Robinson Crusoe - Edited with an Introduction by Thomas Keymer

Oct 5, 2026

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Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is presented in the Oxford World’s Classics edition, with editorial material by Thomas Keymer and James Kelly. The introduction and notes contextualize Defoe’s life and literary career, including his early works, political writings, and the publication timeline of Crusoe’s parts. The volume situates the novel within the wider scope of world literature, emphasizing scholarship, reliable texts, and essential background designed for readers’ evolving needs. Publication, copyright, cataloging, and ISBN details are included.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages362

Reading Time9 h 17 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Note on the Text

Select B

􀀁􀀂􀀃􀀁􀀄􀀅 􀀆􀀁􀀄􀀇􀀅 ’ 􀀈 􀀉􀀇􀀊􀀈􀀈􀀋􀀉􀀈 ROBINSON CRUSOE D􀀊􀀌􀀋􀀍􀀇 D􀀍􀀃􀀁􀀍 (􀀎􀀏􀀏􀀐–􀀎􀀑􀀒􀀎) was born in London, the third child of James Foe, a tallow chandler, and his wife Alice. He attended Charles Morton’s dissenting academy in Newington Green before establishing himself as a hosier and general merchant in Cornhill, and married Mary Tuﬄey in 􀀎􀀏􀀔􀀕 . A year later he joined the Duke of Monmouth’s disastrous rebellion against James II, and was lucky to escape the ‘Bloody Assizes’ following Monmouth’s defeat at Sedgemoor. Persistent overinvestment precipitated his bankruptcy in 􀀎􀀏􀀖􀀗 , after which he turned to writing. Defoe’s ﬁrst great success came with his satirical poem The TrueBorn Englishman (􀀎􀀑􀀐􀀎) . The Shortest Way with the Dissenters (􀀎􀀑􀀐􀀗), an audacious parody of High Anglican extremism, brought him a charge of seditious libel and he was brieﬂy imprisoned. Defoe was employed by successive ministries as a polemicist until about 􀀎􀀑􀀎􀀑 , and continued to write proliﬁcally thereafter in a range of ﬁelds including politics, economics, and religion. Between 􀀎􀀑􀀎􀀖 and 􀀎􀀑􀀗􀀕, Defoe produced the pioneering ﬁctional narratives on which his reputation has come to rest. The ﬁrst part of Robinson Crusoe was published on 􀀗􀀘 April 􀀎􀀑􀀎􀀖 , with a sequel in August. A third part, Serious Reﬂections, followed in 􀀎􀀑􀀗􀀐 , in which year Memoirs of a Cavalier and Captain Singleton were also published. Moll Flanders, Colonel Jack, andA Journal of the Plague Year appeared in 􀀎􀀑􀀗􀀗 and Roxana in 􀀎􀀑􀀗􀀕, to be followed by further major works of non-ﬁction, including A Tour thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain (􀀎􀀑􀀗􀀕–􀀏) and The Complete English Tradesman (􀀎􀀑􀀗􀀘–􀀑) . Defoe died following a stroke on 􀀗􀀕 April 􀀎􀀑􀀒􀀎 while in hiding from a persistent creditor. He is buried in Bunhill Fields. T􀀙􀀁􀀚􀀊􀀈 K􀀍􀀛􀀚􀀍􀀄 is Chancellor Jackman Professor of English atthe University of Toronto and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne’s College, Oxford. His books include Richardson’s Clarissa and the Eighteenth-Century Reader (Cambridge, 􀀎􀀖􀀖􀀗), Sterne, the Moderns, and the Novel (Oxford, 􀀗􀀐􀀐􀀗), and The Cambridge Companion to English Literature from 􀀁􀀂􀀃􀀄 to 􀀁􀀅􀀆􀀄 , co-edited with Jon Mee (Cambridge, 􀀗􀀐􀀐􀀕) . J􀀊􀀚􀀍􀀈 K􀀍􀀇􀀇􀀛 has published widely on Defoe, voyage narrative, and related topics, and serves as a council member of the Hakluyt Society. He is Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in English at Worcester College, Oxford. 􀀁􀀂􀀃􀀁􀀄􀀅 􀀆􀀁􀀄􀀇􀀅 ’􀀈 􀀉􀀇􀀊􀀈􀀈􀀋􀀉􀀈 For over 􀀁􀀄􀀄 years Oxford World’s Classics have brought readers closer to the world’s great literature. Now with over 􀀂􀀄􀀄 titles––from the 􀀃,􀀄􀀄􀀄-year-old myths of Mesopotamia to the twentieth century’s greatest novels––the series makes available lesser-known as well as celebrated writing. The pocket-sized hardbacks of the early years contained introductions by Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot, Graham Greene, and other literary ﬁgures which enriched the experience of reading. Today the series is recognized for its ﬁne scholarship and reliability in texts that span world literature, drama and poetry, religion, philosophy and politics. Each edition includes perceptive commentary and essential background information to meet the changing needs of readers. OXFORD WORLD’S CLASSICS DANIEL DEFOE Robinson Crusoe Edited with an Introduction by THOMAS KEYMER and Notes by THOMAS KEYMER and JAMES KELLY 1 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford 􀀁􀀂􀀗 􀀏􀀅􀀜 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With oﬃces in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in cer

FAQs

Who are the editors and what roles do they have in this edition?

The edition is edited with an introduction by Thomas Keymer, with notes by Thomas Keymer and James Kelly. Editorial material is attributed to both Keymer and Kelly.

How does the introduction relate Defoe’s life to Robinson Crusoe?

The text summarizes Defoe’s background, career, and major early successes, then highlights the period when he produced the fictional narratives that established his reputation. It includes the publication timing of Crusoe’s parts.

What additional information is included to support readers in this Oxford World’s Classics volume?

Each edition includes perceptive commentary and essential background information, alongside a structured introduction and a note on the text. The front matter also contains publication and cataloging details.

Oct 5, 2026

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