The Religious Dimension of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe Essay

Robinson Crusoe is a man who was lost in the world, stuck at home with his parents, he was expected to be a lawyer, but his heart longed for the sea. Crusoe eventually left home, without telling his parents what he planned. After several voyages, all of which were seemingly “unlucky,” he is shipwrecked on a desert island and is forced to survive with only bare necessities. Many people consider him a hero because of how he dealt with his misfortune. Some people believe that Robinson Crusoe is a likeable and admirable character, but others disagree. Robinson Crusoe is not a likeable or admirable character for three reasons: he is self-absorbed, he lacks emotion, and he is hypocritical.

“Religion in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’.” Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature, 3-Volume Set, Facts On File, 2010.

In the sixth chapter of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster examines the Bible and its importance throughout stories, poetry and film. The Bible is one of the most commonly known pieces of literature and is even “nonsectarian” in Foster’s eyes (44). Because stories from the Bible are so well known, the Bible is a tremendously easy for authors to reference when constructing a new composition. Especially “prior to sometime in the middle of the twentieth century” writers were “solidly instructed in religion” and could count on the public being very well acquainted with Biblical stories (47). This widespread knowledge of the Bible lead to greater understandings throughout literature, and the recognized allusions helped

With the time that the Puritans would have in the new world, this was beautiful music to the Puritans’ ears. Lastly, the Puritans’ lack of possessions would allow them to depend on one another much more “in the bonds of brotherly affection” (Winthrop 148). Since the Puritans would have no possessions to spend time on, they had more time to spend with one another, and thus depend on one another. Through spending time with one another, the Puritans would build bonds and friendships that are much better than any material possessions they could own. Through these points, Winthrop encourages the Puritans to not become weary about their lack of wealth, but instead see their poor souls as opportunities for God to work in their life.

It is interesting to view religion as the most visible consistency in the novel when the main character, Grant Wiggins, is himself an atheist. Although he himself does not believe in things such as heaven or hell he is still impacted upon by the community around him. Grant, an educated man,

Throughout this course, religion has projected itself in many writers literature. The 1800’s was a critical time for the United States, it was the beginning of the melting pot. Although this melting pot did more harm than good for some, many of these people leaned on their religion to get them through difficult times. Three works that religion is most prominent would be “ Letters to Luis de Santangel” (pg 34-36), “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson” ( pg 256-288), and “The Wonders of the Invisible World” (pg 327-333). These three works all express how religion and faith influenced the writer's life.

They Danced and played in the warm water of the island without a care in the world. The island seemed like a utopia with its “white surf flinked on a coral reef, and beyond that the open sea was dark blue.” (pg. 10)

Stubb decides to give Old Fleece a lecture on religion after waking him to complain about his overcooked whale steak. Not only does Stubb ask Fleece to "preach" to the sharks who are making a considerable din eating the dead whale chained to the ship, but he compares Fleece's inability to "correctly" cook a whale steak to Fleece's un-Christian ways. This passage is an excellent example of the theme of the hypocrisy of religion in Moby Dick.

Thus, Robinson Crusoe was displaying uncertain signs of his belief in God. It isn’t until he is on the uninhabited island that he begins to slowly convert into a full Christian.

The first reason that Robinson Crusoe is an admirable character is because he devotes himself to growing his spiritual life. First, he asserts, “My duty to God, and the reading scriptures, which I constantly set apart some time from thrice every day.” (Defoe

However, unlike the custom of the times, Crusoe carves out a dedication "I came on shore here of the 30th of Sept. 1659" (Defoe 61) as opposed to a tribute to God or Christ. Next, in his journal, Crusoe begins to relieve himself by listing both the good and evil of his situation. Crusoe confronted with tragedy quickly takes religion into his life, but once again the sincerity in his beliefs can easily be questioned by the reader. Additionally, once Crusoe is settled into his life on the island, he forgets his commitment to religion until he becomes deathly ill. In his journal he writes "Very ill, frighted almost to death with the apprehension of my sad condition ... Prayed to God for the first time since the storm off Hull" (Defoe 84). His strength returns soon then suddenly he falls back into sickness. During this fit of illness he cries out for God to pity and have mercy on him. After waking up feeling better, but thirsty, Crusoe lies in bed and falls back to sleep. While asleep, Crusoe experiences a vision of a man descending from the clouds. The apparition approaches Crusoe, saying "Seeing all these things have not brought thee to repentance, now thou shalt die" (Defoe 85). Crusoe finally realizes all the wickedness in his life, such as disobeying his father and participating in the slave trade for his own profit. While suffering in sickness for another day, at last

Characteristics of the genre adventure, consist of a heroic protagonist, a journey or quest, unusual locations, and action and danger. Characteristics of the genre realistic fiction consist of events that could happen in real life, and the themes represent human experiences.

The island is also a powerful means of conveying the traits of the characters. This is made possible by the fact that it appears to change depending on who is regarding it. The initial responses of the characters to their arrival on the island illustrates this ides. For Gonzalo it is temperate and full of possibility – he dreams of a commonwealth “t’excell the Golden Age”. For Antonio it is barren and unforgiving; he remarks it has “everything, save means to live”. The archcriminals Antonio and Sebastian mock the advisors observation that their clothes are undamaged and cleaner than before, but this is an interesting metaphor for the function of the island setting. The characters have been refreshed rather than hurt by their shipwreck; and, as in all Elizabethan romances, providence offers them a new

This paper is an attempt to examine the seeming opposition of religion vs. self-interest with respect to the character of Robinson Crusoe. I will venture to demonstrate that in the novel, Defoe illustrates the contradictions with which Crusoe must contend as he strives to please God while ensuring his own survival in the world. In part, I will endeavor to show that a distorted sense of Puritanism as well as the existing colonial mindset exacerbated this opposition, and resulted in what I propose to be Defoe's (possibly retroactive) imposition of a religious justification for Crusoe's actions.

The theme of "man’s relationship to God and the universe" presented in Epistle 1 of Alexander Pope’s "An Essay on Man" complements Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe is an inconsistent character who turns to God whenever he is in need, yet fails to maintain respect for nature and for his fellow man. In the first year of Robinson Crusoe’s solitary life on the island, he falls ill and has a terrifying dream that alters his awareness of his place in the universe and God’s control of it. This experience leads him to contemplate his past ingratitude and to embark on a life of piety, reading the Bible daily, though without a drastic or permanent change in his character.