Colonialism in Robinson Crusoe by Defoe

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. Brett C. Mcinelly comments in this
regard:
“Spatially, Robinson Crusoe illustrates that the vastness of the globe can bring a corresponding enlargement,
rather than shrinking, of the venturing self and can produce close self-reflection of a kind not easy to achieve in
“civilized” society. Religiously, the novel demonstrates that a spiritual awakening can take place in isolation from
society and can be crystallized when an Englishman subordinates and converts a non-European Other.
Economically, Defoe’s novel functions as an argument for the expansion of trade. And psychologically, Robinson
Crusoe shows that relations with an a lien Other can hone an ego that can master both its own selfhood and the
destiny of others.”
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 pointed 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 Empire–Crusoe gradually learns how to assert 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. Mclnelly 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
control over the island and thus shapes 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. Surveying his circumstances on the island,
Crusoe imagines himself “Lord of the whole Mannor; or if I pleas’d, I might call myself King, or Emperor over
the whole Country which I had possession of”. Instead of shrinking in terror in an alien 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 i of the sea belonged to the first inhabitant. As
the book progresses it s obvious that Crusoe starts to think of himself as the absolute ruler or 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 laws 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 find Friday willingly submits 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.
Robinson Crusoe is more than just a story about a man shipwrecked on an island. The island is only a paradoxical
place, because it simultaneously becomes a heaven and a threat. It will overwhelm and conquer Crusoe if he does
not make it his paradise. It depicts a man’s journey of Christianity and how his faith gives him a sense of power
which he pushes upon others. Simultaneously, the novel does not only portray the allegorical journey of spiritual
development, it also portrays categorically Crusoe’s allegorical journey to colonialism. The novel shows that Crusoe
by mastering his own self masters his destiny; by mastering his destiny he masters others; and by mastering these he
masters the economic contingencies of life.

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Daniel Defoe’s world-class masterpiece Robinson Crusoe is a powerful adventure story of a seafaring person.

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