(1724) is generally considered the last of the novels that Defoe wrote in the five-year period of his career devoted primarily to fiction. It is worth noting, however, that it is not entirely clear that the

is actually by Defoe. The text was first attributed to him more than fifty years after his death, and was promoted as one of Defoe’s works by the bookseller Francis Noble (active 1737-92), who may not have been an entirely reliable source—certainly he was not a disinterested one. Likewise, some readers might have reservations about calling the book a “novel”, as it does not really display many of the literary qualities generally associated with realist fiction: its characters do not show any convincing psychological depth (indeed, they…

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Citation: Pauley, Benjamin. "A New Voyage round the World By a Course Never Sailed Before". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 October 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=28805, accessed 25 November 2024.]

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