U NET : NET SET PHD EXAM

  The First Novel in English? What was the first novel in English? This seemingly simple question has no universally accepted answer. Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (1719) is traditionally regarded as the first English novel, but several earlier works have been proposed as candidates. The disagreement exists because the definition of a “novel” has changed over time. Depending on whether we emphasize length, prose, realism, originality, narrative unity, or psychological characterization, different works can claim a place in the history of the English novel. This article examines the major candidates and explains why Chaucer, Malory, Aphra Behn, Defoe, and Samuel Richardson are all important to the story. What Is Considered the First Novel in English? The most commonly accepted answer is: ** Robinson Crusoe (1719) by Daniel Defoe** However, this does not mean that no English prose fiction existed before 1719. Numerous earlier works contained features that we now associat...