Plan of biography of Daniel Defoe. Daniel Defoe: businessman and romantic, showered with flowers in the pillory

Daniel Defoe - English politician and famous writer. He was born in 1660 or 1661 in London and died there on April 26, 1731. The son of the butcher Fo, he, like his father, was a zealous dissident - Presbyterian.

In his youth, Daniel abandoned the spiritual career to which he was destined and took up trade in London, traveling on business in France and Spain, but due to his passion for politics and literature he suffered bankruptcy (c. 1692). He applied his experience in his “Essay on Projectionism” (published only in 1698). This essay explores the economic and political ills of the time while presenting detailed plan improving social order. There are discussions and projects on financial issues, on pauperism, which began to arise precisely at that time, on the need to multiply elementary schools, on the shortcomings of female education in England - coupled with an energetic appeal in favor of mental emancipation. “This is an essay full of bright thoughts and new and fair views,” wrote Benjamin Franklin, – greatly influenced my mind; my whole system of philosophies and morals changed. The main events of my life and the participation that I took in the revolution of my country were very to a large extent the results of this reading."

Portrait of Daniel Defoe

Another essay by Defoe: “Alms are not charity, but the provision of work to the poor is the ruin of a nation” - a political and economic treatise with deep meaning where the author is trying to understand social reasons poverty. In general, with works of this kind, Defoe in the field of reforms preceded everything that England of the 18th century had brilliant among its reformers. He threw light on many issues of political economy, higher administration, religious, historical, aesthetic.

In 1701 he wrote for the king William III, to which he joined as a volunteer immediately after his landing (see Glorious Revolution), the satirical poem “Pureblood Englishman” (1701), where he repelled attacks on the king as a foreigner, proving that the English themselves were a mixed race and owed many advantages to this circumstance.

When, after the death of William, the persecution of dissidents resumed, Defoe wrote an ironic pamphlet on the adherents of the “high church” “The Shortest Way to Deal with Dissenters” (1702), where he mockingly “recommended” that, as the most convenient solution to the issue, they should exterminate dissidents without exception, just as the French king exterminated Protestants. The author of the caustic satire was soon recognized and sentenced to pillory and imprisonment. But the shameful punishment turned into triumph (Dafoe was thrown with flowers), and the conclusion was short.

In prison, Defoe began writing “Review,” which was supposedly compiled from materials from the “scandal club.” The success of this magazine soon gave rise to other weekly publications with a moralistic orientation. Having lost the income with which he supported himself and his large family due to imprisonment, Defoe was forced in his political writings to maneuver between his conscience and the support of the ministry. During the negotiations for union between England and Scotland, the government used the services of Defoe as a mediator, and he resolved his task very skillfully.

The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. 1972 film

What made Defoe immortal was his essay “The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Sailor from York” (1719). This book, which the champion of “natural man” Rousseau praised as a first-class and fascinating work for youth, is a kind of “philosophy of history”, representing a picture of the transition from a primitive rude state to a civilized one. The main significance of this work lies in its main idea, which, however, is quite objectively supported by facts: a person, transferred to a deserted island, must, as if by himself, recreate the entire culture with all stages of its development. As for the purely literary merit of Robinson, here the author with brilliant success applied in practice that “realism of fantasy”, able to make the most incredible believable, which constitutes his distinctive quality as a fiction writer who is an innovator in England on this path.

He describes the strange adventures of his hero like a true artist. “Under his hand, the romantic ceases to be a novel; it becomes real, undoubtedly true story, which we follow step by step with full participation. Amazing art“The way the author achieved this irresistible probability of the story lies in the subtlety and naturalness of the psychological depiction of the characters and in the extremely animated painting of the details.” Although the plot of “Robinson” reproduces the actual story of A. Selkirk on the island of Juan Fernandez, there is also an autobiographical element in its idea: being a secret agent of the government that he had recently attacked, Defoe felt deeply alone and in constant danger. "Robinson" was translated into all European and many non-European languages ​​and even in the 19th century caused many imitations ( Robinsonade).

