Daniel Defoe, The Life, Adventures and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton

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With a page-length title promising thrilling adventures in exotic locations,

Captain Singleton

is often viewed as an attempt by Defoe to capitalize upon the success achieved by

Robinson Crusoe

,

which had been published a year earlier and had already merited a sequel. The novel comprises two distinct halves, the first recording an arduous but ultimately profitable journey across Africa, and the second tracing the titular hero's successful career as a pirate through to his reformation and retirement to England. Like

Crusoe

, the novel is indebted to the nonconformist tradition of spiritual autobiography, epitomised by Bunyan's

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners

and

The Pilgrim's Progress

, where the focus is on an embattled individual seeking salvation in a hostile environment. The hero…

1950 words

Citation: Seager, Nicholas. "The Life, Adventures and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 February 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=366, accessed 19 March 2024.]

366 The Life, Adventures and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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