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Robinson Crusoe is an excellent adventure story since its publication in 1719; both the novels and the hero have become popular to everyone especially to the children."Robinson Crusoe was a powerful geographical fantasy but also a colonial myth, a myth that represented British colonialism to the British people, as well as to the colonized people."Robinson Crusoe is not only an adventurous fiction rather than it is a story of all about "power, self and otherness." To support this view Richetti said: Defoe began to explore adventure themes very late in his career (the first volume of Robinson Crusoe appeared when he was fifty-nine years old). For Defoe, adventure stories were like thought-experiments. In his hands, the adventure novel is a means of diagnosing global positioning for national domestic advantage. (45) It would be very wrong to think Robinson Crusoe as a children story because Crusoe's actions and voyages seem to be the work of a colonial trader. Crusoe is a commercial traveler and he considers the whole world as his territory. Karl Marx in his book Das Kapital used this story to illustrate economic theory in action. According to Karl Marks the protagonist in this Saeed 15

novel proves himself to be a potential capitalist. He is a commercial traveler; his chief motive in traveling is not to have fun but to get profit. Like Crusoe Daniel Defoe also came from a Middle class family. He was a traveler and trader; being a trader he realizes that the overseas trade is not very easy for English. So, he realized the importance of economic power for developing nation and for the establishment of self in 18th century society. He knew commerce was an important aspect of civilization and through this overseas trade English traders can establish themselves the best gentlemen in Europe. Therefore, Defoe represents Crusoe as a commercial traveler. He undergoes the exile experience on an uninhabited island to develop himself as a capitalistic enterpriser and to improve his identity as a successful colonizer. Defoe shows how Crusoe gradually established himself as a governor with his surviving power, calculative and capitalistic ideas on the island. Finally he could able to make the island his colony. Crusoe's eagerness to discover other lands and people makes him a perfect explorer and his ideology is the ideology of colonizers. If we analyze his whole adventurous journey it seems that Defoe represents Crusoe as a typical European bourgeois, "rational", "religious" and "mindful" of his own profit.Crusoe is a perfect colonizer established his self image to prove "the differences between the English man and others with whom he comes in contact seems clear cut in terms of establishing the superiority of enslaver to enslaved: the Africans he trades in, the Maresco Xury whom he sells as a slave, and the Carib Friday whom he relegates to perpetual servitude."(Wheeler, 130) If we analyze Crusoe's second voyage, his voyage to Brazil, it appears an economic success. He learns about sugar plantation there. He finds that sugar-planters grow rich, so he becomes a planter. He imports labors from Guinea. Crusoe's activates in Brazil becomes typical of a white colonizers who were used to set up plantation in a far off land. The only aim of these planters was to make money in a very short time. But the unavailability forces him to start slave trading. Defoe's time Slave trading is a colonial issue. Sixteenth and seventeenth century was the period of developing capitalism. At that time European traders were searched the gold, tropical products and slaves for the expansion of their trade. For developing colonies, world markets such voyagers were maintained this process; because it is a part of commercial progress. In the light of fact we find that the plot of Robinson Crusoe expresses some of the most important characteristics of Defoe's time "at the time when the middle class had become prominent in England."It is clearly reflected that the voyages of Robinson Crusoe demonstrates the "economic aspect of colonialism" and his character represents imperialistic attitude of a European man, who wants Saeed 16

superior position to authorize or to dominate others. During eighteenth century British people consider themselves as the greatest trading country in the world. For their commercial success since they are trying to establish their colony in the distance island. Robinson Crusoe was published at that time when new colonies were spread around the world and the explorers were being idealized. Europeans, especially the young traders were interested to go one of the colonies for exploitation of natural resources and to establish the British rules and Empire. Crusoe is this kind of adventurous man whose main purpose is to gain commercial success. By Inspiring the explorers belief Crusoe deals with nature not as a pantheist but as a calculating, commercial man who believes in capitalism. Crusoe's motto of life shows us how self-righteous, way of thinking determined by the colonialism. We find Crusoe's worldliness and monetary motive at the beginning of his voyage to Guinea. Through this voyage Crusoe introduces himself a good sailor and a successful merchant. To him it was the only voyage which was full of success. This attitude of Crusoe represents him as commercial and rational white man. Through his voyages, he buys goods, sells those, and finally earns profit. He acts like a trader whose only aim to earn profit. Robinson Crusoe based on the true story of the "shipwrecked seaman Alexander Selkirk", who related his experience to Defoe after returning to England in 1712.He declares that he would give one-third of his wealth to the king and two third of