Daniel Defoe was an English author and prolific writer most known for his novels “Robinson Crusoe” and “Moll Flanders.” His work is filled with irony, and widely taught in high schools and universities alike. Born in London circa 1660 as Daniel Foe (he added the “De†prefix to his surname to make it sound more aristocratic), Defoe witnessed more than your average kid during his childhood (London’s Great Plague and Great Fire). Not to mention a lot of political and religious upheaval happening at the time. It probably didn’t make things easier for him that his parents and he were religious dissenters (Presbyterians) during a period of heavy intolerance. He was also almost always in debt, either being imprisoned for it or running away from it. Regardless of any strikes against him, Daniel Defoe’s ability to inhabit his characters (even women) and leave behind such treasures as Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders, means that it is us who owe a great debt to him.
