Robinson Crusoe as a novel of British colonialism

Petra Musulin
 Ideas of British colonialism can be found in the neoclassical adventure novel,

Robinson Crusoe, which follows the journey of the main character throughout the continent,

where he learns how to adapt to the new surroundings and eventually to adjust the

environment for him and his needs. Crusoe sets out to the sea, seeking adventure and fun, but

he ends up stranded on a deserted island. While most people would have usually given up of

hope, Crusoe, as an example of a true British gentleman who is resourceful and has a lot of

knowledge about everything, eventually conquers the island and turns it into his own little

colony. Crusoe sees himself as the ruler of the island who created the new world whose

foundation relies on the old British tradition and Christian rules. Crusoe can be a synonym for

the whole British Empire, and the novel as a way to justify colonization, something which

British Empire has been doing for a long period of time.

Main protagonist of this novel is actually a British trader who is eager for slave labor

and its economic advantages. In his view of slavery as an economic power which enables

profit and the improvement of British prosperity, we can see the justification of one of the

main ideas of colonialism, the usage of people which they have conquered. The novel does

not directly aim at the rationalization of the slavery, but talks about it in a way which makes

us think that it is a normal trading system, except the fact that merchandise are people whose

land they have conquered. The novel was written in the neoclassical age, the period of

increasing commercial and economic prosperity, and global trade for England. During those

times slavery and conquest of foreign countries was a common fact which Defoe indirectly

described in this novel. As Mcinelly said, the views which are typical for this age were

reflected in the story. Defoe transformed colonialism through the power of fictional

representation into the adventures of a single man who masters and island, his native

companion, and himself ( see Mcinelly 22: 3). Also, the relationship towards the black people
has been discussed in the book, where the natives of the conquered colonies are seen as

slaves, while the white people are considered to be servants. We can see that in the novel

where Crusoe refers to the “European” in his service as a servant, while others are called the

slaves. The relationship between the British and their colonies is also reflected in the

connection between Crusoe and his companion on the island, Friday. Friday is a native

inhabitant of some island in the nearby and a cannibal. Crusoe saved his life, and decided to

keep him alive. Friday immediately became his servant. The practice of slavery often

involved replacing native names with Christian one, so at the moment when Crusoe teaches

Friday to call him “Master” Friday becomes an enduring political symbol of racial injustice in

a modern world critical of imperialist expansion. Though Crusoe doesn't technically buy

Friday, he does take complete possession of the man. Crusoe represents the first colonial

mind, while Friday represents all natives of America. Also, Crusoe does not learn Friday’s

language or his culture, he communicates with Friday in his own language, which is English,

and converts him to Christianity. Similar destiny happens to all the people and countries

which Britain has conquered. The other idea of colonialism is reflected in the main character

of this novel himself, Robinson Crusoe, more specifically in his character development. When

he ended up on a stranded island, at first he was confused and scared, but later managed to

adapt to this new environment, and started to enjoy in the time spent there. He does not

become overwhelmed by the vastness of his environment but his self-image enlarges with

time. Crusoe sees island as an expanding colony, which he is able to transform for himself. He

imagines himself as a ‘Lord of the whole Mannor; or if I pleas’d I might call myself King or

Emperor over the whole country which I had possession of.’ He sees himself in grandiose

terms. This is the mindset familiar to the Brits, which posses a lot of self-assurance, especially

among people or a landscape which could empower them. This type of mindset is one of the

reasons they were so successful in their conquests, because they were able to assert
themselves on the people and land. In the same way Crusoe’s pride grow while conquering

and expanding his influence on the island, British pride grew bigger and bigger while

expanding their colonies. That pride is reflected once more in the Crusoe’s character, because

he, as a British gentleman possesses a lot of qualities, such as resourcefulness and practical

intelligence. He is able to build his own kingdom with his own two hands by using his virtue,

and supplies which he found on the island. Another colonial idea can be found in the Defoe’s

belief in a monarchical system of government, in which divinely appointed kings rule

submissive subjects according to God’s will. Micinelly also says that Defoe believed that

royal absolutism represented the surest means of ensuring political stability ( see Mcinelly

22: 16). This opinion is reflected in the Crusoe’s experience on the island. Defoe created in

this novel a small colony ruled by a common Englishman, who became the master, a king and

an emperor of this island. Crusoe was found in a situation where he was able to take over the

land, because he was the smartest and the most resourceful of them all. At first, he was alone

in the island, and the people who he found were certainly less educated, with less resources,

or without education at all. He was offered a setting in which he can become extraordinary

and powerful. He also found Friday, a cultural inferior, whom he had the power to educate,

and eventually submit. He was a colonizer; the island was his colony, and Friday his slave.

