Literary Criticism

Literary Genre: NOVEL

Robinson Crusoe

Daniel Defoe

Neoclassicism (from Greek νέος neos, Latin classicus and Greek -ισμός ismos) is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome. The main Neoclassical movement coincided with the 18th century Age of Enlightenment, and continued into the early 19th century, latterly competing with Romanticism. In architecture the style continued throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and into the 21st.

The Plot Summary

Robinson Crusoe is a young man that lives with his parents, they advise him to choose a suitable life, but Robinson is attracted by a different kind of life, a sea life.

On 1 September 1651, Hull,a Robinson's friend invites him for a trip on a ship going to London. A big storm caught them, and Robinson is so scared that he promises himself to give up his dreams and obey his parents.

Once the storm is over and they reached the coast, Robinson soon forgets everything and decides to set sail to Guinea. Robinson also goes on a second voyage to Guinea, but this time he is captured by Moorish pirates and sold as a slave in North Africa. After sometime, providing himself with a gun and some provisions, Robinson escapes in a little boat with Xury, another slave. In their adventure sailing with no direction, Robinson is aware of the threats of the unknown West African coast, inhabited by wild animals and savage tribes. After an initial examination of the land, Robinson is able to rescue some provisions from the shipwrecked: muskets, pistols, gunpowder, food, clothes, ink, paper, tools, bibles, two cats and a dog. He builds a hut incrusted in a rock to protect himself from the tropical climate and to store safely all his provisions. He sets a calendar and writes a journal with his experiences, and teaches a parrot some words.

Initially, Robinson hunts goats and turtles to feed himself. Later, he explores deeply the island and found rich grapes. He set traps to get goats alive to get them domesticated in order to assure him meat provision during the seasons of bad weather. He also sows wheat and he makes pottery and baskets.

One night, Robinson dreams that he saves a savage from death in a cannibal ritual, and like a premonition it happens later. The savage is named Friday and becomes his servant. Robinson teaches him English language, Christian religion principles and civi lised habits. Friday reveals Robinson that the cannibals have Spanish prisoners. Eventually, after twenty years living on the desert island, Robinson returns to England with Friday. Robinson is a rich man, his wealth proceeds from the Brazilian plantation and from the shipwrecked. Robinson goes to Portugal crossing Spain and France, and passing the Pyrenees, his convoy is attacked by wolfs and a wild bear, which is killed by Friday with amazing skill.

In his latest days, his adventurous spirit makes him to travel to the East Indies as a tradesman. Robinson also revisits his solitude island. He also travels to China, where he is involved in a real battle against looters. Finally, he returns to England.

The Interpretation

Robinson Crusoe is based on a real incident. In 1704, Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor, was thrown onto a desolate island by the mutinous crew of his ship. He lived there alone for 5 years. Defoe read about his adventures in a newspaper and went to interview him to get first-hand information. He then embellished the sailor’s tale with many incidents out of his own imagination. Robinson Crusoe has the appearance of a picaresque novel, showing a lowly person’s wonderings over the world.