The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern

In Two Parts

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Pages: 250

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About this book

Blaming the Devil becomes a way of examining human responsibility in Daniel Defoe's religious satire. His prose account follows Satan from his fall from heaven to his dealings with people, then turns to his supposed appearances, agents and methods. Along the way, Defoe disputes Milton's account and considers witches, oracles and fortune tellers. The preface explains why a serious religious purpose can include laughter at its subject.

Everyday explanations for unusual places receive the same questioning treatment. Stories about Stonehenge, an ancient ditch and a cathedral make the Devil responsible for things people cannot readily explain. Defoe also turns inward, discussing envy, malice and the appeal of revenge as habits of the human mind. For readers interested in the connection between belief and moral judgment, the book offers a sustained argument about how readily people assign their own faults to an outside power.

About the author

Daniel Defoe

Four books here, and only two of them were signed. Robinson Crusoe appeared in 1719 as the account of a mariner of York, written by himself, and readers took that literally for a while.