Plot, Fable, and the Novel: Intrigue and Early English Fiction.

This article examines seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century fiction through the period's concept of "fable," a broader narrative structure distinct from "plot," which was closely associated with intrigue and resolution. It argues that works often labeled as "proto-novels," such as Aphra Behn's *Oroonoko* (1688), Daniel Defoe's *Robinson Crusoe* (1719), and Eliza Haywood's *Love in Excess* (1719), prioritize fable over plot, resulting in narratives that encompass multiple subplots and thematic elements rather than a single, unified intrigue. The article highlights historical definitions and critical discussions of fable and plot, showing that early fiction did not necessarily aim to emulate the realist novel form that emerged later but instead explored alternative narrative frameworks. Understanding these works as fables rather than incomplete novels offers a new perspective on their structure and literary aims within early modern narrative experimentation.