Daniel_Defoe 13-14-1 英国文学史及选读课件.ppt

Daniel Defoe: 1660-1731 General comment: He is called “The Father of the English fiction” Defoe’s Life: Born in London as a son of a butcher He became a hosier after schooling and traveled a lot in the Continent. Being a merchant, he experienced ups and downs in his business. Defoe Fought briefly in the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion against James II. Bankruptcy and debt turned him towards writing. 1701: writes “The True Born Englishman” 1703: Pilloried for writing “The Shortest Way with Dissenters.” He started The Review, a political and literary magazine in prison. As his release, he worked as a journalist and pamphleteer. 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 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. His works: The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe 《鲁滨逊漂流记》 Captain Singleton 《辛格顿船长》 Moll Flanders 《摩尔·弗兰德斯》 A Journal of the Plague Year 《大疫年日记》 Roxana 《罗克萨娜》 Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe 1719: First volume of Robinson Crusoe. A hit with lower and middle classes. Based on the experience of Alexander Selkirk. Origin: Alexander Selkirk alone on the island.. four years and four months. Location: The Juan Fernandez group of islands -- 360 miles from Valparaiso, Chile. There is now a thriving community on the islands and the worldwide popularity of Defoes book is reflected in the current names of the islands - Isla Alejandro Selkirk, and Isla Robinson Crusoe. Plot: Crusoe sets sail from the Queens Dock in Hull on a sea voyage in August 1651, against the wishes of his parents, who want him to stay at home and