READING

ROBINSON CRUSOE

CHRONOLOGY

1660 ?               Daniel Defoe was born in London. His father was a merchant and belonged to a                                 Protestant sect. He refused to register his son's birth in the books of his parish, as a                            consecuence, Daniel's date of birth is not sure.

                        Young Daniel was educated at the College of Stoke Newington.

1683           He was already an established merchant and travelled on business in Europe for about                          three years

1685            Took part in a rebellion against the Catholic King James II.

1688           Joined William of Orange's army.

1692          Went bankrupt and ventured into joutnalism and literature.

1702          Published  The Shortest Way with Dissenters a pamphlet attacking the State Church                              which caused his imprisonment in Newgate for six months.

1704-13     Published his political nwspaper The Review.

1719          Turned to prose fiction which he considered a profitable activity.
                  Robinson Crusoe was published and it was so successful that it was reprinted several
                  times; moreover,within four months of its publication, it was followed by The
                  Father Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.

1720          Publication of Capitan Singleton about a captain who turned into a pirate.

1722          Publication of Moll Flanders, the autobiography of a prostitute.

1724          Publication of Lady Roxana, the autobiography of a courtesan.

1731         Defoe died alone and friendless.