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Discuss the theme of colonialisation in the novel Robinson Crusoe
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Robinson Crusoe is a fiction of 18th century, written by Daniel Defoe, in which the author represents the colonialist and imperialist mindset of an European man. Through a shallow reading, the novel might seem like an adventure novel, but with an in-depth research and reading, it is possible to find out that the novel is actually written from a colonialist and imperialist perspective of the 18th century Britain. On the other hand, 17th century novel Oroonoko, written by a female author Aphra Behn, is actually a piece of work which bears and represents imperialist and colonialist attitudes of European man more directly and openly to its readers. Both novels, bearing the similar features of European imperialism and slavery, will be compared and contrasted in detail by giving specific examples in the following essay.
It is necessary to define both colonialism and imperialism before starting the discussion since both two terms are the main concerns of these two novels. According to Saeed, colonialism is "... a practice of the powerful over the less powerful" (Saeed 2). Similar to colonialism, imperialism is a: "... state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas" ("imperialism"). As it is discussed in the class, Britain is known as "the mother country" and "the home of civilization," therefore, both novels represent British army and British people superior and other indigenous people and black people, called negroes, inferior. Both authors, Daniel Defoe and Aphra Behn, highly emphasize on British imperial power based on their being white, English and Christian. The difference betw...
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...ther nations. Comparing these two important novels that are written by two different authors, help the reader to see the two different sides and influences of imperialism and enslavement. As it is also discussed in the class, the reality of feeling oneself superior and the other as inferior, is a complete illusion which has been framed by the Europeans.
Work Cited
Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko and Other Stories. Hungary: Könemann, 1991. Print
Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. 1st ed. Waiheke Island: Floating Press, 2008. Print.
"imperialism." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 23 May 2014.
Saeed, Nourin Binte. "Colonial Representation in Robinson Crusoe, Heart Of Darkness and A passage to India". Dspace.bracu.ac.bd. N.p., 2014. Web. 23 May 2014
...heir superiority. Achebe embraces the beauty of humanity while simultaneously addressing its flaws. With his ability to contemplate conflicting perspectives, Achebe illustrates the benefits of cultural relativity. Achebe does not target religion or even the colonizers; he addresses people universally, encouraging global consideration and individual reflection. To accentuate the forcefulness of the colonizers, Achebe contrasts it with his own temperateness—he portrays his characters without generalization, he presents his opinions with a carefully restrained perspective, and remains calm in his writing, never resorting to hatred. Instead of passively resenting his village’s colonization, Achebe productively channels his specified anger into global compassion, showing his readers the value in considering different cultures with objective and thoughtful rationality.
The colony is not only a possibility in the geographical; it is a mental dominance that can imperialize the entire self. Entire continents have be domineered, resources completely dried, and at colonialism’s usual worst, the mental devastation of the indigenous culture has left a people hollow. Indigenous culture is no longer that. In the globalized world, no culture is autonomous; culture cannot breathe without new ideas and new perspectives, perspectives that have traditionally come from the people who have lived within the culture. But, the imposition of dominant cultures has certainly benefited from culture’s own vulnerability, as global similarities now exist throughout most different, yet not separate cultures. Postcolonialism is imperialism with a mask on, nothing less. As Franz Fanon puts it “that imperialism which today is fighting against a s true liberation of mankind leaves in its wake here and there tinctures of decay which we must search out and mercilessly expel from our land and our spirits.”
'Colonialism is the policy of occupying political control over another country' (Oxford dictionary). The British had power and considered themselves as civilized. They thought that the non-English people were savages and that they were not civilized. The British thought that they should civilize these savages. This is also called the white mans burden. The mission of civilizing the Indians (natives) was used as a tool to loot, plunder, murder and oppress the natives. A book the heart of darkness is based on how white men treat the natives. The book shows Kurtz, the English dealer and his attitude towards the natives. When Marlow, a worker for the same company as Kurtz goes to visit Kurtz he finds out that the natives worship Kurtz and he also sees that there are heads of natives on display near his house. The entire book shows how these civilized men treated the natives in the most gruesome ways and thought what they did was right. (Conrad, Joseph.
In these examples, we can see the reasons that stories truly do have the power to change things and fight colonialism, the multiple authors mentioned throughout “Home and Exile” were very influential, even if they used their power of narrative in corrupt ways to justify their action. Throughout history, there will always be an author whose words will be strong enough to fight the problems of society, truly Chinua Achebe was the author of the 1900’s whose words were powerful enough to fight for what he believed in and help end the problem known as colonialism.
Introduction: The epoch of imperialism cannot be defined simply as a proliferation of inflated egos tied to the hardened opinions of nationalists, but also a multi-faceted global rivalry with roots of philosophies tainted with racism and social Darwinism. The technique of each imperialist was specific to the motivations and desires of each combative, predominantly Western power and subsequently impacted the success of each imperialist and its colonies. Driven by industrialization, Europeans are aware of the urgent need for raw materials and new markets to maintain a constant rate of expansion and wealth. Imperialism became a competition; in general, the European countries led with fervor while the non-Western regions deemed likely to be stepped on.
