Daniel Defoe 1661 1731 Father of English Novel

Daniel Defoe (1661 -1731) Father of English Novel

l Memorial to "Daniel Defoe", Bunhill Fields, City Road, London.

Defoe’s Life and literary Career Born in London as a son of a butcher l He became a hosier after schooling and traveled a lot in the Continent. l Being a merchant, he experienced ups and downs in his business. l The pamphlet Hymn to the Pillory made him a hero in 1703 and marked a turning point in his literary career. l

He started The Review, a political and literary magazine in prison. l As his release, he worked as a journalist and pamphleteer. l Valuable experience to cultivate his abilities: 1) loved short, crisp, plain sentences; 2) Capacity for observing, grouping and memorizing details 3) Skills in use of circumstantial detail 4) Faculty of creative imagination l

l l l His place in British literature was made for him by his novel “Robinson Crusoe” In 1719, he published his masterpiece Robinson Crusoe at the age of 59. The novel is based on real life of a Scottish sailor. Defoe embellished the sailor’s story with many incidents of his own imagination.

Robinson Crusoe on the Screen

Truth and fiction l Robinson Crusoe is considered the first modern novel. For the first time, we have a fictitious narrative which the author tries to present as true, and where realistic elements are very important. The story is told by a firstperson narrator (“I”), and is so a “fake autobiography”. To reinforce its realism Defoe tells many facts about Robinson Crusoe: his name and surname, what part of England he comes from (York), who his parents and relatives are, and so on. It is given, briefly, a life-profile.

“A new realism” l l Defoe wanted the readers to believe the story of Robinson Crusoe was true and to consider it as a “real” autobiography, giving detailed descriptions of TIME and SPACE. He inserted some realistic elements and precise information into an imaginary account to make the story seem true. The places Robinson visits in England abroad (Africa, Brazil, South America) are real. Time is explained very precisely (day by day).

ROBINSON AND FRIDAY

II. Main plot of the novel When does the story take place? In the middle of the 17 th century l Why does Crusoe leave England? He dreams to be a sailor l Where does Crusoe first settle? Brazil l On what condition does Crusoe go to a no-man island? Give some details of his life on the island. l What’s the end of the Story? l

IV The characterization of Crusoe l l Defoe traces the development of Crusoe from a naïve and artless youth into a clever and hardened man tempered by numerous trials in his eventful life. Crusoe is a hero with undaunted will and power.

l l Crusoe represents a typical of the English bourgeoisie at the early stages of its development, practical, religious and mindful of his own profits. Crusoe is condemned as an image of a colonist, for he supports Negro-slavery and teaches the first word “master” to Friday.

Jonathan Swift (1667 -1745)

Jonathan Swift l l One of the greatest wits of the 18 th century Dream: wanted to cure society’s ills with humor Dual identities: born 1667 in Ireland to English parents, died 1745 in Ireland Spent most of his life in Ireland, devoted to Irish affairs, but always considered himself English and a Tory

Swift’s reputation in Ireland l Swift as depicted on the Irish £ 10 banknote, issued 1976– 1993

Introduction to Gulliver’s Travels Ø Ø was published in 1726 The book contains four parts, each dealing with one particular voyage during which Gulliver meets with extraordinary adventures on some remote island after he has met with shipwreck, piracy and other misfortunes.

Introduction to Gulliver’s Travels l There is a storm every journey. All the four voyages add new perspectives to Gulliver’s life and also give him new opportunities for satirizing the ways of England.

In the first voyage l Gulliver travels to Lilliput, where he is huge and the Lilliputians look amiable, but the reader soon understands that they are very ridiculous and petty creatures. For “making water”, Gulliver gets convicted of treason in the capital among other “crimes”.

In the second voyage l Gulliver travels to Brobdingnag, which is the land of Giants and he is as small as the Lilliputians were to him. So, naturally, Gulliver is scared, but his keepers are surprisingly gentle. He gets humiliated by the King when he is forced to see the difference between how England is and how it ought to be. Gulliver soon understands that he must have been very revolting to the Lilliputians.

In the third voyage l Gulliver travels to Laputa (and neighbouring Luggnagg and Glubdugdribb). When he visits the island of Glubdugdribb, he gets the power to call up the dead and discovers the deceptions of history.

In the third voyage l In the land of Laputa, the people are overthinkers and are outrages in many ways. He also meets the Stuldbrugs there, which is basically a race that is blessed with immortality. But Gulliver finds out that they are miserable.

In the fourth voyage Gulliver travels to the land of Houyhnhnms, who are horses gifted with a reason. Their coherent, clean, and trouble-free society is contrasted with the foulness and brutality of the yahoos, who are beasts in human shape.

In the fourth voyage l Gulliver manages to unwillingly come to recognize their human vices. He ends up staying with the Houyhnhnms for many years and gets totally captivated with them to a point that he never wants to leave.

At the end of the work l When he returns to England, Gulliver feels appalled about other humans, including his own family.