Daniel Defoe: Life, Major Works and Legacy of Britain’s Pioneering Novelist

Daniel Defoe rose from a London tallow chandler’s son to become one of the first champions of the English novel. His groundbreaking work Robinson Crusoe (1719) spawned an entire literary genre, while Moll Flanders and Roxana cemented his reputation across Europe. Born around 1660 on Fore Street, London, Defoe witnessed the Great Plague, the Great Fire and political turmoil at a young age. He began his career as a merchant and pamphleteer, regularly clashing with authorities and even spending time in prison for his outspoken views. Defoe died in 1731, likely from a stroke while evading creditors, and was laid to rest in Bunhill Fields. His vivid fiction and incisive political essays endure, influencing writers and inspiring countless “Robinsonade” adventures around the world.

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