Daniel Defoe's other novels of horror and adventure, written partly after the incredible success of Robinson (for example, Captain Singleton), are almost completely forgotten. My journalistic activity Defoe continued until 1726 under own name, perfectly describing the life of the then middle and lower classes. Later he resorted to a pseudonym and fell into a strange fear, apparently into a persecution mania. Last days Defoe spent his life in a miserable hut at an inn, due to the fact that his son betrayed his trust and completely ruined him and his entire family.

Name: Daniel Defoe

Date of Birth: 1661

Age: 70 years old

Activity: writer, publicist

Family status: was married

Daniel Defoe: biography

Daniel Defoe is considered the first British writer to popularize the novel genre. A brilliant publicist and prolific writer, he presented readers with half a thousand books, articles, and pamphlets, in which he touched on a wide range of topics. Defoe wrote about politics, religion, economics, psychology and the supernatural.

He became the founder of economic journalism and a promoter of bourgeois sanity. He stood up for freedom of speech and religious self-determination. But the main thing is that Daniel Defoe gave humanity a fascinating novel about, based on which dozens of novels and stories were written, films and TV series were made.

Childhood and youth

Defoe's exact date of birth is unknown. The future novelist appeared in the London area of ​​Cripplegate around 1660 in the family of a wealthy meat merchant and the owner of a candle factory. The parents of Daniel Fo - this is the real name of the writer - were adherents of Presbyterianism, a Protestant movement based on the teachings of John Calvin.

The parents saw their son as a Presbyterian pastor in the future, so at the age of 14 they enrolled him in a theological seminary. After graduating, Fo entered the Protestant Academy in Stoke Newington. The young man excelled in classical literature, knew Latin and Greek excellently, but had no intention of becoming a pastor: Daniel was attracted by commerce and trading.

After graduating from the academy, Daniel Defoe, on the advice of his father, got a job in the office of a hosiery company that traded with foreign suppliers. 19-year-old Daniel learned the basics of accounting in an office and at the same time worked as a clerk in a stocking dealer's shop.

In the mid-1680s, Defoe thought he had learned everything and went into business: he opened a hosiery company in Cornhill, which operated successfully for 10 years. Then the businessman mastered new directions: he traded in wine, tobacco products and building materials.

Expanding the business, he traveled to France, visited Portugal and Spain. On long business trips, Daniel Defoe got acquainted with the life of Europe, studied the customs and languages ​​of the population.

Contemporaries described the Briton as a risky businessman who embarked on dubious ventures and repeatedly found himself on the verge of ruin. But every time Defoe found solutions that helped get the money back.

In addition to business, the Briton was interested in political and religious affairs. In the mid-1680s, the future novelist participated in the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion, which opposed the policies of the last British Catholic king, James VII. The authorities suppressed the uprising and executed Monmouth. Daniel Defoe hid from his pursuers and miraculously escaped punishment.

Literature

The beginning creative biography English prose writer is called 1697, when Daniel Defoe wrote his first work, called “An Essay on Projects.”

The name of the Briton thundered in his homeland 2 years later, after the publication of a satirical pamphlet in verse, “Pureblood Englishman,” in which he ridiculed xenophobia. The reason for writing the pamphlet was attacks on foreigners in general and King William of Orange in particular. Defoe fiercely defended the liberal reforms and the revolution, and he gained armies of admirers and enemies.

The writer made it up noble origin, family coat of arms with three griffins and lilies, as well as Norman roots, adding the particle “de” to the common surname. Soon "Mr. De Foe" merged into one word.

In 1702, the author composed a new pamphlet entitled “ The simplest way deal with the dissenters." At first, the parliamentarians, whom the author advised to deal with Protestants by exiling them to the galleys and hanging them on poles, were delighted, but soon realized the catch: the author was mocking them.

Researchers of Defoe's work called the work the literary event of the century. The text caused so much noise that the pamphleteer was put on the wanted list. Six months later he was arrested, fined and sentenced to pillory.

