Concetti Chiave
- Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 in London to a family of Dissenters and became a merchant and economic theorist before facing bankruptcy and legal troubles.
- He is credited as the father of modern journalism and authored notable works like "Robinson Crusoe" and "Moll Flanders," exploring themes of survival and societal norms.
- Defoe's narrative style was marked by first-person storytelling, rich detail, and a focus on middle-class characters, making his works relatable to his contemporary readers.
- His characters embodied the practical, resourceful middle-class ethos, often lacking imagination and emotional expression, reflecting Defoe's own social background.
- Colonial themes in Defoe's work highlight the 18th-century British imperialistic mindset, emphasizing white supremacy and cultural dominance over native populations.
Daniel Defoe's early life
Daniel Defoe was born in London in 1660 to a family of Dissenters, separated from the Church of England, and his father was a typical man from lower class. He didn’t attend university but he received a good education and he set up as a merchant, so he began to travel and became an excellent economic theorist. But in 1692 he went bankrupt, and he expressed his views on politics in numerous pamphlets, in which he invocated an harder persecution against Puritans, thus showing the absurdity of intolerance. Then Defoe was arrested, fined and condemned to pillory, he couldn’t pay the fine but was soon released.c He wrote “the review”, the main government organ; he also didn’t support the Hanoverian succession as a dissenter, with some pamphlets.
Defoe's literary contributions
He didn’t write only on politics, but also on religion and on various subjects, and he was considered to be the father of the modern journalism. In 1719 he wrote “Robinson Crusoe”, that became very popular. In 1722 he also wrote three masterpieces: Moll Flanders, which is the autobiography of a prostitute who used her beauty as a commodity to exchange for money, which was the only value recognises in her life, coming from the middle class; then A Journal of the Plage Year, which dealt with the terrible disease; and Colonel Jack. His last novel was Roxana; then he died in 1731.
Defoe's narrative style
Defoe was the product of the emerging middle class; he wrote the novels in the first person, bringing the readers close to the narrator; besides the wealth of details and the documentary style helped to this aim. The characters are normal men from Defoe’s own class, so readers could identify themselves; he was the personification of the middle class man: practical-minded, resourceful and religious, this hero had a great utilitarian spirit but was not imaginative, he never showed emotion for the beautiful environment.
Colonial themes in Defoe's work
Also the colonising spirit of the 18th century finds voice in the novel, for example he estabilished supremacy over the natives making Friday his servant and getting him used to his language and religion. Also Friday himself finds it natural to behave as a slave, kneeling down before the white man. It is important to know that in this period Britain’s empire overseas was growing, and they were sure of the superiority of white civilisation.
Domande da interrogazione
- What were the key influences in Daniel Defoe's early life and career?
- How did Daniel Defoe contribute to literature and journalism?
- What narrative style did Daniel Defoe employ in his novels?
- How are colonial themes reflected in Defoe's work?
Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 to a family of Dissenters in London. Despite not attending university, he received a good education and became a merchant, which led to his travels and development as an economic theorist. His political views, expressed in numerous pamphlets, led to his arrest and brief imprisonment.
Defoe is considered the father of modern journalism, writing on politics, religion, and various subjects. His notable literary works include "Robinson Crusoe" (1719) and three masterpieces in 1722: "Moll Flanders," "A Journal of the Plague Year," and "Colonel Jack." His last novel was "Roxana."
Defoe's narrative style was characterized by first-person storytelling, which brought readers close to the narrator. His novels featured detailed, documentary-style descriptions and characters from the middle class, allowing readers to identify with them. His heroes were practical, resourceful, and religious, embodying the middle-class spirit.
Colonial themes in Defoe's work are evident in the portrayal of supremacy over natives, as seen in "Robinson Crusoe," where Crusoe makes Friday his servant. This reflects the 18th-century British belief in the superiority of white civilization during the expansion of Britain's empire overseas.
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