Atalantis Major

Atalantis Major by Daniel Defoe throws a razor-sharp light on the factional turmoil of early 18th-century Britain, mixing allegory and satire to expose the mechanics of power and patronage. Defoe’s brisk, polemical prose targets the November 1710 election of the representative Scottish peers and the wider political fallout from the Tory landslide, offering a vivid window into the era’s court intrigues, party rivalries, and public discontent over the protracted war with France. Part political tract, part historical snapshot, Atalantis Major unpacks themes of corruption, influence, and the shifting loyalties around Queen Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, and the embattled Whig ministry of Sidney Godolphin. Defoe’s allegorical characters stand for real players and events, making the work an incisive piece of political commentary as well as a valuable primary source for historians. The tone ranges from satirical bite to documentary clarity, situating the pamphlet within the charged context of 1710’s electoral politics. Ideal for listeners of politics and history, students of early modern Britain, and anyone who appreciates sharp political satire, this audiobook illuminates the origins of modern party conflict and the art of persuasive political writing.