This was likely due to several factors:
* His controversial writing: Defoe was a political commentator and journalist, often writing in favor of the Whig party and against the reigning monarch. This made him a target of the authorities and led to him being imprisoned and fined.
* His anonymity: Many of Defoe's works were published anonymously, making it difficult to attribute specific successes to him.
* The evolution of literary awards: The concept of literary prizes as we know them today was not well-established during Defoe's time.
While Defoe's work wasn't publicly recognized with awards during his life, his legacy as a pioneering novelist and journalist has ensured his place in literary history. His novels like *Robinson Crusoe* and *Moll Flanders* continue to be studied and celebrated centuries later.