The Religious Allegory of Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe

The theme of Colonization in
Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe
-Anjan Behera
Tetso College, Dimapur
abehera@tetsocollege.org
akbehera@msn.com
1

What is colonization?
 Colonization is an ongoing process of
control by which a central system of
power (e.g., England) dominates the
other lands (e.g., India) and its
components (people, culture, fashion,
etc.).
 The establishment, maintenance,
acquisition and expansion of colonies in
one territory by people from another
akbehera@msn.com
2

Elements of Colonization
 Colonizer
◦ Absolute control over the land acquired.
Faces displacement.
 Colonized
◦ Submits to the colonizer after initial
protest. Let’s go of own indigenous
practices.
 Creation of a subaltern
◦ The colonized thereby accepts the
colonizer’s authority.
akbehera@msn.com
3

 Formation of a cultural
hierarchy/hegemony
◦ The colonizer teaches the
colonized that his culture
is more superior. Utter
disregard for the culture
of the subaltern.
 The native land is
changed as per the
colonizer’s wishes.
◦ Plantations, dams,
displacement.
The English encounter the
natives of America
akbehera@msn.com
4

 The colonizer may
introduce
plantations/industries but
the colonized is generally
just an employee.
 The colonizer enforces the
following on the colonized-
◦ Religion (Christianity on the
Nagas)
◦ Western clothes (shirts,
pants)
Gloria Tep, a Naga
model, in a gown for
Vogue India
akbehera@msn.com
5

Is Crusoe a colonizer? YES!
 Crusoe lands on an island.
Names it the ‘Island of
Despair’ – same way the
Britishers named our state
‘Nagaland’ and our country
‘India’.
 Comes by sea – the way
most colonizers travelled to
other lands.
 Starts cultivating – uses the
natural resources of the
island for his own advantage.
(colonizes the island- builds
Crusoe walks
along the beach-
Children’s Classic
1974
akbehera@msn.com
6

Enter the Subaltern - Friday
 After Crusoe had saved Friday, he “laid
his head upon the ground, and taking me
by the foot, set my foot upon his head”
 Crusoe names him ‘Friday’ without even
asking what his name is.
 Friday is a described as a “savage”.
◦ In colonial ideology, the colonized is always
‘uncivilized’ with regards to the culture of the
colonizer, and needs to be taught the ‘right
culture’.
 Crusoe looks at the ways of the locals
distastefully (creation of cultural
hegemony).
akbehera@msn.com
7

 Crusoe teaches
Friday about
Christianity with the
intention of proving
his religion superior to
the savages’ religion.
 Crusoe instructs
Friday not to question
the English religion
but to simply follow it
fervently.
Delta Classic’s illustration
of Crusoe marking
notches on the cross in
the
‘Island of Despair’
akbehera@msn.com
8

 Crusoe teaches Friday English, but
makes no attempt to understand the
language of the natives (English is
superior).
 Crusoe teaches Friday how to eat “goat
meat”.
 Crusoe teaches Friday to dress like
him.
Crusoe basically strips Friday of his
identity as he makes him mimic the
European culture.
“…my man Friday accompanying me very
honestly in all these ramblings, and
proving a most faithful servant upon all
akbehera@msn.com
9

 Crusoe attempts to
create an ‘England’
in the ‘Island of
Despair’.
 Thus the novel is
full of colonial
motifs.
◦ Island of Despair-
Colonized colony
◦ Friday-
subaltern/colonized
◦ Crusoe- Colonizer
akbehera@msn.com
10

The theme of home-
economics in Defoe’s
Robinson Crusoe
-Anjan Behera
akbehera@msn.com
11

Defining economics
akbehera@msn.com
12

Elements of Economics in RC
 Crusoe is tempted to sail
partly to appease his spirit of
adventure and partly to earn
money (strengthen his
economic standing).
 Crusoe in due course
becomes wealthier than his
father (Brazilian Plantation).
 It becomes more of a
capitalist venture for him-
constant need for
improvement.
akbehera@msn.com
13

 Crusoe treats all
relationships in terms of
their commercial value:
◦ Xury – sold to earn money
◦ Portuguese Captain-
because he helps Crusoe
achieve economic success
(rescue + gifts)
◦ Friday- a slave (Crusoe
taught him basic language
to be able to command. At
no point does Crusoe take
suggestions from Friday)
akbehera@msn.com
14

