Thursday, 18 September 2014

Neoclassic literature- Robinson Crusoe As Religious Allegory


               DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

NAME:-                             Parmar Milankumar L.
    ROLL NO:-                        16
    ENROLLMENT NO.:-     14101026
    SEMESTER:-                    1st
    Year :-                                2014
    COURSE:-                         Neo-Classic Literature 
    ASSIGNMENT TOPIC:-  Robinson Crusoe as                                                                                religious Allegory                       
    SUBMITTED TO:-           Heenaba Zala       
                                                Smt.S.B.Gardi
                                                Department of English
                                                M.K.B.University




Introduction of the Writer:-
                              The novel Robinson Crusoe is written by Daniel Defoe. He was born in the year 1660. He had very little education. He was a great traveler as a young man and went all over Europe.
He started writing novels at the age of sixty. In 1719 he published his first novel, “The Life and Strange Surprising Adventure of Robinson Crusoe”. His other successful works are “Captain Singleton, and Moll Flanders”. Today he is remembered for his exciting and imaginative account of Crusoe’s life on island.

Source of the story :
-The novel Robinson Crusoe is based on fact. A man with name Alexander Selkirk spent many years on lonely island before returning home to Scotland. From that instance   Defoe get his raw material for his novel. Though two hundred and fifty years passed, when this book was written, but still read by readers for lively picture of Robinson Crusoe and his island.

Robinson Crusoe as Religious Allegory:-
The Robinson Crusoe is about the adventure of a man on inhibited island. Though it is story of adventures there are also some other views about novel some critics believes it as a religious and spiritual book, especially as a book of Christian religion. In novel there are some references to god, province, to sin, may be seen as real interest of the novel. The reader of the ninetieth century read as spiritual book. For example a reviewer for the Dublin university magazine called the book,
“A great religious poem, showing that God is found there where men are absent.”
             To decide whether and what extent Robinson Crusoe is a religious poem or spiritual autobiography. Here are some views with reference from the book.
 In ‘preface’ Defoe confessed that by writing this novel his intention is to justify honour the wisdom of province in all the variety of our circumstances.
Here I am trying to give some examples from the text which can be helpful to prove my point that this novel has religious elements and aspects and which made it ‘A Religious Allegory’. 
…I consulted neither Father or Mother any more nor so much as sent them Word of it; but leaving them to hear of it as they might, without asking God's Blessing, or my Father's, without any Consideration of Circumstances or Consequences and in an ill Hour, God knows. On the first of September 1651 I went on Board a Ship bound for London; never any young Adventurer's Misfortunes, I believe, began sooner, or continued longer than mine.
This quote shows real circumstances which drag him to that particular Island. He fought with his father and mother for went on voyage and he was trapped on that  Island so he used to think that he made them unhappy and that’s why God punish him and put in such a situation that now he has to repent for his sin, what he done with his parents. 




“However he afterwards talk'd very gravely to me, exhorted me to go back to my Father, not to tempt Providence to my Ruine; told me I might see a visible Hand of Heaven against me, And young Man, said he, depend upon it, if you do not go back, where-ever you go, you will meet with nothing but Disasters and Disappointments till your Father's Words are fulfilled upon you.”
                        This quote makes us understand that at one moment he also lose his courage and faith from religion.

“In a word, as the Sea was returned to its Smoothness of Surface and settled Calmness by the Abatement of that Storm, so the Hurry of my Thoughts being over, my Fears and Apprehensions of being swallow'd up by the Sea being forgotten, and the Current of my former Desires return'd, I entirely forgot the Vows and Promises that I made in my Distress.”
This quote shows real mentality of a person. How a can depend on religion and God, is the point author proves with the help of this line. A person uses to band down to religion when he/she actually needs it or when there is some horror and danger of life. But when he/she comes into normal circumstances and no need of God and religion, he/she forgets everything.
“In a word, as my Life was a Life of Sorrow, one way, so it was a Life of Mercy, another; and I wanted nothing to make it a Life of Comfort, but to be able to make my Sence of God's Goodness to me, and Care over me in this Condition, be my daily Consolation; and after I did make a just Improvement of these things, I went away and was no more sad.”
Here in these lines author describes life of Crusoe on that Island. He has bible with him and it gives him strength to fight against circumstances. Means God and religion is a power of a man. One should have to faith in it and if that element was absent in any work of art then that work of art may be fail but Defoe portrays religion as a source of positivity and inner force in this novel and it shows that he also have faith on religion and have trust in God’s justice with any single person on this earth.
“I have been in all my Circumstances a Memento to those who are touched with the general Plague of Mankind, whence, for ought I know, one half of their Miseries flow; I mean, that of not being satisfy'd with the Station wherein God and Nature has plac'd them; for not to look back upon my primitive Condition, and the excellent Advice of my Father, the Opposition to which was, as I may call it, my ORIGINAL SIN.”  
Here in these lines Daniel Defoe tries to draw our attention towards God’s justice, rules of Nature and Sin.
“I might well say now indeed, that the later end of Job was beer than the beginning. It is impossible to express here the flue rings of my very heart when I looked over these leers, and especially when I found all my wealth about me; for as the Brazil ships come all in fleets, the same ships which brought my leers brought my goods. . . .”

