Robinson Crusoe Published
April 25, 1719 · Early Modern
Robinson Crusoe, a novel by Daniel Defoe, was first published on April 25, 1719, by William Taylor at the Ship in Paternoster Row, London. It is widely considered one of the earliest English novels and became an immediate success with four editions published in its first year. The first edition credited the protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe it was a true travelogue rather than fiction.
Key Figures
Daniel DefoeWilliam TaylorAlexander Selkirk
Locations
London, EnglandPaternoster Row
Topics
literaturetraveloguenovel
Connected Events — 2 Connections
Stevenson explicitly acknowledged Defoe influence; Treasure Island marooned character Ben Gunn directly echoes Robinson Crusoe and Stevenson discussed Defoe narrative techniques in his published essays Treasure Island Published
Daniel Defoe witnessed and wrote about the Great Storm of 1703, producing 'The Storm' (1704), his first major work of journalistic reportage that established his reputation for vivid narrative and helped develop his distinctive style of realistic description later perfected in Robinson Crusoe Great Storm of 1703
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