The True-Born Englishman

poem by Defoe

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July 14, 2026

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The True-Born Englishman is a satirical poem by Daniel Defoe, published in 1701. The poem critiques the concept of racial purity and national identity, arguing that England is a nation of mixed heritage, formed from various immigrant groups. Defoe uses wit and irony to expose the fallacies of racial prejudice and to assert that the English people are a composite of many ancestries, rather than a single "true-born" race. The work was immensely popular and contributed to Defoe's reputation as a writer and social commentator.12

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Daniel Defoe
Mature life and works.
…his vigorous and witty poem The True-Born Englishman, an enormously popular work that is still very readable and relevant in its exposure of the fallacies of racial prejudice. Defoe was clearly proud of this work, because he sometimes designated himself “Author of ‘The True-Born Englishman’” in later works.
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…his vigorous and witty poem The True-Born Englishman, an enormously popular work that is still very readable and relevant in its exposure of the fallacies of racial prejudice. Defoe was clearly proud of this work, because he sometimes designated himself “Author of ‘The True-Born Englishman’” in later works.
Read More