 Increases production of
food on the island as
need be (esp after
Friday’s father and the
Spaniard decide to go
to the mainland).
 Removes obstacles to
production of food
(birds).
 Invests time, labour,
and resources on
securing a steady
production of food-
◦ Crops like grain, grapes
◦ Goats
akbehera@msn.com
15

Capitalism in RC
 Capitalism is an economic system
based on private ownership of the
means of production and their
operation for profit.
 Characteristics central to capitalism
include private property, capital
accumulation, wage labor, voluntary
exchange, a price system, and
competitive markets.
(Requires a step by step checking for
akbehera@msn.com
16

Private Property
 The ‘Island of Despair’ is
Robinson Crusoe’s
island for as long as he
wants to stay there.
 He does not pay taxes to
anyone.
 He controls production
and decides what to do
with the output without
any interference from
other bodies.
Crusoe salvages what he deems
important. He is in absolute
control.
akbehera@msn.com
17

Capital accumulation
 Capital accumulation is the dynamic that
motivates the pursuit of profit, involving
the investment of money or any financial
asset with the goal of increasing the
initial monetary value of said asset as a
financial return whether in the form of
profit, rent, interest, royalties or capital
gains.
 Robinson Crusoe is always looking out
for ways to improve his economic
standing (selling Xury, plantation in
Brazil, trip to buy slaves, etc)
akbehera@msn.com
18

Wage labour
 Wage labour is the
socioeconomic
relationship between a
worker and an employer,
where the worker sells
their labour under a
formal or informal
employment contract.
 Friday works for Crusoe.
◦ Payment- food and lessons
in English culture.
 Is Friday being exploited?
Probably!
akbehera@msn.com
19

Voluntary exchange
 Voluntary exchange is the act of
buyers and sellers freely and willingly
engaging in market transactions.
Moreover, transactions are made in
such a way that both the buyer and
the seller are better off after the
exchange than before it occurred.
 Crusoe sells Xury, thus improving his
position.
 Crusoe sets sail to buy slaves.
 Crusoe sells off his plantation.
akbehera@msn.com
20

 A price system, and competitive
market is absent in Robinson Crusoe
since the island is remote and as
such, devoid of a market with
competitors.
akbehera@msn.com
21

Capitalism in the novel
 Robinson Crusoe – Capitalist –
Bourgeois
 Friday – Worker – Proletariat
 Island of Despair – Provides the
capital (investment) in terms of natural
resources.
 Food, shelter, and clothing – Output
akbehera@msn.com
22

Robinson Crusoe as a
Religious Allegory
-Anjan Behera
akbehera@msn.com
23

Defining ‘allegory’
 Allegory is a form of extended
metaphor, in which objects, persons,
and actions in a narrative, are equated
with the meanings that lie outside the
narrative itself.
 Elements of a novel symbolise greater
meanings.
akbehera@msn.com
24

For example, lets take a look at
The Chronicles of Narnia: The
Lion, The Witch, and the
Wardrobe
 Novel first published in
1950.
 Set in the fictional
world of Narnia.
 Adapted into a film in
2005.
 It can be studied as a
religious allegory.
How? Lets find out!
akbehera@msn.com
25

Filled with Christian Themes
These four kids are referred to as ‘The Sons and Daughters
of Adam and Eve’ by the characters in the novel.
Direct reference to the Bible – these children represent
humanity.
akbehera@msn.com
26

Jadis tempts Edmund into bringing all of his siblings to her palace
of snow and thereby endangering their lives.
Jadis represents the Devil or Lucifer who tempts mankind to sin
and spend eternity in Hell.
akbehera@msn.com
27

Edmund does as told and is then captured by Jadis
and imprisoned.
Humanity is tempted by the Devil and is lost in sin.
akbehera@msn.com
28

The Pevensies ask Aslan to help them rescue
their brother Edmund from Jadis.
Aslan represents Jesus who must rescue
humanity from the Devil’s clutches.
akbehera@msn.com
29

Aslan’s forces rescue Edmund from Jadis and he is
forgiven for his sin of betrayal
Jesus rescues humanity from the Devil and forgives
humanity.
akbehera@msn.com
30

Jadis comes to demand for Edmund, says that
traitors belong to her. It’s trickery to get what she
wants.
akbehera@msn.com
31

Aslan submits himself to Jadis who kills him after
cutting off his mane. This is in exchange of Edmund’s
life.
Jesus allows himself to be arrested, and crucified,
after the Roman soldiers have stripped him of his
akbehera@msn.com
32

Susan and Lucy mourn Aslan’s death till
sunrise.
Mary Magdalene, Mary, and the disciples
mourned Christ’s death till Sunday morning
akbehera@msn.com
33

