Daniel Defoe was an English writer born in the 17th century near London. He participated in several failing business ventures that led to bankruptcy and debtors' prison. As a political pamphleteer, he was outspoken and landed in prison for slander. He is best known for his novel Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, which helped establish the modern novel. Throughout his life he wrote over 300 books, pamphlets, and journals on diverse topics and helped pioneer business and economic journalism. He died in 1731 still hiding from creditors and was buried in London.

1. Daniel
defoe
Prepared by: Nilay Rathod
Department of English
M. K. Bhavnagar University

2. Who was defoe?
✣ Defoe became a merchant and
participated in several failing
businesses.
✣ Later faced bankruptcy and
aggressive creditors.
✣ His prolific political pamphleteer
landed him in prison for slander.
✣ Later in life he turned his pen to
fiction.

3. Early life
✣ Born between 1659-1661 at Fore Street in the
parish of St Giles Cripplegate, London.
✣ Daniel Foe was the son of James Foe, a tallow
chandler.
✣ Daniel later added the aristocratic-sounding
“De” to his name.
✣ In 1684, he married to Mary Tuffley and had
eight children, but two died

4. ✣ English writer, trader journalist, pamphleteer
and spy.
✣ Best known for the novel Robinson Crusoe.
✣ Wrote more than 300 books, pamphlets, and
journals on diverse topics.
✣ Pioneer of business journalism and economic
journalism.

5. How did he survive?
✣ In 1665, 70,000 were killed by
the Great Plague of London.
✣ In 1666, The Great Fire of
London hit Defoe’s
neighbourhood hard and left
only three houses standing,
one of them being Defoe’s.
✣ In 1667, a Dutch fleet attacked
Chatham via the River
Thames.

6. The unexpected
✣ Defoe’s parents were Presbyterian dissenters.
✣ He was educated in a Dissenting Academy at
Newington Green, and also went to church
there.
✣ It was expected that he would become a
dissenting minister, but instead entered the
world of business.

7. Business career
✣ Defoe entered the world of business as a
general merchant.
✣ He traveled often, selling such goods as wine
and wool.
✣ He was able to buy a country estate and a
ship.
✣ Though he was rarely out of debt.

8. Poor Decisions
✣ In 1685, he joined ill-fated Monmouth
rebellion, but gained a pardon
✣ He was arrested in 1692 for a debt of £700,
but was really in debt close to £17,000
✣ He left England upon release, and travelled to
Europe and Scotland
✣ When he came back to London, he served as a
commissioner of the glass duty

9. Pamphleteer and prison
✣ “An Essay upon Project” -defended the right of
King William III for his participation in ending the
Nine Years War
✣ “The True-Born Englishman” - defended the king
against the perceived xenophobia of his enemies
✣ “Legion’s Memorial” --it demanded the release of
the Kentish petitioners, who asked the Parliament
to support the king in an imminent war against
France

10. ✣ “The Shortest Way with the
Dissenters” and “Or, Proposals for the
Church”- asking for extermination of
dissenters
✣ “Hymn to the Pillory”- caused
audience to throw flowers instead of
harmful objects, but caused him to be
imprisoned for three days

11. death
✣ He died on April 24, 1731 while hiding
from creditors
✣ He was often in debtors’ prison
✣ He was buried in Bunhill Fields,
London,
✣ At his death he used a minimum of
198 pseudonyms

12. references
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1060
9
https://books.google.co.in/books/about/
Daniel_Defoe.html?id=j9x8AlKeGGEC&r
edir_esc=y