We can see that in the sentence said by the Crusoe himself: “First of all, the whole country

was my own mere property, Baso that I had an undoubted right of dominion. Secondly, my

people were perfectly subjected. I was absolute lord and lawgiver, they all owed their lives to

me, and were ready to lay down their lives, if there had been occasion of it, for me.“ (310).

We can also expand this fact to the British imperialism, and see the example of colonization,

in which Brits assert themselves on the territory which is easy to conquer, and people who do

not have enough education or resources to defend themselves. Also, Crusoe’s conquest of

island was justified by ‘God’s will’. Crusoe believed that God put him through this, and
Crusoe just took what was given to him by God. It was his destiny and he gladly accepted it.

Crusoe goes from the man saved by God, to one who is a savior appointed by God. “And

where, Sir,”, Crusoe asks the Captain of the English ship, “is your Belief of my being

preserv’d here on purpose to save your Life?” (355). Mcinelly also claims that Crusoe’s

proclamation suggest how self-composed he has become as a result of his experience on the

island (see Mcinelly 22: 19). Another concept of colonialism is found in the image of the

island itself. The island is portrayed as a as a Christian utopia, middle-class utopia, and a

colonial utopia. The island is represented as a white canvas, which allowed Crusoe to

transform it in the way he wants it to be. First, he physically colonises the island, building a

shelter for himself, building an enclosure for himself, clears the land and makes his own little

farm of animals he found. He had enough time and will to make things in which he is able to

enjoy, and not just the things which are essential to survive. Then, he mentally conquered the

island. He did that when he stared to enjoy in the time spent there, and when he started to see

himself as the ruler of the land. He was a perfect colonist, because he transformed into an

architect, farmer a tailor, an astronomer and much more, to enable himself the life he wanted,

and the life he needed. In the way, Defoe made us believe Crusoe deserved to conquer the

island, because he made it better. This reflects the views of the British colonists, who justify

their actions by believing in improvement of the countries which they conquer. They think

that their country improves and develops the conquered countries, and it goes in both

directions. The Britain gains a work force and resources, and the conquered countries gain an

“experts” and educated British gentlemen who bring their knowledge, culture and religion,

which British people consider to be the best. We can also find this belief in the relationship

between Crusoe and Friday, which I have mentioned earlier. Crusoe does not learn Friday’s

language or shows a lot of interest for his culture, and one of the reasons is probably because

he thinks that his language and culture is better than Friday’s. Friday’s people may be
cannibals, and their beliefs and opinions are not modern enough, but it is a part of Friday’s

personal identity, which Crusoe immediately changes. He could have accomplished a

relationship between him and Friday, and let Friday keep his own views on life. But he did

not. He needed to change him for the better; he needed to transform his companion and his

servant into an image of himself, in order to have a complete possession of him. This is what

colonials have done to the people they have conquered, they changed everything about them,

their name, their religion, and their beliefs. They had to make them surrender completely, and

the best way to do that is by changing the core of their slaves, their own personal identity.

Robinson Crusoe is a novel which indirectly shows the example of a perfect

colonization. In the perfect world which Defoe created in this novel, he managed to justify the

actions of a perfect colonialist. He made the readers believe Crusoe earned the island, and the

people there, because he transformed it, and made it better. He created environment in which

he was able to survive, and live there by using natural resources which were already on the

island, and with the help of some goods from the wrecked ship. But, the island was not his,

even though he lived there for an extended period of time. He used everything he could find,

and the exploitation of natural resources from the land which does not belong to the conqueror

was justified because of the condition Crusoe was found. If it was another country, or island

with more inhabitants, we would not justify his actions like we do now. Also, the slavery in

which Friday ended up was justified in the similar manner. Crusoe saved the Friday’s life, and

got the right to enslave him. He gave Friday a new life, and that life, even though it is masked

under the education Crusoe gave him, is a life of a slave. Friday had to do was he was told

because he was afraid of his “Master”. The colonization of the island was described using the

perfect situation, in which we are able to sympathize with the colonist, who is a perfect

British gentleman, a man who created his own colony from scrapes, the perfect colonialist.
 Works cited:

MCINELLY, BRETT C. “EXPANDING EMPIRES, EXPANDING SELVES:

Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731. Robinson Crusoe. Oxford ; New York :Oxford University Press,

2007.