Robinson As A Colonial Text

Sen- 1
Name: Priyanjali Sen

University Reg. No.- 013-1211-0125-19
University Roll No.- 192013-11-0050
Paper Name:- ENGA
Paper Code:- CC8
Semester :- 4
Date:- 19.07.2021
Title: Robinson Crusoe as A Colonial text
Daniel Defoe’s world class masterpiece Robinson Crusoe is a powerful adventure story
of a seafaring person. The book tells the tale of a marooned individual who through relentless
efforts builds his own empire in a deserted island. But it is not an adventure story only, it can be
read at multiple levels.
That Robinson Crusoe features a British trader as the hero and the novel is set on a
distant Caribbean island cries out for interpretation of the text in the colonial contexts. On the
surface, the novel is a powerful adventure story which deals with the fortune of a strong-willed
and shipwrecked man and his subsequent struggle for survival in a deserted island. But on
another level, the book can be interpreted as an allegorical journey to imperialism. In fact,
Robinson Crusoe is commonly regarded as the prototypical colonial novel of the eighteenth
century. Critics have printed out colonial elements in the book. In this regard, Edward Said's
comment is noteworthy; he says that Robinson Crusoe is “a work whose protagonist is the
founder of a new world, which he rules and reclaims for Christianity and England”.
Colonialism is one of the important aspects of the novel “ Robinson Crusoe". The
adventure story of the book is related in a realist way. Robinson Crusoe and his life story are at
the core of Defoe’s novel. Ian Watt in his book The Rise of The Novel identifies Robinson
Crusoe as the first novel precisely because of the detailed attention, Defoe gives an “ordinary”
individual. The story apparently is an ordinary one. Crusoe’s journey begins on precarious
grounds— he is nearly swallowed by a storm, enslaved by Moors, and shipwrecked on an
uninhabited island frequented by Cannibals and located in the middle of the Spanish himself over
land and people. In short, the colonial setting facilitates Crusoe’s individualism as he comes to
recognize the unique place he occupies as a British protestant in a world in which he is
surrounded by religious and cultural others.
Brett C. Melnelley comments that “Robinson Crusoe stands as an allegory or figure of

colonialism. Defoe transforms colonialism through the power of fictional representation into the
adventures of a single man who masters an island, his native companion, and himself. His formal
realism works to enfold the myths of psychological and economic self-sufficiency in a texture of
convincing detail. As we read the novel, its protagonist, Crusoe gradually unfolds to us as a
prototype colonizer. After being stranded in a deserted island. Crusoe through relentless efforts
establishes his own empire. In the novel, Crusoe takes on significance as a character because he
stands as a stable and coherent subject in the wake of an expanding empire. He possesses the
mindset of a colonizer. He is a fighter who struggles hard to establish his self importance and
dominance. On the island, Crusoe constantly faces physical peril, both real and imagined. He
finds himself in a landscape that could easily overpower him. But Crusoe responds positively to
confirm his self importance. Crusoe imagines himself “ Lord of the whole Mannor or if I
Sen- 2
pleased. I might call myself King, or Emperor over the whole Country which I had possession
of". Instead of shrinking in terror in an Allen environment Crusoe imagines himself in grandiose
terms — as a “King, or Emperor”. This shows that Crusoe saw himself as the founder of this
island; and according to law in the eighteenth century. Islands of the sea belonged to the first
inhabitant. As the book progresses it is obvious that Crusoe starts to think of himself as the
absolute ruler of lawmaker of the island.
Crusoe refashions himself and the island. His way of establishing gradual control over the island
and his treatment of Friday make him an archetype of colonization. Crusoe not only takes
physical control of things but he also confirms linguistic and cultural dominance too. He makes
law for the island, gives names to different places and things on the island and by doing so he
both creates and assumes control over his island home “By renaming (Friday)”, Novak states in
his article “Friday: or the Power of Naming”, “Crusoe assumes possession of him in the same
way that Columbus assumed possession of the land by his namings".
Like an ideal colonizer Crusoe establishes his cultural dominance on the island too. He
establishes the supremacy of his religion. Though the sincerity of Crusoe’s conversion and his
religious commitment have been debated by critics, in Robinson Crusoe Defoe creates a
Protestant who is tolerant, committed to essential practices, keenly evaluative of his own
behavior in relation to his religion, intensely personal in his encounter with God ,and committed
through acts of interpretation to seeing God’s hand in everything. In the novel Crusoe develops a
complex relationship with Friday his friend Friday willingly submit to Robinson’s orders in
gratitude for having being rescued. Friday voluntarily accepts a lifelong servitude under a mutual
verbal Agreement Indeed. Robinson exercises total authority on Friday who must obey and be
useful to his master. Regarding Friday, Crusoe comments, “I was greatly delighted with him,and
made it my business to teach him everything that was proper to make him useful, handy and
helpful, but especially to make him speak, and understand me when I spoke.” It reveals Crusoe’s
objective of teaching Friday English language. Western habits and the new name of Friday with
which the savage is reborn are obvious attempts for establishing cultural and linguistic
dominance. Friday’s conversion to Christianity is another important aspect of colonization. The
rescue of Friday, a “wild creature” supposes to undertake a religious conversion and to educate
him into civilized habits. The event further reinforces the theme of colonialism in the novel.

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Sen- 1

Name: Priyanjali Sen

Brett C. Melnelley comments that “Robinson Crusoe stands as an allegory or figure of

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