Here in this quote Crusoe was compared with Biblical character Job. Crusoe is deprived of his fortune while nevertheless retaining his faith in Providence. This passage also showcases Crusoe’s characteristic neutral tone—the detached, deadpan style in which he narrates even thrilling events. Although he reports that the emotional effects make his heart flutter, he displays very little emotion in the passage.

Robinson Crusoe can be viewed from theological and political level.
Theological level:-
When we look from theological level we find that men’s excessive desires is cause of sin. The same as the “Paradise Lost” by John Milton, that Adam and Eve are banished from heaven because of disobedience towards God. Robinson is thrown on an inhibited island because of his disobedience towards his father.
From Political level:-
Crusoe is warned by his father and the captain of the first ship about the dangers of sea life. They both father and captain can be seen as God, and ignoring them he ignores and disobey God, he also denying Gods providential order in the worlds means that god arranged the world in hierarchically, endowing the king with authority in the political realm and the father with the authority in the family. Crusoe’s conversation with his father about leaving home can be interpreted from a religious perspective. Crusoe repeatedly refers to leaving without his father’s permission as his “original sin.” He not only associates god and his father but regards his sin against father as a sin against God.
Original sin:-
Crusoe comments: "...my conscience, which was not yet come to the pitch of hardness to which it has been since, reproached me with the contempt of advice and the breach of my duty to God and my Father"
In Puritan family structure the father was regarded as god’s deputy, in rejecting his father’s advice, Crusoe is committing sin of disobedience grows out restless and discontent with the place given by God.
                        When Crusoe is cast ashore on a deserted island, he sees his situation as the fulfillment of his father’s prediction that if Crusoe disregarded his father’s advice. Crusoe would find him alone with no source of help. As his father said with a little sigh,
“That boy might be happy if he would stay at home; but if he goes abroad, he will be the most miserable, wretch that ever was born.’’
He is alone on the island and no man is inhibited here, but he is not lonely. He is under the watch / and bliss of God. It’s better to be alone than to be lonely.
In other way it can be seen as spiritual autobiography.
As a spiritual Autobiography :-
From another perspective we can see it as spiritual autobiography. The spiritual autobiography portrays the puritan drama of the soul. This is being saved by god, having profound sense of god’s presence, seeing his will manifest everywhere and aware of unceasing conflict between good and evil.
                The spiritual autobiography follows a pattern; the narrator’s sin, ignore god’s grace, and mercy, experiences a soul wrenching conversion, and achieves salvation. It written with the deep sense of god’s presence in his life and in the world, In the Robinson Crusoe we find some elements of spiritual autobiography.
                Crusoe throughout the novel uses religious language, imagery, Biblical reference. He narrates his life story along afterward and from beginning of his tale Crusoe presents events not only from his point of view as youth, but also from a Christian perspective, he looks at his past through the eyes of the convert who know now that fate is constantly working.
                        He tells when his first ship wrecked, it was warning by god, but ignoring that warning he became a sinner and now god throws him on the island from where deliverance is not possible. He believes that it is because of his disobedience to his father and to his god.
Crusoes Conversion after a dream:-
After the dream of his father Crusoe is now trying to change himself, gradually he is on the way to god he repents for his disobeying his father. His regeneration started after dream and his understanding of god deepen. He turns to bible, studying of it reveals god’s word and will tell him, he finds comfort, guidance and instruction in it, for the first time in many years he prays to god, he prays not for rescue, from the island but for god’s help “Lord be my help, for I am in great distress.”
                        After thinking about his life, he kneels to god for the first time his life he pray to god to fulfill his promise “That if I called upon him in the day of trouble he would deliver me”
                        His next step towards conversion is asking for god’s grace “Jesus, thou son of David, Jesus, thou exalted prince and savior give me repentance.”
                He comes to realize that spiritual deliverance is more important than physical deliverance from island is not important. And he knows that the only way for spiritual deliverance is by repentance for earlier deed.
                        Finally, he thank god for saving his life by bringing him on island, he sincerely thanks to God “For opening my eyes whatever afflicting province to see the former condition of my life, and to mourn for wickedness, and repent.” This event shows that Crusoe’s faith is very strong and honest.