Medieval punishment was painful: street onlookers and lackeys had the right to mock the convicted person. But unexpectedly for the authorities, Daniel Defoe was showered with flowers, and the pamphlet he wrote in the dungeons, “Hymn to the Pillory,” was sung by the crowd in squares and streets.

The debt-ridden writer was offered a secret job for the British government. The “agent of influence” pledged to show the work of the authorities in a favorable light. Defoe was also made a secret agent in Scotland, forced to spy and report to the English government about the activities of the opposition and influence the mindset of the Scots through publications.

After the publicist agreed to the conditions put forward, a fine was paid for him from the royal treasury, and the Defoe family, who found themselves on the verge of starvation, was given money. The articles of the popular satirist appeared on the pages of the Observer, a newspaper sponsored by the English authorities.

It is unlikely that contemporaries would have known about the existence of the publicist Daniel Defoe if the writer had not given them a masterpiece that is still adored by adults and children today. The novel about a sailor from York who finds himself after a shipwreck on a deserted island was first published in 1719.

The idea for a work about Robinson Crusoe came to the 59-year-old author after reading a story about the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, who lived on an uninhabited island washed by the waves. Pacific Ocean, 4 years. The lost sailor was discovered by the ship's captain, Woods Rogers. He wrote the book that caught Defoe's eye.

Then an essay about the adventures of Selkirk appeared, sparking even greater interest in the character. Daniel Defoe played up the story of the hermit, added fictitious details and turned it into a fascinating novel that captivated millions of readers around the world. His hero Robinson Crusoe lived on the island for 28 years.

The success of the book was stunning, and the author wrote a sequel. It turned out to be less exciting than the first, but also attracted the attention of millions of readers. The writer “settled” the hero in Great Tatary, a fictional country that refers to Russia, Mongolia and Tatarstan.

The second sequel book was followed by a third - like the second, which was not comparable in readership success to the first novel.

When asked whether the British novelist has ever been to Russia (in the second book about Crusoe’s adventures he describes Siberia and Arkhangelsk), the researchers claim that he has not. ABOUT Russian tsars the writer knew from hearsay. In Russia, admirers of Defoe appeared 100 years after the publication of the novel: only in the second half of the 19th century did a mass reader appear in the country.

The writer and publicist, often signed Charles Johnson, penned 500 works. In the mid-1720s he published the book General history piracy." During the same years, four novels appeared, including The Joys and Sorrows of Mole Flanders and The Diary of a Plague Year. At the same time, Daniel Defoe also wrote works on trade.

In 1726, admirers of the novelist were delighted with a new book - the novel “Journey through England and Scotland.” Historical and adventure themes predominated in the British novels.

Personal life

The writer married in 1684. He married his compatriot Mary Tuffley, a girl with a rich dowry. Eight years later, almost 4 thousand pounds sterling, Mary, like the businessman’s savings, was swallowed up by bankruptcy.

The wife bore her husband eight children. The family's life was overshadowed by persecution from the authorities and creditors. The Defoe lived in the criminal district of Mint, where London criminals lived, then in Bristol. Daniel Defoe left the house only on Sundays - on these days it was forbidden to arrest debtors.

Death

The world famous novelist was dying alone. The publisher, deceived by him, pursued Defoe and turned Last year life to hell. Hiding from his pursuer, Daniel Defoe left his family, moved from city to city, and when the publisher overtook him and tried to pierce him with a sword, the 70-year-old writer disarmed his enemy.

Distraught with fear and constant threats, Defoe hid under false names, renting apartments and rooms. In 1731, the writer rented a home in a remote area of ​​London, where he died at the end of April. There was neither his wife nor his eight offspring nearby. The sons left for trade, the daughters got married and started families. There was no one to look for his father in the slums of London.

The cause of the novelist's death is said to be a fit of lethargy. The owner of the apartment took upon herself the hassle of organizing the funeral, and then, in order to reimburse the expenses, she took the remaining belongings of the deceased tenant to auction. The newspapers responded to the death of the novelist with short obituaries, many of them ironic, calling Defoe “the greatest citizen of the Republic of Grub Street” - a famous street in London where low-class writers gathered.

