Daniel dafoe

« Daniel DEFOE (1660 - 1731) It was only at the end of his life that Defoe turned to the novel, after years of journalistic and satirical writing.

A Journal of the Plogue Year is a good example of this dual interest.

It purports to be an eye-witness account of the epidemic of bubonic plague which had visited London in 1665. A mixture of recollection, historical study and imagination, the book almost reads as ction though the accuracy and realism of the narration are never sacri ced. The same concern with realism underlies his works of ction.

Through simplicity of style and depiction of likely events, Defoe's aim is to create true-to-life and vivid pictures.

giving an illusion of reality.

This effect is enhanced by a minute psychological study of the motivations and reactions of the characters.

But Defoe's principal aim is a moral one. Through Robinson Crusoe's struggles, through Moll's gradual downfall and eventual penitence, we are shown that... ...man's function is to apprehend the world, nd ways to grapple with it, hang on while events frustrate him, defy society if it runs counter to his own needs...

and eventually he comes through, while those around him may waste away.

Detoe Is interested only in the successes, and even God and fate cannot prevent the persistent individual from coming through." Born in London (as Daniel Foe) The Great Plague. Attended a non-contormist school to become a Presbyterian minister. Instead of becoming a minister, spent the tollowing ten years trying different trades and travelling abroad. An Essay upon Frojects he Irue-Born Englishman, a satirical defence of William I. The Shortest Way with Dissenters, an ironical cricicism of the escablished Church.As a consequence, Detoe was imprisoned and exposed in the pillory. became a secret agent for Harley.

a Tory minister who had had him released from prison. Started writing in the review as well as for different politicians, irrespective of their political ideas. Robinson Crusoe. Captain Singleton. Moll Flanders, A Journal of the Plague Year, Colonel jock. Roxana, A Tour thro'the whole Island of Great Britain. The Complete English Tradesman. Died in London. fi fi fi fi THE fortunes and MISFORTUNES Of THE famous MOLL Flanders (1722) Reduced to destitution, Moll Flanders has token to stealing. "THe NEXT THING of moment was an attempt at a gentlewoman's gold watch.

It happened in a crowd, at a meeting-house, where I was in very great danger of being taken.

I had full hold of her watch, but giving a great jostle as if somebody had thrust me against her, and in the juncture giving the watch a fair pull, I found it would not come, so I let it go that moment, and cried as if I had been killed, that somebody had trod upon my foot, and that there was certainly pickpockets there, for somebody or other had given a puil at my watch; for you are to observe that on these adventures we always went very well dressed, and I had very good clothes on, and a gold watch by my side, as like a lady as other folks. I had no sooner said so but the other gentlewoman cried out, A pick-pocket," too, for somebody, she said, had tried to pull her watch away. When I touched her watch I was close to her, but when I cried is out I stopped as it were short, and the crowd bearing her forward a little, she made a noise too, but it was at some distance from me, so that she did not in the least suspect me; but when she cried out, "A pickpocket", somebody cried out, "Ay, and here has been another; this gentlewoman has been attempted too." At that very instant, a little farther in the crowd, and very luckily too, they cried out, "A pickpocket," again, and really seized a young tellow in the very fact. This, though unhappy for the wretch, was very opportunely for my case, though I had carried it handsomely enough before; but now it was out of doubt, and all the loose part of the crowd ran that way, and the poor boy was delivered up to the rage of the Street, which is a cruelty I need not describe, and which, however, they are always glad of, rather than be sent to Newgate, where they lie often a long time, and sometimes they are hanged, and the best they can look for, if they are convicted, is to be transported. This was a narrow escape to me, and I was so frighted that I ventured no more at gold watches a great while.

There were indeed many circumstances in this adventure which assisted to my escape; but the chief was, that the woman whose watch I had pulled at was a fool; that is to say, she was ignorant of the nature of the attempt, which one would have thought she should so not have been, seeing she was wise enough to fasten her watch so that It could not be slipped up; but she was in such a fright that she had no thought about her; for she, when she felt the pull, screamed out, and pushed herself forward, and put all the people about her into disorder, but said not a word of her watch, or of a pickpocket, for at least two minutes, which was time ss enough for me, and to spare; for as I had cried out behind her, as I have said, and bore myself back in the crowd as she bore forward, there were several people, at least seven or eight, the throng being still moving on, that were got between me and her in that time, and then I crying out "A pickpocket" rather sooner than she, she might as well be the person suspected as I, and the so people were confused in their inquiry; whereas, had she, with a presence of mind needful on such an occasion, as soon as she felt the pull, not screamed out as she did, but turned immediately round and seized the next body that was behind her, she had infallibly taken me. This is a direction not of the kindest sort to the fraternity, but 'tis certainly 6s a key to the clue of a pickpocket's motions; and whoever can follow it, will as certainly catch the thief as he will be sure to miss if he does not. Defoe on "Moll Flanders" fi fi Throughout the in nite variety of this book, this tun-damental is most strictly adhered to; there is not a wicked action in any part of it, but is rst or last rendered unhappy and untortunate; there is not a superlative villain brought upon the stage, but either he is brought to an unhappy end, or brought to be a peni-tent; there is not an ill thing mentioned but it is con-demned, even in the relation, nor a virtuous, just thing out it carries its praise along with it.

What can more exactly answer the rule laid down, to recommend even those representations of things which have so many other just objections lying against them? namely, of example of bad company, obscene language, and the like.

(.] All the exploits of this lady of fame, in her depredations upon mankind, stand as so many warnings to honest people to beware of them, intimating to them y what methods innocent people are drawn in, plundered, and robbed, and by consequence how to avoid them. Her robbing a little child, dressed ne by the vanity of the mother, to go to the dancingschool, is a good memento.... »