Defoe was a dude with many talents. He was a writer, a businessman, and even a straight-up spy at one point. Given how busy he was, it's pretty incredible that, by the time he died in in 1731, he had left behind hundreds of written works: novels, poems, political pamphlets—you name it.

He also had some run-ins with the law. That's because he was a religious dissenter—he didn't subscribe to the doctrines of the Church of England—and this was totally not cool with the authorities. Once, Defoe was actually sentenced to three days in the pillory. Yeah, they totally still used pillories back in those days.

And no, being pilloried sure didn't make Defoe start seeing eye-to-eye with the authorities.

The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner

This work is often taken to mark the beginning of the English novel. It's told by Crusoe, who recounts his years of shipwreck on an island, where he befriends a native of the island called Friday.

The book was a big hit when it was published, and because it was published under the name of Robinson Crusoe, a lot of people actually believed that Crusoe was a real person recounting true events. That's how realistic the book seemed.

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

Don't you love how many Fs are in the title of this novel? Talk about alliteration.

The novel tells the life story of Moll Flanders, who spent a bunch of years as a prostitute, had a bunch of husbands, and spent a bunch of time in prison in Virginia, among other things.

The book is a novel, but it's also social commentary. It deals with themes including poverty, class relations, and gender issues. It's also written in that realistic style Defoe is so famous for, making a big 18th-century innovation to boot.

Shmoops:

Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is not only one of the first novels ever written, it's also a great adventure story about a shipwreck. Check out these quotations depicting Crusoe facing the terrors of the natural world.

Defoe was into commenting on social and political issues, like crime, in his work. For example, see how he tackles the theme of criminality in his novel Moll Flanders.