A white slab appeared on the grave of the writer and publicist, which was soon overgrown with grass. But a century later, in 1870, a British tabloid appealed to the country's boys and girls to donate money for a monument to Daniel Defoe - the century-old slab was cracked by a lightning strike. Thousands of admirers responded. A granite monument appeared on the grave with the words carved: “In memory of the author of Robinson Crusoe.”

Bibliography

• 1719 – “Robinson Crusoe”
• 1719 – “The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe”
• 1720 – “King of the Pirates”
• 1720 – “The Life and Pirate Adventures of the Glorious Captain Singleton”
• 1720 – “Memoirs of a Cavalier”
• 1722 – “Diary of the Plague Year”
• 1722 – “The Joys and Sorrows of the Famous Moll Flanders”
• 1722 – “The History of Colonel Jack”
• 1724 – “The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana”
• 1724 – “General History of Piracy”
• 1726 – “History of the Devil”

Daniel Defoe - English writer, publicist, journalist, founder of economic journalism, popularizer of the novel genre in Great Britain, author of the novel about Robinson Crusoe - born around 1660 near the English capital, in Cripplegate. His father, a meat merchant, groomed him for a career as a Presbyterian minister and sent him to a theological seminary, Morton Academy in Stoke Newington, where his son studied classic literature, as well as Latin and Greek. However, Defoe Jr. was attracted by a completely different path - commercial activity, trade.

After graduating from the academy, he went to work as a clerk for a hosiery merchant and repeatedly made business trips to Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Later, he acquired his own hosiery production; his entrepreneurial biography included managing and owning a large factory that produced bricks and tiles. In this sense, Defoe was a man of his time: then there were many such commercial adventurers, and he was among those whose commercial activities ultimately ended in bankruptcy.

However, entrepreneurship was far from Daniel Defoe's only interest; he lived a bright and eventful life. As a young man, I took Active participation in political life, was one of the rebels against King James II Stuart, then hid in different cities to avoid imprisonment.

Activities in the field of literature began with pamphlets and satirical poems, as well as prose treatises on issues entrepreneurial activity. In 1701, Defoe wrote a pamphlet, The Thoroughbred Englishman, which ridiculed the aristocracy. It gained incredible popularity: it was sold on the street, and all 80 thousand copies were immediately sold out. For the pamphlet, the authorities sentenced him to the pillory, a gigantic fine, and sent him to prison until his sentence was executed. When Defoe stood in the pillory, the people of London came to support him, but considerable damage was done to his business reputation, and while he was in prison, his commercial enterprise– the plant that produced the tiles essentially collapsed.

The imprisonment could have been very long, and the prospects unclear, if Daniel Defoe had not been rescued by Robert Harley, the Speaker of the House of Commons, a minister. After this, Defoe worked for him as a secret agent, collecting various information of interest to the patron in England and Scotland. In 1704, Harley got him a job in the civil service - in the famous periodical “Review”, where he was responsible for writing and editing articles. The publication existed until 1713; Defoe's comments during his work in the Review became the most famous of his political works.

Working tirelessly in the field of journalism, Daniel Defoe writes and literary works. In 1719, the book “Life and amazing Adventures Robinson Crusoe" is a work that is included in the treasury of world literature and brought stunning success to the author. In its wake, Defoe wrote “The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” in the same year, and a year later - another continuation story, but the glory of “The Life and Adventures...” turned out to be unattainable. It is with this work, glorifying the strength of the human spirit, its ineradicable will to live, that the name of Daniel Defoe is primarily associated, although his creative heritage was very rich and varied in themes, genres, and scale.

He is the author of more than five thousand works, including the novels “The Joys and Sorrows of Mole Flanders” (1722), “The Happy Courtesan, or Roxana” (1724), “The Life, Adventures and Pirate Exploits of the Famous Captain Singleton” (1720) and “History Colonel Jack" (1722), works "The Perfect English Trader", "Maritime Trade Atlas", "General History of Piracy", "Travel throughout the Island of Great Britain". Daniel Defoe died in April 1731 in London.

Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) - English writer and public figure, author of over 560 works of various genres (essays, pamphlets, novels).

His father dreamed that he would become a priest, so Daniel Defoe studied at the Puritan Theological Academy, but he, having received good knowledge of geography, astronomy, history, French and Spanish, decided to become a merchant. The writer’s ancestors bore the surname Fo, to which the particle “de” was subsequently added.

In the mid-70s, Defoe began his career as a journalist, writing pamphlets on the topic of the day. In many works he defended the interests of the Puritan bourgeoisie, opposed the aristocracy, glorified the free and thinking man. Defoe paid for the harshness of his pamphlets with freedom. He was sentenced to imprisonment and pillory. But crowds of Londoners cheered Defoe when he was in the pillory. After his imprisonment, Defoe publishes his own newspaper, in which he defends freedom of speech.

In addition to journalism, Daniel Defoe created a number of novels. The first novel, Robinson Crusoe (1719), was written when Defoe was 60 years old. The novel certainly played one of the key roles in the creative biography of Daniel Defoe. This educational work glorifies human courage, intelligence, and hard work. The novel became a kind of encyclopedia of socio-economic and moral ideas of the Enlightenment; it was translated into many languages ​​of the world and caused a lot of imitations. The image of Robinson entered world literature as eternal image, which personifies a person’s resilience in the face of difficulties, his ability to survive in difficult living conditions. The novel became a hymn for a reasonable, civilized person. Daniel Defoe began in world literature new genre- Robinsonade.

The brilliant writer died in London in 1731.

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Name: Daniel Defoe

Age: 70 years old

Place of Birth: London

A place of death: London

Activity: English writer

Family status: single

Daniel Defoe - biography

Contemporaries rarely called him a writer, more often a scoundrel, or, as another genius, Jonathan Swift, contemptuously said: “I have forgotten his name.”

Energetic, enterprising, courageous, with an ugly face, but expressive and strong. Of average height, thin, dark, with a hooked nose and a prominent (“mutton-like,” as his enemies wrote) chin. In addition, in the corner of his mouth there is a large birthmark(“like a squashed cockroach”).

The fate of Daniel Defoe, the author of the well-known “Robinson Crusoe” and not only him, was not smooth: “Thirteen times he became rich and poor again,” he wrote about himself. Big family, large debts, many enemies, dependence on patrons. And - life full of mysteries.

Childhood, family

Daniel Defoe was born around 1660 near London in the town of Cripplegate. His father, London butcher James Faw, was a descendant of Flemish Protestants who fled to England from the Spanish. He sent his son to a private Protestant seminary. But at the age of 19, the young man decided that his path was not preaching, but practical activity.

Daniel began working for a dry goods wholesaler. He did business in England, Spain, Portugal and France. Then he went to sea for the first time. Young Daniel suffered from seasickness, just like his Robinzin later: “My head was spinning, my legs were shaking, I felt nauseous, I almost fell. Every time the ship was attacked a big wave, it seemed to me that we would drown right away. Every time a ship fell from a high crest of a wave, I was sure that it would never rise again..."

On this journey, Daniel faced even worse danger: an Algerian privateer was pursuing his ship. And if not for the appearance of the coast guard vessel, the world would most likely have lost Defoe’s novels. But even after the sailors drove away the pirates, the danger did not pass. As soon as the authorities found a cargo of smuggled wine on board, Daniel, and the entire crew, would have paid for it. I had to roll out the barrel and give the saviors a drink.

Defoe's further fate was also connected with the wine trade - his father-in-law was engaged in it, with whose daughter, Mary Tafley, Daniel would live until his death and who would bear him 8 children. In the meantime, the marriage brought him a huge dowry of 3,700 pounds, which he invested in the business. It seemed that the merchant was going uphill. But here a secret appears in his biography.

Daniel Defoe and politics

This is hinted at by the history of his participation in the uprising of the Duke of Monmouth, who had designs on the throne. The authorities suppressed the protest and began brutal terror against those involved. Daniel was seen among the rebels - on horseback and with weapons. This was quite enough to send him to the gallows. But he was amnestied. Miracle! Or... he was already carrying out secret orders from the government.