his wealth to St. Augustine, which will be spent for the benefit of poor and the conversion of the Indians to the "Catholic faith." Here his intension is clear to all that is not to help the poor but to change their religion, their beliefs and finally their existence. Crusoe becomes ecstatic lots of money all around him. So, economical power can change one's culture faith, even their identity. On the island Crusoe enjoys full economic freedom. He converts the island in to a kind of commercial investment. The island gives Crusoe absolute freedom to make money and accumulate power which the colonizers need. Crusoe is a capitalist on this island which belongs entirely to him. It is this possession of the island and of the stock of goods from the ship which rises Crusoe to the position of an unchallenged king. Crusoe does not achieve this power through his own efforts, because the goods which he has obtained from the stranded ship were the product of the labors of scores of other individual. In the new island Crusoe's materialistic attitude is clearly expressed through his personal diary. The diary describes his experiences, his feelings and also shows tangible profits on the island. In short, if we analyze the purpose of Crusoe's voyages it shows the concept of "economic individualism" and the resultant capitalism.Crusoe's transformation from "survivor" to "master" shows a power relationship-one is "superior" and other is "inferior." Defoe's representation of the cannibal is very much contradictory that creates the whole ethos of colonial relations between Crusoe and Friday. The narrator constantly creates the dichotomy between uncivilized and civilized. As a civil European Crusoe does not believe Friday at first because he is horrified by Friday's cannibalistic practice. The fear of Crusoe's mind instinctively present in every Europeans mid. Crusoe's dilemma exposes when he realized that Friday is grateful to him but still he is concerned about his precaution. By Crusoe's representation and cannibals' physical and moral features are different, horrible and wild. But soon he changes his mind and finds that no precautions were really necessary because Friday already has proved himself as a faithful, obedient and sincere "Servant" and asserts his separate identity from the savages.Religiously this novel asserts a kind of "spiritual journey" of the protagonist, economically it is a story for the expansion of the trade and from psychological perspective Robinson Crusoe deals with an alien. But this chapter will try to demonstrate the extent to colonialism which shapes the novel. Saeed 7

Robinson Crusoe is a popular fiction of eighteenth century where the author represents imperialistic attitude of a European man, who wants superior position to authorize or to dominate others. The relationship between Crusoe and Friday shows the relationship of master and slave which produce the myth of colonialism and the colonial relationships. In this novel Crusoe's body is the metaphor of the "imperial figure/ colonizer" so the body of Friday also becomes a metaphor of the "other" or "colonized peoples".This authoritative voice clearly shows his strong position in this fiction and also reflects his biases towards the young Friday, his "slave" with his more fictional narrative stance. In Robinson Crusoe representation of the cannibal as a figure of radical otherness indicates the politics of empire which contributes to the creation of a rich colonial imaginary. Through this "otherness" process Defoe represents Crusoe's distinct identity from Savages and creates two groups one is Civilized /Christian and other is Cannibal /Savages.Edward Said discussed in the Introduction of his popular book, "Orientalism"- the 'Other' means those who are not white or the 'Exotic' and it is their lands that must be conquered along with them. The aim of Crusoe's civilizing mission is just to show the discursive nature of cannibalism by blending fact and imagination. The relationship between Crusoe and Friday clearly reflects the binary construction of British and Cannibal, civilized and uncivilized/evil. At first, Friday's body becomes a symbol of fear to Crusoe. After meeting Friday, Crusoe gradually overcomes it by domination and subjugation. Friday's silence and Defoe's authority over him erase Friday's identity, gives him a new "English identity" and "an English voice".Crusoe had not only saved the life of Friday but also tries to save Friday's "savage soul" by imparting to him the true knowledge of religion and the Christian doctrine. It is obvious that Crusoe imposed his own culture on Friday to make him a civilized European man like him. To him his only wish: The Soul of a poor Savage, and bring him to the true Knowledge of Religion, and of the Christian Doctrine, that he might know Jesus Christ, to know whom is Life Eternal. I say, when I reflected upon all these Things, a secret Joy run through every Part of my Soul, and I frequently rejoyc'ed that ever I was brought to this place. (220) Saeed 10

Crusoe represents Friday as a "blinded ignorant pagan" and he tried to demolish his identity so that Friday is known as better scholar.Crusoe's authority on the island is a kind of "monarchical system" and a process to create his self-image, a mirror, to show someone a "self- validating image" of him. According to Bhabha colonial otherness on the black man's body creates identity crisis. Friday, a cultural inferiority is a perfect colonial figure of black skin but white musk. He does not have his own voice; he speaks with his master's words and imitates his actions. He is Saeed 12