                A work of literature can be read with different perspectives. Its meaning differs from person to person. Readers of this novel interpreted its meanings differently like this novel is about the adventurous journey of Robinson Crusoe to an unknown island and the story of his survival how he lived there for twenty five years or more. On the other hand some of the readers interpreted it as a religious and holy book of puritan soul. Who at the beginning of the novel does not obey his father and so the God, so god throws him on unknown an island where man are not inhibited. And his conversion in the Christian man or a very religious man by repents.
Nearly after a year from Crusoe casted on island Crusoe fell seek. His health was extremely intensive he hardly recovers himself from this illness. When he was ill he saw a dream in which he saw a divine spirit comes from heaven towards him. It was the spirit of his father who came to him to tell   to do repent for his earlier deed. He sees a man coming out of a black cloud, heading directly for him. With the earth shaking and the skies filled with lightning, the man warns:
“Seeing all these things have not brought thee to repentance, now thou shalt die.”
The man then points a spear at Crusoe's chest. Crusoe interprets the vision as chastisement for his "uncommonly wicked" past. He had previously not thought of his experiences as being punishment for this past, but from this point on, he does. He responded to this vision. After that dream Crusoe’s view towards god grew stronger he started to believe in god, as he started thinking positively towards what is happening in his life. He thinks that when he disobeys his father it’s his first sin, in disobeying his father he thinks that he had disobeys god. And thus he started to link every incident that took place during his journey as a wish of god. He believes when his sheep wrecks for the first time it was warning by god to him and ignoring that warning, so he is thrown on inhibited island. But in throwing him on island, when he realize that he is the only savior of that sheep, he thank god for saving his life, at least he is living though the situation is very different.
After that when he met Friday a savage he believes that, god sends him as companion of Crusoe. He believes him as angel send by god to save his life from that island. Only after some time he started to teach him English words and also started to teach him Christian religion. In converting Friday in Christianity he believes that he is saving his soul, and by converting him in to Christianity he is doing god’s service so he will finds favor from god. Robinson smiles when he hears how Friday’s naïve Friday’s conceptions about religion are, and he sets up converting him to the true faith. But Friday surprised him by asking,
“If god much strong, much might as the devil, why God no kill the devil, so make him more do wicked?” A question he is not able to answer, and which reveals how shallow Robinson’s confidence is in his own religious knowledge.
                                    When Crusoe opens The Bible randomly he reads the line: “Call on me in the Day of trouble, and I will deliver, and thou shalt glorify me.” He believes “The words were very apt to my case.” He thinks that he is in great trouble so and will redeem by god, and by save his soul god will glorify himself.  So he tried to identify himself with the instance from bible.
                        For some days when he landed on island he faces faith crisis, like to believe in god or not rather challenging god he becomes believer. After conversion of Crusoe we find spiritual growth in the character of Crusoe. Crusoe finds the rational reason of his miraculous growth and loses faith in God. But now he is totally different from as he was.
He turns to the Bible. "Lord be my help, for I am in great distress" (88). After thinking about his life, he kneels to God for the first time in his life and prays to God to fulfill his promise "that if I called upon Him in the day of trouble, He would deliver me" (91).
One of the critics Edward Said: Robinson Crusoe “as a work whose protagonist is the founder of the new world, which he rules and reclaims for Christianity and England.”
Conclusion:-
In short we can say that this novel is about the story of an English man who accidentally caught in such situations from where his survival is not possible, but by the faith in god and in himself, after long time as long as twenty seven year he is able to reach at his home at the end. Though it is the story of adventure but it has elements of religious book, as well as puritan drama the spiritual autobiography. Throughout the novel though god is not present physically but we can feel his presence, we can say that god is present there where man’s dwelling is not possible. Defoe himself was Christian and he changed his name to be like aristocratic and to glorify his religion, his love for his religion and his faith in Jesus is presented here. He might have written this book with intention to preach, teach morality, to believe and have faith in god, and many more. In the time when Defoe lived it was a time of religious turmoil, people have no faith in their religion, so we can say Defoe tried to restore their faith in God and Christianity. Thus we can say it a religious and spiritual book by Denial Defoe…..
In short we can say Robinson Crusoe is great religious allegory. It shows the spiritual growing of rebellious young boy in to a religious aged man. Crusoe’s inner conflict is also shown here, and also portrays Crusoe as puritan soul. This follows the pattern of spiritual drama of sin- punishment- realization- saved- and salvation which is the last wish of any human being……





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