The Celebrated Daniel De Foe

Seager, Nicholas

Abstract

The story of Daniel Defoe’s publication, from his death in 1731 to the mid-twentieth century, shows three things that have been inadequately acknowledged in accounts of his posthumous reputation. First, his writings were extensively republished, and not just major novels like Robinson Crusoe, but also non-fiction works. Second, Defoe’s writings were repeatedly reissued to provide commentary on topical events of later eras. And third, Defoe’s writings were commonly adapted and appropriated when republished, refitted to serve the tastes and attitudes of new readers, even if they preserved his original anonymity. This chapter surveys a broad range of Defoe’s works: political and historical writings, books on commerce and travel, religious and didactic treatises, and the novels. It attends to illustrated and collected editions, as well as international publishing contexts and translations. Ultimately, it attests to the enduring availability and diverse influence of Defoe’s works in the two centuries after his death.

Citation

Seager, N. The Celebrated Daniel De Foe. In The Oxford Handbook of Daniel Defoe (583-609). Oxford University Press (OUP). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198827177.013.40

• Online Publication Date: Dec 18, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jan 5, 2024
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Pages: 583-609
• Book Title: The Oxford Handbook of Daniel Defoe
• Chapter Number: 32
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198827177.013.40