just a shadow or an image whose identity is imposed by someone else. According to Homi Bhabha mimicry is a process of the colonizers to impart upon the colonized to accept, renew and recognizable "Other."In Robinson Crusoe representation of racial multiplicity is not only based on the binary color distribution of black and white but colonial or racial representation become more significant through the dichotomy between "Savage" and "Christian", "Slave" and "Master", "Civilized" and "Uncivilized." These binaries relationship reveals only the positives picture of British and Christian because they are economically, morally superior while all things "others" are negative and frightful, dark and impure.This kind of "domination", "presence "and "control" over colonized by the colonizer is sustained and control the minds of the colonized people. From this sense Crusoe "is the archetypal English imperialist, an Saeed 13

exemplary planter-setter, explorer, valiant defender of his domain and benign master of an ever- increasing number of subjects on behalf of his king and country."These words show that "domination" and "subjugation" is an important aspect in this novel. Cultural difference and linguistic barrier dominates Friday in this way that willingly he submits himself as a slave.Friday's "subjection", "servitude" and "submission" to Crusoe reflects colonial race relations.He is an example of an imperialist; who behaves like empires while the others in the island even the pets are represented as his "subjects." He converts the island in to a kind of commercial investment which makes him a successful businessman. Crusoe has been identified as man with capitalism; Kal Marx correctly indentifies Crusoe as an "Economic man, Homoeconimic."Crusoe taught Friday as Prospero taught his own language to Caliban in Shakespeare's "The Tempest". Its true Crusoe shows his humanity by saving Friday's life from the cannibals but to give him a new life "Defoe has Friday offer lifelong subjugation or so at least Crusoe imagines in his confident interpretation of the semiotics of Carib gesture" (Hulme, 116).Defoe technically represents the new "commercial culture" by promoting the good opportunity to develop economic condition on new territories. Thus, materialism, capitalism and colonialism lie at the heart of the novel Robinson Crusoe. The child adventurous fiction Robinson Crusoe turned into a political product by depicting the survival story with the issues of "trade", "colonialism" and "imperialism."Just before their first encounter, Crusoe "was exceedingly surpriz'd with the Print of a Man's naked Foot on the shore...I slept non that Night;...but I so was embarrass'd with my own frightful Ideas of the Thing, that I form'd nothing but dismal Imaginations to my self." (153-154) The author represents Crusoe as a savior; he rescues the infamous Friday, the only native of the story. After saving him from cannibals Crusoe gives him the name "Friday", who most likely already had a name.Crusoe quickly pointed out, he is quite different from this cannibal because physically he is fairer and superior than the "ugly skin" native. It is a process by which a European separates him from native to represent him a pure civilized Christian. But Friday's noble savagery allows Crusoe to distinguish his slave from the nearby cannibals and makes him a perfect "loyal European-style servant".Friday is a symbol of "the white man's burden," that means Europeans belief, as a civilized Anglo-Saxon Christians they have rights to make "the uncivilized savages" into "the civilized savages." Friday represents a colonial image and his new identity is established by his European master when Crusoe declares now Friday is a "good Christian."In Robinson Crusoe representation of colonialism is clearly reflected through the relationship between the colonized and colonizer, representation of a colonized land and people, and representation of colonialism from the viewpoint of trade, commerce and buildings empire.Crusoe's civilizing mission reveals his ambition of capitalism, Saeed 18

imperialism and racialism.Robinson Crusoe is known as an allegorical novel.(206).

Robinson Crusoe is an excellent adventure story since its publication in 1719; both the novels and the hero have become popular to everyone especially to the children. The surface of this novel tells only an adventure story, but a conscious reading of the novel shows that colonialism is technically presented underneath the storyline where issue such as race, power identity formation and so on are presented from a colonial perspective. This chapter will show some important aspects related to representation of colonialism, which are usually ignored by people. Robinson Crusoe is not just an adventurous fiction, it is a story in which a European man gradually masters his own compulsion and extends his control over a huge, indifferent, and hostile environment. The protagonist of the novel is a typical colonial character. He sets on a distant Caribbean island to establish his own colony, his own civilization and his own culture. Defoe deals with colonialism by portraying a wonderful fictional picture of an adventurous man, who gradually becomes a master over an island and establishes his own colony. In Robinson Crusoe representation of colonialism is clearly reflected through the relationship between the colonized and colonizer, representation of a colonized land and people, and representation of colonialism from the viewpoint of trade, commerce and buildings empire. Robinson Crusoe is known as an allegorical novel. Religiously this novel asserts a kind of “spiritual journey” of the protagonist, economically it is a story for the expansion of the trade and from psychological perspective Robinson Crusoe deals with an alien. But this chapter will try to demonstrate the extent to colonialism which shapes the novel.