In 1688, a coup did take place: the Dutch Prince William of Orange became king. And Daniel Defoe was again noticed in his army... According to the writer, he became one of the closest advisers to the new king. One could put forward the version that he was a double agent, working both for the deposed Jacob and for the House of Orange.

But soon a business disaster overtook him, making him suspect that they simply wanted to get rid of the overly knowledgeable person. Although, at first glance, the businessman simply went bankrupt: he started producing bricks, occupying large sums, and creditors suddenly began to demand money back. The result is bankruptcy. None of the influential patrons stood up for him. True, Defoe was not sent to debtor’s prison then. It’s already good - when he’s free, at least he won’t let him die in his poverty by that time. large family. But from that moment on, his life became even more mysterious.

Daniel Defoe - master of lies

London publisher John Dunton came up with a newspaper consisting of answers to readers' questions. "The Athenian Mercury" was popular in the most wide circles. The questions were relevant, for example: “Can the queen be called “mada”?”, “Will black people rise from the dead on the day Last Judgment? While working there, Defoe invented a method that he himself called “plausible lies.” He paid close attention to the text small details creating flawlessly realistic picture. But how much truth there is in his journalism and prose is difficult to establish.

He also founded the genres of economic, criminal and political journalism. And he was the first to do real interviews. However, only God knows how genuine they were. It was rumored that Defoe came to interviewees with the text already written and convinced them to confirm the authenticity of their words. He's done more questionable things. For example, I wrote under different pseudonyms articles for and against the king, Whigs, Tories, Catholics, Anglicans, Puritans and even... himself.

Defoe's two pamphlets - satire in verse "The Purebred Englishman" and "The Simplest Way to Deal with Dissidents" - blew up society. The first debunked the myth of the purity of English blood. The second pretended to denounce the Puritans, but in fact ridiculed their opponents. Everyone read these pamphlets. But then Defoe’s patron, King William III, died completely inopportunely, and the daring pamphleteer was left without protection. He went into hiding, was caught and sentenced to prison, a large fine and a pillory.

They were allowed to throw anything at the convicts, and sometimes they were beaten to death. However, not only stones and dirt flew at Defoe, but also... flowers. There were many of his admirers among the townspeople.

Robert Harley, the future Secretary of State and Lord Treasurer, rescued him. For this, the writer became an information weapon of the authorities. With their money, he began publishing the Review newspaper, continuing what he did in the Athenian Mercury: asking questions on behalf of readers, and himself writing lengthy answers to them. Covertly forming the public opinion desired by the authorities.

However, the Secretary of State gave him more dangerous assignments. There is a letter written by Defoe to Harley from prison. This is a detailed memorandum on the organization of intelligence and counterintelligence services. But Defoe was not only a theoretician when it came to espionage. One of his famous missions was a trip to Scotland.

He had to prepare the ground for its final unification with England. Defoe traveled all over the country under the guise of a merchant, fisherman, priest, scientist, and used operational pseudonyms. He completed the task brilliantly. There were also missions on the continent. “During my inspection trips outside England, I deeply inhale the aroma of espionage,” he wrote. He seemed to like it...

Daniel Defoe - books

But when did Defoe manage to write so fruitfully?.. Biographers compare the time he spent traveling and the volume of writing at the same time and refuse to believe that it was done by one person. But it was then that his most outstanding works, including Robinson Crusoe. In total, Defoe wrote more than 500 books, magazines and pamphlets on a variety of topics.

Daniel Defoe was in prison several more times and was never able to fully pay off his debts. By the age of 60, he retired from espionage affairs. He continued to hide from creditors, and perhaps from more formidable enemies...

The last year of his life was terrible. Constant threats and persecution finished off the old man - he lost his mind. He left home, gave himself a false name, and often moved from place to place, trying to cover his tracks. It was not until 1731 that Defoe returned to London. He settled in the most remote area of ​​the city, where he soon died alone. Even his relatives did not know about his death - the landlady took care of the funeral.