Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Daniel Defoe, National Maritime Museum, London | |
| Born | Daniel Foe c. 1660 Fore Street, London, England |
| Died | 24 April 1731 (aged 70–71) London, England |
| Resting place | Bunhill Fields |
| Occupation | Writer, merchant, spy |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Spouse |
Mary Tuffley (m. 1684) |
| Children | 8 |
Daniel Defoe (/dɪˈfoʊ/ c. 1660 – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, journalist, merchant and spy. He is famous for his novels Robinson Crusoe (1719), Moll Flanders (1722) and Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress (1724). He has been seen as one of the earliest proponents of the English novel, and helped to popularise the form in Britain with others such as Aphra Behn and Samuel Richardson. Defoe wrote many political tracts, was often in trouble with the authorities, and spent a period in prison. Intellectuals and political leaders paid attention to his fresh ideas and sometimes consulted him.