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Robinson Crusoe is a popular fiction of eighteenth century where the author represents imperialistic attitude of a European man, who wants superior position to authorize or to dominate others. The relationship between Crusoe and Friday shows the relationship of master and slave which produce the myth of colonialism and the colonial relationships. In this novel Crusoe’s body is the metaphor of the “imperial figure/ colonizer” so the body of Friday also becomes a metaphor of the “other” or “colonized peoples”. Just before their first encounter, Crusoe “was exceedingly surpriz’d with the Print of a Man’s naked Foot on the shore...I slept non that Night;...but I so was embarrass’d with my own frightful Ideas of the Thing, that I form’d nothing but dismal Imaginations to my self.” (153-154)
The author represents Crusoe as a savior; he rescues the infamous Friday, the only native of the story. After saving him from cannibals Crusoe gives him the name “Friday”, who most likely already had a name. It is such an important symbol that gives surety whether he is a European or not. Also Crusoe introduces English language as the medium of teaching and learning on the island. Because language has power more than the use of military violence. This is an important aspect that colonizers tried to impose their language, their civilized culture upon others lands or in foreign societies. Crusoe taught Friday as Prospero taught his own language to Caliban in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. Its true Crusoe shows his humanity by saving Friday’s life from the cannibals but to give him a new life “Defoe has Friday offer lifelong subjugation or so at least Crusoe imagines in his confident interpretation of the semiotics of Carib gesture” (Hulme, 116). After rescuing him Crusoe orders Friday to call him “Master” and starts to teach him some English words for “yes” “no”, so that he can convert Friday to a civil Christian “slave.” He teaches him only those words which are useful for the master-slave relation and helpful to dependence not for protest. At the moment when Friday calls him “Master” he consciously and
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unconsciously accepts his colonial identity and a “political symbol” of racial injustice. White man always represents them as “Governor/load” and others or black men are their shadow/inferior, no matter even they are in same position. It clearly expressed when Crusoe and his shipmates are enslaved by the Moors, yet in the same situation Crusoe still felt superior.
Crusoe is the representation of a colonial figure and colonial mind in this fiction, and Friday is a symbol of all those natives who were dominated in the age of “European imperialism”. Friday is so obedient, grateful and faithful to Crusoe that he never realizes that this man, who saved his life, is not only helps him from his good will but his main purpose was to make him a devoted slave. Crusoe and Friday live harmoniously on the island, but the methods with which Crusoe enslave Friday also link him to colonial history.
Crusoe’s transformation from “survivor” to “master” shows a power relationship-one is “superior” and other is “inferior.” Defoe’s representation of the cannibal is very much contradictory that creates the whole ethos of colonial relations between Crusoe and Friday. The narrator constantly creates the dichotomy between uncivilized and civilized. As a civil European Crusoe does not believe Friday at first because he is horrified by Friday’s cannibalistic practice. The fear of Crusoe’s mind instinctively present in every Europeans mid. Crusoe’s dilemma exposes when he realized that Friday is grateful to him but still he is concerned about his precaution.
By Crusoe’s representation and cannibals’ physical and moral features are different, horrible and wild. But soon he changes his mind and finds that no precautions were really necessary because Friday already has proved himself as a faithful, obedient and sincere “Servant” and asserts his separate identity from the savages. Crusoe represents Friday as more
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European than black, with olive skin and perfect European features, such as straight hair, a small nose, and flat lips. Crusoe quickly pointed out, he is quite different from this cannibal because physically he is fairer and superior than the “ugly skin” native. It is a process by which a European separates him from native to represent him a pure civilized Christian. But Friday’s noble savagery allows Crusoe to distinguish his slave from the nearby cannibals and makes him a perfect “loyal European-style servant”.
At last he lays his Head flat upon the Ground, close to my Foot, and sets my other Foot upon his head, as he had done before; after this, made all the Signs to me of Subjection, Servitude, and Submission imaginable, to let me know, how he would serve me as long as he liv’d... (206).
Through this statement it is clear Friday happily accepts his new identity. Crusoe’s produces some invisible powers which captured Friday’s sense and mind not by any physical force but by imposing some hidden beliefs.
