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Culture Documents
Narrative
Robinson Crusoe is a fictional autobiography
written from a first-person point of view, apparently
written by an old man looking back on his
life. The story also includes material from an incomplete
diary, which is integrated into the novel.
Spiritual Fable
Robinson Crusoe can be viewed as a spiritual
or religious fable. Defoe was very concerned with
religious issues, and nearly became a Dissenter
minister. In the preface of the book, Crusoe asserts
that he aims to justify and honour the wisdom of
Providence in all the variety of our circumstance.
In so doing, Crusoe clearly sees himself as part
of the tradition of religious instruction manuals.
The book does show similarities to the four different
types of spiritual fable. Firstly, Crusoe, like
many Puritans, keeps a diary in which he records
his progress toward salvation. Of this first form of
spiritual biography, the best known is John Bunyans
1666 Grace Abounding. The second form of spiritual fable evident in
Crusoe is the guide or advice tradition. This type
of fable is aimed at particular audiencesseamen,
farmers, young people, womento point out the
dangers of human existence, especially their own.
The goal of such works is to show not just the dangers
but the solution, usually a prayer.
The tale of Providence is the third tradition evident
in Crusoes story. In such tales, God is believed
to be a being who intervenes in the affairs
of people. Crusoe is constantly speculating on
whether an event is due to Gods intervention in
providential terms.
The last form is the pilgrim allegory, like Bunyans
Pilgrims Progress (1678). This form was
very popular but often amounted to no more than
a modernization of the parable about the Prodigal
Son, or the story of Jonah.
In this form, a young man leaves his home and
consequently isolates himself from God. This act
results from pride, discontent, or the rejection of a
calling. God intervenes, usually with violence, to
bring about a change in the prodigals direction
back toward Himself. By this intervention, the man
realizes he should have stayed home or accepted
his calling and thus willingly confronts evils and
hardships to return to God. Crusoes adventure follows
this pattern.
Verisimilitude
History context
The Restoration
When Oliver Cromwell (15991658) came to
power in England in 1653 he instituted a strict government
based on Puritan principles. Although this
benefited the middle class and the merchants, his
excessive taxes, his rule by force, and the absence
of trial by jury or parliamentary representation
gradually led the English people to hate him more
than they had Charles I.
When Cromwell died in 1658, his son Richard
(16281712) assumed the reigns of power. His
weakness soon led to his resignation, and the army
and parliament verged on a civil war. However, the
monarchy was restored to power when General
George Monck invited Charles II to return.
Charles II (16301685) restored the British
monarchy in May of 1660. An enthusiastic parliament
convened in the following year, and became
known as the Cavalier Parliament. Its session
lasted until 1679. The Church of England was restored
by the Clarendon Code, which also demanded
oaths of allegiance to the king. It also made
it unlawful to raise arms against the king.
Colonialism
Two dominant European powers lost much of
their power during the seventeenth century. Firstly,
Spains decline began after a series of naval losses.
Secondly, Portugal was not able to withstand Dutch
aggression. Although both nations would retain
control over several colonies, by the end of the seventeenth
century France and England became the
dominant world powers.
Englands colonies in North America
Jamestown, Virginia (founded 1607) and Plymouth,
Massachusetts (founded 1620)were becoming
prosperous by the 1700s. The original
English colonies in the New World were joined by
new ones: the Carolinas (1663), Pennsylvania
(1682), and islands in the West Indies.
Glorious Revolution
When Charles II died, James II (16331701)
assumed the throne of England. A fervent Roman
Catholic, James freed many Catholics, Quakers,
and Dissenters from prison. Alarmed by his policies,
the Earl of Argyll and the Duke of Monmouth
joined to overthrow the King in 1685. They were
defeated, due in large part to a lack of support from
the noble classes and the London merchants. Some