In the morning, there is an earthquake, the Stone Table
cracks and Aslan is ressurected.
In the morning hours, there is a huge earthquake, an
Angel of the Lord rolls over the Stone blocking Christ’s
grave to show it is empty.
akbehera@msn.com
34

Aslan explains that when an innocent soul is murdered
on the Stone Table, death itself has to reverse.
Jesus comes back from the dead because even Death
cannot take away someone as innocent as Christ.
akbehera@msn.com
35

 Thus the Chronicle of Narnia is a
religious allegory because it has so
many symbolic elements which run
parallel with Biblical values and
themes.
 But The Chronicles of Narnia is NOT
in our syllabus, so lets go back to
Robinson Crusoe, and analyse that as
a religious allegory in the same way!
akbehera@msn.com
36

 First and foremost, numerous references
to the Bible and Christianity.
 In the Bible, Adam and Eve were
banished from the Garden of Eden for
disobedience (original sin).
◦ They were to remain in the normal lands and
work towards earning God’s forgiveness.
 Similarly, Crusoe believes he is
abandoned on the island for being
materialistic and disobeying his father
(original sin).
 He improves himself spiritually on the
island and hopes to get back to England
akbehera@msn.com
37

Similarities to the story of
Jonah
 Jonah was a prophet who
was asked to go to Nineveh
to warn them of their
wicked ways. (Jonah 1:2)
 He instead goes to
Tarshish which is in the
opposite direction (Jonah
1:3)
 A great storm comes
(Jonah 1:4), and Jonah is
thrown overboard (Jonah 38
akbehera@msn.com

 Jonah is then swallowed by
a fish where he repents and
prays for three days and
three nights (a long time to
be inside a fish).
 “I am cast out of thy sight yet
I will look again toward they
Holy Temple” (Jonah 2:4) [I
will remain a Good Christian
and not give up hope]
 “But I will sacrifice unto thee
with the voice of
thanksgiving; I will pay that
which I have vowed.” (Jonah
2:9) [I will follow the rules set
by God and do my duty]
39
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 “And the Lord spake
unto the fish, and it
vomited out Jonah
upon the dry land.”
(Jonah 2:10)
 Jonah was released
from the abyss after
he confirmed that he
would be a good
Christian.
40
akbehera@msn.com

 Lost in his pride of
materialistic gains, Crusoe
journeys for gathering
slaves.
 Instead of going towards
religion, he goes the
OPPOSITE WAY-
materialism!
 A great storm comes and he
reaches the Island of Despair
(land where no man lives).
 Once on the island, he
realises his ‘sins’ and
repents.
akbehera@msn.com
41

 Reads the Bible, prays, maintains a moral and
Christian life.
 Crusoe “saves” Friday’s soul by teaching him about
Christianity. (He helps spread the Word of God, as
all Christians should)
 “I sincerely gave thanks to God for opening my
eyes, by whatever afflicting Providences, to see the
former condition of my life, and to mourn for my
wickedness, and repent“
 Once he has proven his moral qualities as a
reformed Christian, an English ship rescues him
and carries him back to England.
Jonah and Robinson Crusoe
1) Sin
2) Storm and marooned
3) Repent and become a good Christian
4) Get rescued
42
akbehera@msn.com

 In the novel, prayer
seems to resolve
certain problems
(Crusoe’s sickness,
the storms)
 Prayers get answered
several times in the
Bible
◦ Moses splitting the Red
Sea (Exodus 14:21)
◦ Abraham prays for a
child (Genesis 20:17)
◦ Hannah praying for a
child (1 Samuel 1:10)
akbehera@msn.com
43

 After his rescue, Crusoe
wants to stay in England so
that he can remain a
Presbyterian (Protestant).
Going to Brazil would mean
having to convert himself to a
Catholic.
 Similarities to Daniel from the
Book of Daniel in the Old
Testament.
 Daniel was initially captured
by Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylon. 44
akbehera@msn.com

 Daniel is thrown in a den
of lions for refusing to
worship King Darius
(Daniel 6:16)
 He is saved by angels
(Daniel 6: 22)
 Thus Daniel emerges as
the perfect Christian for
not abandoning his faith
and God.
 Crusoe also emerges as
the perfect Christian for
not abandoning his faith
and God. 45
akbehera@msn.com

Since the characters, situations,
and themes of the novel
correspond with the teachings of
Christianity, Robinson Crusoe is
a religious allegory.
akbehera@msn.com
46

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