After giving language Crusoe also instructs Friday in religious knowledge. Crusoe creates a deep impression upon Friday’s mind by giving his superstitious beliefs of Jesus Christ. Crusoe had not only saved the life of Friday but also tries to save Friday’s “savage soul” by imparting to him the true knowledge of religion and the Christian doctrine. It is obvious that Crusoe imposed his own culture on Friday to make him a civilized European man like him. To him his only wish:
The Soul of a poor Savage, and bring him to the true Knowledge of Religion, and of the Christian Doctrine, that he might know Jesus Christ, to know whom is Life Eternal. I say, when I reflected upon all these Things, a secret Joy run through every Part of my Soul, and I frequently rejoyc’ed that ever I was brought to this place. (220)
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Crusoe represents Friday as a “blinded ignorant pagan” and he tried to demolish his identity so that Friday is known as better scholar. But it is a process to enslave other man rather than converting a good Christian or a civilized man. According to Said it is one kind of ‘discourse’ of European writers to develop the cultural and political impact upon colonized societies. Friday is a symbol of “the white man’s burden,” that means Europeans belief, as a civilized Anglo-Saxon Christians they have rights to make “the uncivilized savages” into “the civilized savages.” Friday represents a colonial image and his new identity is established by his European master when Crusoe declares now Friday is a “good Christian.”
After teaching Friday to speak his language, Crusoe also tries to change his “cannibalistic eating habits.” Defoe shows that as a cannibal, Friday enjoyed consuming flesh. Crusoe made it clear to Friday that this is not acceptable behavior for human society, this type of savage practice made them a separate group in this human society. Crusoe, as a colonizer, changes Friday’s language, religion, habits, culture and even his name. “I found Friday had still a hankering Stomach after some of the Flesh, and was still a Cannibal in his Nature... I had by some Means let him know, that I would kill him if he offer’d it.” (208) Gradually Crusoe is able to change Friday’s eating habits and converts him from cannibal to human beings by learning to eat the meat of animals rather than humans flash. This is the process that technically produces by the colonizers to impose their own language, religion, culture and identity upon the colonized groups or nations.
According to Peter Hulme the fact is Crusoe and Friday’s relationship is an image of capital and labor. In Robinson Crusoe Friday is also represented as a productive, normative code, an unpaid labor. Crusoe’s authoritative relation represents Friday as a “private property” and is the source of profit. It is quite colonial aspect that he teaches Friday to call him his “Master”
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because he gives him a new life, a new land to live. Crusoe’s intention was not only to save Friday’s life but to make him a royal “servant.” Crusoe imposes his will most obviously on Friday. We find Crusoe’s double standard personality. He is against of barbarism but also concerns to set up his self image. That’s why he does not bother to learn Friday’s language, nor does he bother to learn of Friday’s real name. Being a calculative man Crusoe accepts Friday not as a companion but as a servant and establishes his superiority. In English literature Friday may be considered the first royal “savage” to raise doubt of what the white people’s automatically assumption of superiority over other races. “Servant”, “Master”, “load”, “Savage” all these words frequently used in this book. These words show that “domination” and “subjugation” is an important aspect in this novel. Cultural difference and linguistic barrier dominates Friday in this way that willingly he submits himself as a slave.Friday’s “subjection”, “servitude” and “submission” to Crusoe reflects colonial race relations.
There is a similarity of the relationships between God and Crusoe and Crusoe and Friday. Here one is savior/protector/colonizer and other is saved/protected/colonized. At the time Friday comes on the island Crusoe’s authority becomes obvious through his attitude towards Friday. Crusoe believes because of God mercy, he finds Friday. So, he quickly accepts the opportunity which is sent to his hands and represents Friday like the island gives Crusoe legitimacy of his authority over Friday and makes him Friday’s God. Crusoe’s authority on the island is a kind of “monarchical system” and a process to create his self-image, a mirror, to show someone a “self- validating image” of him. According to Bhabha colonial otherness on the black man’s body creates identity crisis.
Friday, a cultural inferiority is a perfect colonial figure of black skin but white musk. He does not have his own voice; he speaks with his master’s words and imitates his actions. He is
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just a shadow or an image whose identity is imposed by someone else. According to Homi Bhabha mimicry is a process of the colonizers to impart upon the colonized to accept, renew and recognizable “Other.” It is clearly expressed through Friday mirrors feelings of good will and benevolence and when it justifies and reaffirms Crusoe’s authority over him, and more generally, the island. “Otherness” also reflected through the political depiction of Defoe when he used first person to quotes in Robinson Crusoe, “I was born...” in the first sentence of the story. This authoritative voice clearly shows his strong position in this fiction and also reflects his biases towards the young Friday, his “slave” with his more fictional narrative stance.
