Topic: Robinson Crusoe as a moral tale

Name: Jinal Parmar B.

Roll no.:16

Sem.:1 M.A.

Paper no.:2- The Neo-Classical Literature

Submitted to: Smt. S. B. Gardi

Department of English

M. K. Bhavnagar University

Introduction of Daniel Defoe:--

                  Daniel Defoe was born in London, in the year 1660.He was a writer, Journalist, English trader, pamphleteer and spy. He was considered to be a founder of the English novel. He was very famous writer and known for his best novel “Robinson Crusoe”.

               Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1719.The book is a fictional autobiography of the title character, an English castaway, who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island. This novel “Robinson Crusoe” is based on fact, A man by the name of Alexander Selkirk spent many years upon a lonely island before returning home to Scotland. Robinson Crusoe was well received in the literary work and is often credited as marking the beginning of realistic fiction as a literary genre.

Robinson Crusoe as a moral tale:--

                 The novel Robinson Crusoe called the original adventure novel. It is the first person narrative of fictionalized character. This novel also deals with the theme of morality. This novel contain many moral values and teach us morality from the character of Crusoe.

Didacticism:--

“Didacticism is a philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative in literature and other types of art. The term has its origin in the Ancient Greek word ‘didaktikos’, “related to education and teaching” and signified learning in a fascinating and intriguing manner.”

                  In this novel Crusoe is the central character. Robinson Crusoe is a novel with a deep moral aspect. Defoe introduces his novel as an adventure story, but he highlights the moral value more than the adventure story. He aims to teach the reader the importance of reason through the disobedience, punishment and repentance of Crusoe. Crusoe’s shift from disobedience to obedience shows everyman’s journey from suffering to God’s grace and mercy. This moral theme is built gradually throughout the life and experience of this protagonist Crusoe.

              During Crusoe’s entire journey from his home to deserted island in which he passes through many problems, but he faces his problems very positively. Which we can learn as moral aspect of the novel:

Hard-working:--

Work hard is very important in our life, it makes us very disciplined and successful in life. In Robinson Crusoe the character of Crusoe is one of the example of a hard working man. He is characterize as a very hard working man, who is fearless and positive. Instead of complaining about his fate, he looks at the situation and does what is needed to make the situation better. For example,

He salvages useful items from the sinking ship, makes a canoe and safe shelters for himself, and hunt for food. He creates a comfortable life for himself and is able to survive on the island for twenty-eight years.

Gratitude:--

Gratitude is one of the moral value in the novel. Crusoe protects Friday from the cannibals and saved his life. Friday is dedicated to Crusoe and also thankful, the man who saves him from being eaten by the cannibals. The second English ship’s captain is grateful to Crusoe for rescuing him from the mutineers. Gratitude is one of the moral aspect in the novel that how Crusoe helps to the other people.

Loyalty and Friendship:--

Loyalty and Friendship are the moral aspest in the novel. Human need friendship and good relationship with others. In the novel there are some example of Loyalty and Friendship. When Crusoe runs away to London, he makes friends with a ship’s captain who grows to like and trust him. He teaches Crusoe mathematics and navigation until Crusoe becomes a good sailor. Crusoe is a friendly and sociable person.

                When Crusoe gets shipwrecked on the island he is desolate and miserable. Deprived of human company, he finds comfort and companionship with two dogs he rescues from the shipwreck, the parrot and the cats. During his twenty-eight years on the island, he manages to save a savage from a group of cannibals who land on the island. Friday is so grateful that he wants to Crusoe’s slave. However, Crusoe prefers him to be a friend. Crusoe teaches him to eat animal flesh, speak English and share his religious beliefs. Friday becomes his faithful companion and friend. Crusoe also becomes a friend to the Spanish and English mutineers who were left on the island. He solves their dispute and helps them to form friendships with each other.

                This is how in Crusoe’s entire journey he mets the various people. He is loyal to them some of the people.

Relationship with Nature:--

In this novel Crusoe is much connected with because he has spent twenty-eight years in lonely island. Humana are part of Nature and therefore should live and work harmony with Nature. Crusoe is a man at peace with Nature. He loves the sea and the outdoors, so when he is marooned on the island and finds himself alone with only Nature as his companion, he adapts easily. He is quick to use things from Nature to help him survive. He uses the trees and plants to build himself a canoe and homes, and to provide him with food Crusoe has a very deep relationship with Nature.

Faith in God:--

In Robinson Crusoe Defoe has a gradual moral approach. At first he is not a religious man but with some thinking of his existence on that island he begins to think himself as a chosen one. He is the only one who survived that is why being alone and special is the key of finding God in that sense. Being a chosen one is a puritanist approach so Defoe reflects his puritanist ideas by mentioning this. Crusoe has great faith in God. He does not give up hope when he is shipwrecked and finds himself all alone on a deserted island. His faith that God will sustain him through the many trials in life keeps him going. Crusoe says, “All… God for an answer.” Crusoe’s story belief in God is also seen when he teaches Friday about the goodness and power that comes with having faith in God. After passing twenty-eight years in island Crusoe get back to the home.

“Thus I left the island on the 19^th of December in the year 1686. It was the same day of the month that I made my first escape from the Moors of sale many years ago. The ship reached England after a long voyage on the 11^th of June 1687. By the grace of God I was home once more after thirty-five years.”

Conclusion:--

Robinson Crusoe is a moral story more than adventure story. Defoe introduces a character of Crusoe who has positivity of mind. Who teach us some moral value from the novel. Through Crusoe’s character we learn many moral lessons. So, it is a novel about moral aspect. So, we easily can believes that this novel ‘Robinson Crusoe as a moral tale’.