Robinson Crusoe: The Prototype of English Colonizer

1. Welcome

2. Name: Aviram Das
Semester: 3rd Year 2nd Semester
Topic: Robinson Crusoe: The Prototype of English Colonizer
Reg: 2016236046
Department of English
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet

3. Introduction about Author
 Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 in London
 He became hosier after schooling and travelled a lot in the continent
 Being a merchant, he experienced ups and downs in his business.
 The pamphlet Hymn to the Pillory made him a hero in 1703 and marked a turning
point in his literary career.
 He started the review, a political and literary magazine in prison.
 As his release, he worked as a journalist and pamphleteer.
 His place in British literature was made for him by his novel “Robinson Crusoe”
 In 1719, he published his masterpiece Robinson Crusoe at the age of 59.

4. A primary outline
• It’s a story of man, named Robinson Crusoe, who got shipwrecked all alone in
an island .
• Here he struggles to survive and later on makes this his
• Although, at first he tries to go back to the city, but when he finally reaches
there, he does not feel the same sense of feeling he used to have
• Since he got used to living all alone with animals and only one or two other
people on the island, he eventually goes back to the island and lives there

5.  Robinson Crusoe represents a prototype of a culture, a religion, and an ideology.
 He is the true Englishman who would love to expand the English territory and its autonomy.
 He stands for the English imperialism, capitalism and more specifically the colonialism.
 Robinson left his motherland in quest of fortune which is one of the prime motto of English
colonization.
 He went to Brazil and owned a plantation still his search of fortune did not last and wanted to expand
his business as like that of English colonists.
 So he went to Africa so as to get slaves who would work for him in the plantation of Brazil.
 On his way he got shipwrecked and became a sole survivor on a deserted island.
 There he stood his empire.
In details…

6. • He made his “home”, a hut which is the base of his whole empire literally.
• He chased away and killed the savages and proved that he is the true English man who
would do anything to set up an empire of own will.
• As a colonizer he saved Friday, gave him a name, ordered him to not eat other men,
taught him his own religion ‘Christianity’, taught him his English language to say
‘master’, ‘yes’, and ‘no’ and as per Robinson,
• he made him a cultured man.
• Whenever he described Friday he said ‘Negroes’ which is the indicator of his racist
attitude.
In details…….

7. What is colonization ?
 Colonization is an ongoing process of control by which a
central system of power (e.g. England) dominates the other
land (e.g. India) and it’s components ( people, culture,
fashion, etc.).
 The establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion
of colonies in one territory by people from another
territory
 A policy in which a country rules another nation and
develops trade for its own benefit

8. 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 subaltern
 The colonized thereby accepts the
colonizer’s authority.

9. Process of colonization
 Formation of a cultural hierarchy/ hegemony
• The colonizer teaches the colonized that his culture is more superior.
• Utter disregard for the cultural of the subaltern.
 The native land is changed as per the colonizer’s wishes.
• Plantations, dams, displacement.
 The colonizer may introduce plantations/ industries but the colonized is
generally just an employee
 The colonizer enforces the following on the colonized –
• Religion
• Western clothes
• Food habits

10. Is Crusoe a colonizer ? Yes !
 Crusoe lands on an island. Names it the ‘Island of despair’ –
same way the British named many places in India
 Comes by sea- the way most colonizers travelled to other
lands.
 Starts cultivating – uses the natural resources of the island
for his own advantages

11. 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 named him ‘Friday’ without even asking what his name is.
 Friday is 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)

12. To be continued…………..
 Crusoe teaches Friday about Christianity with 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.
 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 him how to dress like him

13. 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”
 The first necessary factor for colonialism to develop is
capitalism. In the capitalist society of the western world money
and profit and are valued above everything. Crusoe having grown
up in 16th century England is a staunch capitalist.
 In order to keep expanding, capitalism requires a cheap source of
raw materials and markets for finished products. Colonies serve
both functions for the mother country.
 Characteristics central to capitalism include private property,
capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange etc

14.  Crusoe is tempted to sail partly to appease his spirit
of adventure and partly to earn money
 Crusoe in due course becomes wealthier than his
father
 It becomes more of a capitalist venture for him-
constant need for improvement.
 Crusoe treats all relation in terms of commercial
value:
a. Xury – sold to earn money
b. Friday a slave ( Crusoe taught him basic language to be able to
command. At no point does Crusoe take suggestion from Friday
)

15.  The ‘island of Despair’ is Robinson Crusoe’s island as long as he wants to stay
there
 He does not pay any taxes to anyone
 He controls production and decides what to do with the output.
 Robinson Crusoe is always looking out for ways to improve his economic standing
( selling xury , plantation in Brazil, trip to buy slaves, etc. )
 Friday works for Crusoe – payment – food and lessons in English culture.

16. Let’s summarize briefly what we have looked
at.
 Robinson Crusoe’s harsh language,
 his imposition of the name,
 Food habit,
 culture,
 religion upon Friday
 the complete change in Friday’s life,
 the mastering skill of Robinson,
 the setting up of a new empire in
the deserted island

17. To sum up…
 all shows the colonial process.
 The title character represents the oppressor, discriminatory colonist
 and Friday stands for the oppressed, identity-less, suffered slave.
 He is the true prototype of the British colonist

18. THANK YOU
Keep calm
and
Decolonize your mind