In Robinson Crusoe representation of the cannibal as a figure of radical otherness indicates the politics of empire which contributes to the creation of a rich colonial imaginary. Through this “otherness” process Defoe represents Crusoe’s distinct identity from Savages and creates two groups one is Civilized /Christian and other is Cannibal /Savages. Edward Said discussed in the Introduction of his popular book, “Orientalism”- the ‘Other’ means those who are not white or the ‘Exotic’ and it is their lands that must be conquered along with them. The aim of Crusoe’s civilizing mission is just to show the discursive nature of cannibalism by blending fact and imagination. The relationship between Crusoe and Friday clearly reflects the binary construction of British and Cannibal, civilized and uncivilized/evil. At first, Friday’s body becomes a symbol of fear to Crusoe. After meeting Friday, Crusoe gradually overcomes it by domination and subjugation. Friday’s silence and Defoe’s authority over him erase Friday’s identity, gives him a new “English identity” and “an English voice”. This kind of “domination”, “presence “and “control” over colonized by the colonizer is sustained and control the minds of the colonized people. From this sense Crusoe “is the archetypal English imperialist, an
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exemplary planter-setter, explorer, valiant defender of his domain and benign master of an ever- increasing number of subjects on behalf of his king and country.” (Alam, 4)
So, it is obvious that a power structure has been established in Robinson Crusoe through the representation of Crusoe and Friday. In this novel, for example, Crusoe’s power comes from his property, as well as because of Friday’s lack of property. Crusoe has economical power which is important to dominant over those who are not economically powerful; it is a process to create class distinctions which is clearly reflected through Crusoe’s activities. As a labor of Crusoe, Friday is alienated from his soul and his body. Crusoe shapes Friday’s identity, body and mind through knowledge and economical power then again he re-structures his body and so his identity. Not only Friday but both Friday and Xury are represented as colonized figures/ characters in this novel. Friday is a symbol of non-white slave, Xury a servant of Crusoe and “Crusoe is a driven, paranoid and power-hungry man, someone who has an authoritarian and insecure side to his personality coexisting with the “rational” and religiously tempered one.” (Alam, 4) Xury and Friday both is the model of those people who are entirety believed the native “other” should by the British and since their actions were misinterpreted.
At the opening of the novel we find Crusoe as an adventurous man but at the end he declares himself as king/ leader of the land with military force Crusoe reflects a typical Euro- centric attitude. He shows his “European supremacy” by rescuing Friday and giving him food, cloth and language. At the same time Crusoe creates an unequal relationship. Friday is nothing more than an illusion for the readers. His existence is portrayed by a European Masterly imagination. He is a symbol of darkness, an incomplete image and technically produced as a “speaking subject” by a colonizer/ European Master. According to Said Europeans believe the ways natives are behave, think and speak present them totally a separate group. As a native
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Friday’s pronunciation was different and for this type of speaking Crusoe not only criticized him but he enjoyed it. It does not mean Friday has capacity to learn Robinson’s language. Just lack of resources natives like Friday not considered a good English speaker. Language separates Crusoe from the natives. This separation technically produced by the colonizers so that they can keep distance from the native. Their (natives) imperfect pronunciation of English and their different cultures, religions, values and morality are considered as the symptoms of being isolated from European. In Robinson Crusoe representation of racial multiplicity is not only based on the binary color distribution of black and white but colonial or racial representation become more significant through the dichotomy between “Savage” and “Christian”, “Slave” and “Master”, “Civilized” and “Uncivilized.” These binaries relationship reveals only the positives picture of British and Christian because they are economically, morally superior while all things “others” are negative and frightful, dark and impure. In Robinson Crusoe, binary construction developed through British ideologies of imperialism and racialism which affects the plot of the novel to deal with politically. Robinson Crusoe is not only an adventurous fiction rather than it is a story of all about “power, self and otherness.” To support this view Richetti said:
Defoe began to explore adventure themes very late in his career (the first volume of Robinson Crusoe appeared when he was fifty-nine years old). For Defoe, adventure stories were like thought-experiments. In his hands, the adventure novel is a means of diagnosing global positioning for national domestic advantage. (45)
It would be very wrong to think Robinson Crusoe as a children story because Crusoe’s actions and voyages seem to be the work of a colonial trader. Crusoe is a commercial traveler and he considers the whole world as his territory. Karl Marx in his book Das Kapital used this story to illustrate economic theory in action. According to Karl Marks the protagonist in this
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novel proves himself to be a potential capitalist. He is a commercial traveler; his chief motive in traveling is not to have fun but to get profit. Like Crusoe Daniel Defoe also came from a Middle class family. He was a traveler and trader; being a trader he realizes that the overseas trade is not very easy for English. So, he realized the importance of economic power for developing nation and for the establishment of self in 18th century society. He knew commerce was an important aspect of civilization and through this overseas trade English traders can establish themselves the best gentlemen in Europe. Therefore, Defoe represents Crusoe as a commercial traveler. He undergoes the exile experience on an uninhabited island to develop himself as a capitalistic enterpriser and to improve his identity as a successful colonizer. Defoe shows how Crusoe gradually established himself as a governor with his surviving power, calculative and capitalistic ideas on the island. Finally he could able to make the island his colony.
