Giles in Cripplegate probably in the year 1660 (also the year of his birth is questenionable-anyway this fact doesn’t surprise me, in the 17-th century only small attention was devoted to the preciseness of personal data). His original name was Foe, but coming near his 40th birthday he changed his name. Why? There are several theories, e.g.: because name Foe meant an enemy, or the prefix De was to show a noble origin, even though his father was a simple chandler and a butcher, or precisely therefore.
Daniel Defoe studied theology, because schools Oxford and Cambridge weren’t accessible for him as a presbyterian. Finally he did not become a preacher, but a merchant. He was doing a business with bet material, knitted things and stockings, what for he was not saved from ironical remarks of literary critics. He wa unbelievable speculator, a wild and regardless plunderer. Only between years 1688/1694 he was involved in 8 trials and accused of deceit in all of them. He had to hide before creditors, he was afraid of coming into jail for debtors. Often he overestimated his abilities with risky mannars, unknowledge, unbelievable regardlness and irresponsibility, or bad intentions. Defoe wrote: „An English merchant is a kind of Phoenix that rises form its own ash.“-this characteristics inherited also R.Crusoe. The unbelievable lust for life, courage.
Robinson Crusoe was (before and after his stauy on the island), even a brilliant merchant He knows all kinds of money, though he says it is only rubbish, he takes them with him on the island and lays them aside very carefully. And of course he doesn`t forgot to take the money coming back to civilization. Many people believe that Robinson Crusoe is an allegory of a real human life, the author alone himself writes in foreword, that „plot though allegorical, is also historical“ and swears by his soul that it is a survey if real 28-year life. Several events between life of Robinson Cruose and life of Defoe are compared: R.Crusoe was born on 30.09.1632, Defoe probably on the same day in the year 1660. R. Crusoe shipwrecked on 30.09.1659, while D. Defoe lived after the uprising in 1687 in separation for 27 years in Tooting. In 1660 R.Crusoe visited the opposite side of his island and during 1688 D.Defoe visited Scotland. So if not an allegory, what is this book? It contains multitude of data handed with such convincingness, that we have an impression of absolute reality in the data, indeed. Quantity of details makes up the feeling of reality without word, though we must come to a conclusion, that whole plot is invented.