep understanding of the outcasts of society, like thieves and adventurers, who may be led to crime by fear of starvation and by circumstances.
He expressed his views in numerous pamphlets, the most famoous being The Shortest Way with the Dissenters.
Domande da interrogazione
- What was Daniel Defoe's background and early education?
Daniel Defoe was born in London in 1660 to a family of Nonconformists. Despite not attending university, he received a good education and became a merchant in his early twenties, which allowed him to travel widely and develop as an economic theorist.
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