“Discovery” and “Adventure” is an important aspect of colonialism and a major theme of any colonial novels. “British identities are mapped, through the figurative imagery of the hero, in the geography of his adventure” (Child, 122). Crusoe’s eagerness to discover other lands and people makes him a perfect explorer and his ideology is the ideology of colonizers. If we analyze his whole adventurous journey it seems that Defoe represents Crusoe as a typical European bourgeois, “rational”, “religious” and “mindful” of his own profit. His trip on a merchant ship refers to his capitalist tendency. Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe actually reveals his political and economic view relating to colonialism. In colonialism, geographical exploitation works behind economic success. It is a process by using the natural resources of others countries, colonizers are established new markets for extension their culture beyond its national borders. It is clearly reflected that the voyages of Robinson Crusoe demonstrates the “economic aspect of colonialism” and his character represents imperialistic attitude of a European man, who wants
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superior position to authorize or to dominate others. During eighteenth century British people consider themselves as the greatest trading country in the world. For their commercial success since they are trying to establish their colony in the distance island.
Robinson Crusoe was published at that time when new colonies were spread around the world and the explorers were being idealized. Europeans, especially the young traders were interested to go one of the colonies for exploitation of natural resources and to establish the British rules and Empire. Crusoe is this kind of adventurous man whose main purpose is to gain commercial success. By Inspiring the explorers belief Crusoe deals with nature not as a pantheist but as a calculating, commercial man who believes in capitalism. Crusoe’s motto of life shows us how self-righteous, way of thinking determined by the colonialism.
We find Crusoe’s worldliness and monetary motive at the beginning of his voyage to Guinea. Through this voyage Crusoe introduces himself a good sailor and a successful merchant. To him it was the only voyage which was full of success. This attitude of Crusoe represents him as commercial and rational white man. Through his voyages, he buys goods, sells those, and finally earns profit. He acts like a trader whose only aim to earn profit. Robinson Crusoe based on the true story of the “shipwrecked seaman Alexander Selkirk”, who related his experience to Defoe after returning to England in 1712. In Defoe’s story Robinson Crusoe is a middle class Englishman who decided to find adventure at sea rather than obey his father’s wish to study law. His whole trip on a merchant ship refers to his capitalist tendency. Whenever he gets opportunity, he involved in trade and commerce as a means of profit. His first trip turns to disaster when Moorish pirates captured Crusoe’s vessel and he is sold into slavery in North Africa. He and a young slave, Xury, escape their captors and sail to freedom along the African cost, where Crusoe eventually buys his way to Brazil by selling Xury to Portuguese captain. He
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becomes an owner of above 5000 pounds. Here we find Crusoe’s worldliness and monetary motive, his capitalistic tendency to establish his self image. His relationship with all is based on commodity value. It is clearly expressed through the relationship between Xury, the Moorish boy, who helped him to escape from slavery even that he had ready to dedicate his life for Crusoe’s sake. Crusoe tried to make Xury a novel Christian. But being a calculative man he sold the boy to the Portuguese sea-captain for a small amount of money. Crusoe does have some scruples about selling the boy into slavery, but those scruples are full satisfied when the Portuguese captain promises to relief the boy after ten years in case the boy turns Christian. By the help of Portuguese captain Crusoe then settle down in Brazil, again by the helps of this Portuguese captain he recovers his plantation. Crusoe becomes impressed for this benevolence behavior of the captain. It is a kind of human psychology that who gives one financial support to save him from financial obligations is known as the most valuable and benevolence people in the world. Then after ten years selling the royal slave Xury to Portuguese captain Crusoe realizes that he had taken wrong decision by parting him. It does not indicate the narrator’s guilty conscience rather than he requires more manpower on the plantation. Crusoe’s relations with his man Friday are also selfish. He does not ask the man name, but gives him a name. “To Crusoe and his creator Defoe, Xury and Friday are ideal slaves. One is hardly given a chance to ponder if the model slave ought to be as selfless and subservient as they.” (Kamal, 202) In Robinson Crusoe, the particular and natural form of labor, based on production of commodities and his notion about the relationship reflects his capitalist identity. In this novel, the protagonist acts both as a producer to increase profits, as well as consumer to increase his utility. As a rational, economic man Crusoe is not family loving man rather than he is more concerned about making money and getting power. Crusoe’s civilizing mission reveals his ambition of capitalism,
