Daniel Defoe was een Engelse schrijver en journalist die faam verwierf met zijn vroege werken en zijn rol in de popularisering van de roman in Groot-Brittannië. Als productief en veelzijdig auteur onderzocht hij een breed scala aan onderwerpen, variërend van politiek en misdaad tot psychologie en het bovennatuurlijke. Zijn innovatieve benadering van schrijven en journalistiek maakt hem tot een sleutelfiguur in de geschiedenis van de Engelse literatuur. Defoe's nalatenschap ligt in zijn vermogen om lezers meeslepende verhalen en scherpzinnige observaties over de menselijke natuur te bieden.
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In 1665, the Great Plague swept through London, claiming nearly 100,000 lives. In A Journal of the Plague Year, Defoe vividly chronicles the progress of the epidemic. We follow his fictional narrator through a city transformed-the streets and alleyways deserted, the houses of death with crosses daubed on their doors, the dead-carts on their way to the pits-and encounter the horrified citizens of the city, as fear, isolation, and hysteria take hold. The shocking immediacy of Defoe's description of plague-racked London makes this one of the most convincing accounts of the Great Plague ever written.
Following the success of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe wrote a new fiction, the story of an English pirate whose success eclipsed every buccaneer the Atlantic world had seen. Featuring a haunted, unreliable narrator, Captain Singleton is a tale of loneliness, brotherhood, and the lust for profit.
Set during the devastating plague of 1665, this work offers a vivid account of life in London amidst the outbreak. Through the eyes of a resident, it captures both public and private experiences, detailing the chaos, fear, and resilience of the population. The narrative blends personal observations with historical events, providing a unique perspective on a pivotal moment in history. This previously unpublished journal brings to light the struggles and survival of individuals during one of London's darkest times.
The annotation discusses how most of Defoe's novels, aside from 'Robinson Crusoe,' have been largely overlooked due to changing tastes in literature. Despite past recognition by figures like Sir Walter Scott, works such as 'Memoirs of a Cavalier' and 'Captain Singleton' remain unfamiliar to contemporary readers.
