Showing results by author "Daniel Defoe" in Historical Fiction

In this satirical faux autobiography, Moll Flanders, abandoned at birth, sets her rebellious heart on a life of independence in late 17th-century England. A strong-willed woman, she is determined to make a better life for herself, no matter what it takes: thievery, prostitution, seductions, marriages, or illicit liaisons. Born to a convicted felon in Newgate prison Moll learns to live off her wits, refusing to be a helpless victim and defying most traditional depictions of women of the era.

First published in March 1722, 57 years after the event that struck more than 100,000 people, Journal of the Plague Year is a compelling portrait of life during London's horrific bubonic plague. Through the eyes of H.F. (speculated to be Defoe's uncle, Henry Foe, from whose journals the book was supposedly adapted) we witness great grief, depravity and despair: crazed sufferers roam the streets, unearthly screams resound across the city, death carts dump their grisly loads into mass graves, and quackery and skulduggery feed on fear. But there is kindness and courage too, as mutual support and caring are upheld through the worst of days.

Robinson Crusoe is considered by many to be the first novel in the English language. The term 'Robinsonade' has even been coined to describe the various spin-offs of Robinson Crusoe. It is astonishing how much of the book has become part of the language; the very term 'Robinson Crusoe' has become synonymous with the concept of a castaway.

Three lively retellings of Daniel Defoe’s classic novels, plus two bonus programmes about his extraordinary life and far-reaching influence. Robinson Crusoe and His Farther Adventures: An imaginative blend of the famous castaway tale and its lesser-known sequel, this thrilling drama sees Crusoe setting sail for the far north. Facing danger in the Siberian wastes, he keeps terror at bay by telling his companions campfire tales of his many adventures on his beloved island. Starring Tim McInnerney as Crusoe.

In 1665, London was struck by the bubonic plague, an epidemic that was the last major instance of the bubonic plague in England. This instance of the plague killed 100,000 people over a year and a half, and was transmitted through rats that ran through the city. A Journal of the Plague Year was presented as an eyewitness account of the epidemic through the eyes of Londoners.

Beautiful, proud Roxana is terrified of being poor. When her husband leaves her penniless with five children, she must choose between being a virtuous beggar or a rich whore. Embarking on a career as a courtesan and kept woman, Roxana passes from man to man in order to maintain her lavish, glamorous lifestyle. But this life comes at a cost; she is torn between sinful prosperity and the respectability she craves.

Daniel Defoe's classic satire, read by Jan Francis. Defoe's rumbustious story tells the tale of Moll Flanders - her seductions, marriages and liaisons, and her journey to her mother in Virginia, where it becomes clear that Moll has, without realising, married her own brother. Our resourceful heroine goes to and from America meeting (and sometimes marrying) highwaymen, pickpockets, and dastardly rogues in a wonderful picaresque romp that is one of the most enjoyable and enduring classic novels.

One of the earliest novels in English, Moll Flanders is the purported autobiography of a heroine who is undoubtedly one of the most lively, convincing, and delightful rogues in literature. Born in Newgate Prison and orphaned soon after, Moll is provided with no opportunities in life, yet she is propelled by an unrelenting drive to overcome her background of impoverishment.

Moll Flanders kommt als Tochter einer Verbrecherin in einem Londoner Gefängnis zur Welt. Mit drei Jahren wird sie zu einer Pflegemutter gebracht. Als diese stirbt wird sie von einer gut situierten Familie aufgenommen, erhält den Namen "Betty" und wie deren Töchter unterrichtet. Doch bald verlieben sich die beiden Söhne in die hübsche Betty. Der ältere Sohn nützt ihre Unerfahrenheit aus, der jüngere meint es ernst und heiratet sie schließlich.

First published in 1719, Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is commonly considered as the first novel in English. Based on the real-life experience of Alexander Selkirk, who spent four years on a Pacific island, it is the account of the 28-year stay of an English sailor on a nearly uninhabited island near America.

"El Diario del año de la peste" es una narración dramática y sobrecogedora, con episodios que van de lo emotivo a lo terrorífico, un relato preciso y sin concesiones de una altura literaria que todavía hoy es capaz de conmovernos hasta las lágrimas.

Ein englischer Edelmann hat nach drei Jahren Oxford genug vom Thema Bildung und bittet seinen Vater um die Erlaubnis, sich als Soldat seine Sporen verdienen zu dürfen. Er tritt als Offizier in die Dienste des schwedischen Königs Gustav Adolf und erlebt während der letzten knapp 4 Jahre des 30 jährigen Krieges in Europa alle wichtigen Schlachten mit.

Nach dem Willen seines Vaters soll Robinson Crusoe einen anständigen Beruf erlernen und ein geruhsames Leben führen. Den Jungen aber zieht es, auf der Suche nach Geld und Abenteuern, in die weite Welt hinaus. Das anfängliche Glück jedoch verlässt ihn bald und er strandet als einziger Überlebender seines Schiffes auf einer Insel fernab der Zivilisation. Mit nichts als einer Hängematte und etwas Werkzeug ausgerüstet, muss er sich in der Wildnis eine neue Existenz schaffen.

Moll hones her ability to convince men that she's a wealthy widow, although throughout the course of the novel, her finances take many a dip, especially after she moves to America like her mother. While there, she continuously tries to evade the law and the harsh sentences that come with some of her money-related crimes and later decides to move back to England after getting her hands on the inheritance money that her mother left her.

Originariamente incluso in "The History And Reality Of Apparitions" (1727), "Il fantasma accusatore" riporta un avvenimento bizzarro, della cui veridicità nemmeno Defoe è sicuro. In occasione di un processo per omicidio, l’imputato - che sembrerebbe sul punto di venire assolto per mancanza di prove - assiste d'improvviso ad un’apparizione inquietante, che lo costringerà a confessare il misfatto.

Questo breve racconto, pubblicato originariamente in "The History And Reality Of Apparitions" (1727), trasmette la memoria di un fatto inquietante, avvenuto ai tempi della Prima Rivoluzione Inglese (1642-1651). Protagonista della vicenda sarebbe stato il celebre bandito James Hind, artefice di molte rapine nello Huntingdonshire. Nel tentativo di rapinare quello che all’apparenza sembrerebbe un mite allevatore di campagna, Hind si ritrova infatti di fronte ad una figura infernale, che sembrerebbe preannunciargli la sua imminente morte.

Launceston, 1665. Il Reverendo Ruddle, dopo aver pronunciato un toccante sermone al funerale del giovane John Elliot, è invitato da un nobiluomo a risolvere le turbe psichiche del figlio, convinto di essere perseguitato da una donna defunta. Inizialmente scettico, l'uomo dovrà poi ricredersi, di fronte alla visione, fatta in prima persona, del fantasma di Dorothy Dingle... Daniel Defoe, pur non considerandosi un credulone, riporta la storia così comi gli è stata raccontata, proponendo anche delle spiegazioni razionali.

Daniel Defoe, grande appassionato di misteri, ci racconta qui di un evento apparentemente sovrannaturale, che avrebbe avuto per protagonista una coppia inglese. Il marito, patologicamente geloso, perseguita la moglie con offese e percosse, esasperando lei, i famigliari e gli amici che desidererebbero per loro un po' di pace.