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imperialism and racialism. Crusoe is a perfect colonizer established his self image to prove “the differences between the English man and others with whom he comes in contact seems clear cut in terms of establishing the superiority of enslaver to enslaved: the Africans he trades in, the Maresco Xury whom he sells as a slave, and the Carib Friday whom he relegates to perpetual servitude.”(Wheeler, 130)
If we analyze Crusoe’s second voyage, his voyage to Brazil, it appears an economic success. He learns about sugar plantation there. He finds that sugar-planters grow rich, so he becomes a planter. He imports labors from Guinea. Crusoe’s activates in Brazil becomes typical of a white colonizers who were used to set up plantation in a far off land. The only aim of these planters was to make money in a very short time. But the unavailability forces him to start slave trading. Defoe’s time Slave trading is a colonial issue. Sixteenth and seventeenth century was the period of developing capitalism. At that time European traders were searched the gold, tropical products and slaves for the expansion of their trade. For developing colonies, world markets such voyagers were maintained this process; because it is a part of commercial progress. In the light of fact we find that the plot of Robinson Crusoe expresses some of the most important characteristics of Defoe’s time “at the time when the middle class had become prominent in England.” (Kamal, 204) This system enables the middle class to accumulate vast amount of money. As a member of the middle class, Crusoe did not bother to support slavery and set up a colony. It clearly shows the colonial inclination in his mind. Thus; the voyages of Robinson Crusoe illustrate the economic aspect of colonialism. Capitalism, materialism and colonialism are closely connected in this novel. Even in his delicate condition in the remote island, Crusoe does not forget his monetary consideration. He regards himself as the master of the island and a rich man. This materialistic note is evident when Crusoe says:
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“My Island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich in subjects and it was a merry Reflection which I frequently made, How like a king I look’d.” (241)
When Crusoe reaches Lisbon and meets the Spanish ship captain, he takes an account of his prosperity from him. He declares that he would give one-third of his wealth to the king and two third of his wealth to St. Augustine, which will be spent for the benefit of poor and the conversion of the Indians to the “Catholic faith.” Here his intension is clear to all that is not to help the poor but to change their religion, their beliefs and finally their existence. Crusoe becomes ecstatic lots of money all around him. So, economical power can change one’s culture faith, even their identity.
On the island Crusoe enjoys full economic freedom. He converts the island in to a kind of commercial investment. The island gives Crusoe absolute freedom to make money and accumulate power which the colonizers need. Crusoe is a capitalist on this island which belongs entirely to him. It is this possession of the island and of the stock of goods from the ship which rises Crusoe to the position of an unchallenged king. Crusoe does not achieve this power through his own efforts, because the goods which he has obtained from the stranded ship were the product of the labors of scores of other individual.
In the new island Crusoe’s materialistic attitude is clearly expressed through his personal diary. The diary describes his experiences, his feelings and also shows tangible profits on the island. In short, if we analyze the purpose of Crusoe’s voyages it shows the concept of “economic individualism” and the resultant capitalism. By depicting the survival picture of the protagonist in the island, the author represents him a man who belongs to an ordinary middle-class family. As a member of a capitalist bourgeois society, he shows his imperial mentality towards the
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natives. Like empires Crusoe achieves prosperity not merely for the toil of his own hands but also from the toil of other people and eventually turns the island from land to a colony. He is an example of an imperialist; who behaves like empires while the others in the island even the pets are represented as his “subjects.” He converts the island in to a kind of commercial investment which makes him a successful businessman. Crusoe has been identified as man with capitalism; Kal Marx correctly indentifies Crusoe as an “Economic man, Homoeconimic.” Defoe technically represents the new “commercial culture” by promoting the good opportunity to develop economic condition on new territories. Thus, materialism, capitalism and colonialism lie at the heart of the novel Robinson Crusoe. The child adventurous fiction Robinson Crusoe turned into a political product by depicting the survival story with the issues of “trade”, “colonialism” and “imperialism.”
Discovery of new land territories is another kind of colonial enterprise and “adventure appears to be a way of investigating the global, and its financial and commercial implications.” (Richtty, 60) Discovery of new land territories is another kind of colonial enterprise. This book shows a clear exploitation of a native land by a European. Crusoe is the symbol of the colonizers who wants to establish their rule, culture and language in the remote island. Crusoe’s eagerness to discover other territories represents his colonizers ideology. Crusoe as a Western figure assumes the role of a master, a king, and a governor.
“Robinson Crusoe was a powerful geographical fantasy but also a colonial myth, a myth that represented British colonialism to the British people, as well as to the colonized people.” (Phillips, 126)