Name: - Yesha Bhatt M.
Course: - M.A. English
Semester: - 1
Batch: - 2015-2017
Enrolment no: - PG15101003
Submitted to: - Smt. S.B.Gardi Dept. of English MKBU
Email id: - yeshab68@gmail.com
Paper no: - 2 Neo classical Literature
Topic: - Themes of the novel Robinson
Crusoe
Themes
of Robinson Crusoe
1) The Ambivalence of Mastery: -
In the journey of Crusoe, he has perfectly
handled all the situations with his excellence of being a leader; a master.
From the beginning of his adventure to the end he has shown his great control on
the minds of others. We can find his this excellence with his different
encounters with the animals and people. On island his domestication of wild
goats and parrots and his control over this animals is good. He also became,
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But early in the novel he blames himself for
disobeying his father, and after the arrival of Friday in the novel, the idea
of mastery becomes more applicable. When Crusoe teaches the first to Friday, it
was Master even before teaching him
‘yes’ or ‘no’. Further he refers himself as ‘king’ over the natives and Europeans.
2) The Importance of
Self-awareness:-
When Crusoe arrived at island, and after being
there for many days, he was totally aware with himself, he was totally out of
the social world, though he has made his own place on island. It was the only
reason of his survival on island. He has made notes on the days which he had
spent on that island. The autobiographical calendar was the most important
thing which shows his self awareness. He also keeps a journal to record his
daily activities. He feels the importance of being aware of himself. Crusoe also
shows his self-awareness by teaching a parrot... “Poor... Robinson Crusoe...”
Crusoe was connecting his self with nature. Even when he was with Friday, at
that time also he was aware with his superiority and how to deal with Friday.
Crusoe has converted a nature and animals as per his command and controlled
over them. Thus the self awareness is the only reason of him to survive on
island.
3) The Necessity of Repentance:-
The necessity of repentance is also an important
part of life. Robinson Crusoe has that sense of being moral. It gives the
lesson of repent on sins or bad deeds. Crusoe has many time prayed God and
believes in the miracles of God, when his grain sprouts, he prayed god. Crusoe
believes in repentance and as per him, the major sin was his rebellion toward
his father. And he refers it
“The Original Sin”
As per Crusoe’s point of view, repentance needs the
knowledge of good and evil, and one should always obey and depend on the lord.
When he realized his sin he started repenting. While he was not aware of his
sin, he was continuously complaining about his fate, but after the act of
repentance, he felt good and relieved. And stated living on island with
positive attitude, and happiness. The theme of repentance is more powerful than
the others because it has given self awareness to Crusoe, and that feeling of being
aware of his sins and the thought of repent on it and applying it has improved
the character of Crusoe, and given him the right path towards his life and the
difference between good and bad deeds what he has done. This was a “turning
point” in Crusoe life. The rise of his character has begun from his act of
repentance, and be aware of its necessity because of his guilt in his heart. He
was feeling guilty but was not aware with the sense of guilt, and when he got
the sense, he repents and successfully carried himself out of that guilt. Thus
the original character of Crusoe has come into light.
4) Courage and
Determination:-
Crusoe’s parents want him to become a respectable
lawyer in society but his own wish was to become a sailor, his courage against
his father’s wish and he left his home without his father’s permission and went
for sailing shows his great courage towards life. He has a confidence on his
courage and believing on self was his power, he has that courage to follow his
heart and his strong will power always supports him to go on his way.
He shows great courage when he escapes from his
Turkish master and also ensures that he has guns and food before he escapes.
When Crusoe overcomes great obstacles to survive he did not waited for rescue,
but he was able to build houses, and he has built two houses for his and also
planted enough food for him and his companions. He struggled alone in every situation
and was successful to get the positive result. He also proved his self
courageous when he fought with cannibals, and saved the lives of Friday,
Friday’s father and the Spaniard.
He has determination toward his every goal. From
leaving house to fights with men eaters was not easy task, but with his
courageous nature and determination to solve problems and fight back, he has
successfully passed all his adventures.
5) A Business Man:-
When Crusoe started his life in Brazil, he there
found that people are making money off plantation, so he started making friends
and make them his business partners. They were wealthy and so they decided to
start a trading business. Crusoe was self made man. Whether he is working on
ship or managing his plantations, he is pushing himself by pure concentration
toward his work. He has that business man’s mind and frank nature to make
friends so he got success.
Ø
Minor Themes-
§
Rebellious Youth:-
Crusoe has rebel against his father because his
father want him to become lawyer but his fascinations towards ships and sailing
made him rebel against his father. Crusoe’s brothers were in the sailing
business but that was not the reason for Crusoe to get that dream of being
sailing but it was all about his fascination towards the adventurous life.
Further he left his house with disobedient his father, and went for his
adventurous life. But further his rebellion was failed at some or the other
point and his rebellion converted into foolishness as his ship then attacked by
Turkish pirates and Crusoe is enslaved for two years.
§
Power and Control:-
Crusoe has that power of mastery and control over
all the things, as he controlled over all the situations and the problem he has
faced. He has controlled over men eater cannibals and then saved the colonized
people also. He has lived on the island for 28 years and survived perfectly
with adjusting himself with nature and adjusting nature as per himself. He has
made that island as his comfortable home, and also control over nature there.
When he saved Friday from cannibals, Friday was ready to become his slave and
Crusoe accepted him and teaches him English religious beliefs. Crusoe has soon become
as the lord of island. He was able to make peace between Spanish and English
living on the island. He divided the island in two groups and ruled over them.
§
Good Versus Evil:-
Crusoe has strong belief in God, and it can be
shown by him in different incidence of novel. Crusoe has encountered so many
difficulties in his adventures. And he always has hope on even alone and
deserted island. His faith on positivity sustains him through the many trials
in life keeps him going. Crusoe says,
‘All... god for an answer’
Crusoe’s strong belief in God is also seen when
he teaches Friday about the goodness of power that comes with having
“Faith in God”
Crusoe has got triumphs over evil when he helps
Friday to escape from the cannibals.
§
Friendship and Loyalty:-
Every human needs company and good relations in
his life, and Crusoe was also one of them but though he lived there for
twenty-eight years. When Crusoe runs away to London, he makes friends with a
ship’s captain who grows to like and trust him. He teaches him mathematics and
navigation until Crusoe becomes a good sailor. Crusoe has good command of his
language and making friends. He was friendly and sociable person. The captain
invites Crusoe to go with him to Guinea, thus starling Crusoe’s involvement in business
and sailing. Crusoe has also made many friends while farming in Brazil. When
Crusoe gets shipwrecked on the island he was desolate and miserable.
While living on the island, he also made
friendship with animals and stayed in the company with them. No doubt he
controlled over nature but with positive attitude and not with superiority and
violence. Crusoe has stayed with two dogs also take care of Goats and trained a
parrot to call him,
“Poor... Robinson Crusoe...”
As he has faith in nature and he made nature
calling his name.
Crusoe has a loyalty toward his every relation
and when he makes friends he stays loyal with his relationships. Even with
animals he behaves with frank nature, and also with his relation with Friday. Crusoe
realizes his mistake and behave with him as friend. Thus he has not proved
loyal in every relation as far as his family and his father is concern.
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