Plan:
Introduction
Biography of Daniel Defoe
Personal life of Daniel Defoe
Famous novel written by Daniel Defoe“Robinson Crusoe”
Introduction
Daniel Defoe was born in London
in 1660. His father, James Foe, was
a tallow chandler - he made
candles from animal fat. When he
was very young, London was hit by
the plague, a terrible disease
which killed many people. Soon
after, the Great Fire of London
burned down many of the houses
near Defoe’s family home.
In 1684, Defoe married Mary Tuffley, with whom he had six
children. He hoped to become a rich man, but he spent much of
his life owing money to people.
Defoe started writing in 1697. He wrote short books and pieces
for journals - magazines - about many things. Often he wrote
about politics and the King. In 1703, he was sent to prison once
more for his political writings, and after this he worked as a
spy5 for the government.
Defoe started writing novels when he was
sixty years old.
Robinson Crusoe, which was published in 1719,
was very successful, and in 1722 he wrote Moll
Flanders. Defoe died in 1731 and is buried in
Bunhill Fields in London.
In 1719, he tried his hand at another kind
of literature – fiction, and wrote the
novel which brought him world-wide
fame –”The Life and Adventures of
Robinson Crusoe”.
After the book had been published he
became famous and rich and was able
to pay his creditors in full.
Now he wrote for four public magazines
and received a regular sum of money
from the government.
The story of Robinson Crusoe was based on
the real adventures of a sailor,
who had
lived alone for four years on a desert
island.The author ,however, added some
adventures for his character. When Robinson
Crusoe found himself alone on an island, he
managed to live using only the things he had
on the island.
He is building his first dwelling here.
Robinson Crusoe tells the story of an
Englishman who spends twenty-eight years
on an island near Venezuela, in Central
America. Daniel Defoe may have got the
idea for the novel from a true story about a
man called Alexander Selkirk, who spent
several years on an island called Mas a
Tierra in the Pacific.
Friday became his friend.
When the book was published in 1719,it immediately became popular. Defoe made his story so
realistic that everyone believed it.
Defoe didn’t write his book for children . But nearly every child now knows about Robinson Crusoe
, how he learned to catch goats and to make pots, how he made an umbrella and had hundreds of
adventures.
Daniel Defoe wrote many other books, but for “ Robinson Crusoe” he is
Called “the father of English prose”.
Lecture questions
When Daniel Defoe was born?
When did he write novel “Robinson Crusoe”?
Where was he from?
What do you know about his family?
What is the novel Robinson Crusoe about?
Exercises
Choose the correct information to complete the sentences.
1 The author of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe, was English/American
2 He came/did not come from a rich family.
3 Defoe trained to be an army officer / a minister of the church.
4 He worked first as a merchant / writer.
5 After he got married he became/did not become a rich man.
8 Robinson Crusoe was published early/ late in Defoe’s life.
9 Defoe is buried in Britain/abroad.