During the era of maritime exploration and the discovery of the Americas, assumptions were made of the land likening it to not only a paradise, but one that was overrun with cannibalistic natives. These suppositions led to a desire to explore the lands and conquer the savages that posed a threat to man and civilization itself. The consequences of this mass colonization and dehumanization of the natives paved the way for literary pieces that pose as critiques of the era when viewed through a post-colonial lens. When looked at through a post-colonial perspective, a few common themes prevail amongst compared texts. Focusing on the theme of the journey, what it means, and what is at stake, Garcilaso de la Vega’s “The Story of Pedro Serrano” and Juan José Saer’s The Witness both touch on all these themes with great severity, dissecting the purpose of the journey and what it means to be a civilized man.
Part of how North America engaged in imperialism was the idea of Manifest Destiny (Age of Imperialism II, 19:20). This was the belief that it was their destiny to take over and expand. The Europeans engaged in imperialism by taking over or having other places join their country (Age of Imperialism II, 28.06). This is important because if they could peacefully gain control it made their job easier. Another tool that helped the West engage in imperialism was the steam engine. They were able to trade with more nations and spread their ideas even better. Advances like the steam engine were key to both becoming what we call “Mother Nations.” When discussing how they believed in Manifest Destiny and the power of whiteness, it is crucial to show the flip side that allows them to take part in this. Morel, the author of the black mans’ burden, sees the burden of imperialism falling upon Africans, and wrote this against Kipling 's poem. The text says, “Thus the African is really helpless against the material God of the white man, as embodied in the trinity of imperialism, capitalistic, exploitation, and militarism…” (The Black Man’s Burden, pg. 2). This statement shows that the Africans were still less than and that there was indeed prejudice. He is saying that the Africans were destroyed by the Caucasians. While it is important to understand how the West became engaged in imperialism, we also need to understand that
Generally, as expressed in Charles Bressler’s Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice (4th Edition), post-colonialism encompasses a study of literature written in countries that are or were at some point in time colonized by England or some other imperial power (235). This analysis of literature implies or assumes that the peoples of these texts experienced social, political, and economic influences from an outside force, and were made out to be the “other” right on their own homeland. While Frankenstein is by no means a tale of conquest, the concepts of isolation and oppression are eminent throughou...
...h is not restrained by social conventions, Imperialism attempts to justify its savagery. The very fact Imperialists claim to be ‘fighting to the sanity of the world’ demonstrates the corrosive effects it has not only in a confined area, but also to neighboring cultures. By delving deeper into the characters’ subconscious and the true nature of Western Imperialism, the absurdity of what really is considered “true evil” is questioned by both Conrad and Coppola. Despite the fact colonization in various parts of the world officially ended in the 60’s, different systems of indirect rule were put in place because of continued interest in some parts. Both Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and “Apocalypse Now” by Francis Ford Coppola are aware of this continued, albeit unfortunate practice, and represents the futility of expecting the eradication of imperialistic values.
In reading Oroonoko it might be easy to miss the criticism offered against the European culture. Upon studying the novel however, this criticism which had been presented subtly becomes quite clear. An important note is that the author and the narrator are not in fact the same. Although the author is out to provide a criticism of European culture and values, she is reluctant to let it come through the narrator. This critique comes through mainly in less direct forms, through her non-European characters, most often Oroonoko, and through comparisons between cultures and the characters encountered in each.
Imperialism sprung from an altruistic and unselfish aim to "take up the white man's burden"1 and “wean [the] ignorant millions from their horrid ways.”2 These two citations are, of course, from Kipling’s “White Man’s Burden” and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, respectively, and they splendidly encompass what British and European imperialism was about – at least seen from the late-nineteenth century point of view. This essay seeks to explore the comparisons and contrasts between Conrad’s and Kipling’s view of imperialism in, respectively, Heart of Darkness and “White Man’s Burden” and “Recessional.”
James Joyce on Robinson Crusoe: “…the man alone, on a desert island, constructing a simple and moral economy which becomes the basis of a commonwealth presided over by a benevolent sovereign” (Liu 731).
Postcolonial authors use their literature and poetry to solidify, through criticism and celebration, an emerging national identity, which they have taken on the responsibility of representing. Surely, the reevaluation of national identity is an eventual and essential result of a country gaining independence from a colonial power, or a country emerging from a fledgling settler colony. However, to claim to be representative of that entire identity is a huge undertaking for an author trying to convey a postcolonial message. Each nation, province, island, state, neighborhood and individual is its own unique amalgamation of history, culture, language and tradition. Only by understanding and embracing the idea of cultural hybridity when attempting to explore the concept of national identity can any one individual, or nation, truly hope to understand or communicate the lasting effects of the colonial process.
It is the goal of the author in this book to convey the cultural and historical importance of captivity overseas. Even more so than that, I believe the author goes even further by claiming that; regardless of the various forms and locations around the world that captivity took place it still hold a special place in the history of the British Empire between 1600 and 1850. In order to truly understand the impact the British Empire had on the world and vice versa. One must explore the cultural interactions between the British colonists with the foreign lands they were forcing themselves upon. As the author puts very simply, the cultural interaction of taking captives in this era was not a linear process. Those Britons who came to the colonies slaving out other cultures for their benefit one day, may find themselves calling another culture master the next. This history of the British Empire is a history of social futility. Because, despite its small size this collection of English, Welsh, Scottish, and
Through realistic literary elements of the novel and the themes of individuality, isolation, society and being content versus being ambitious, readers of Robinson Crusoe can relate to many experiences that Crusoe faced. