With a page-length title promising thrilling adventures in exotic locations,
Captain Singletonis 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 Sinnersand
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 26 November 2024.]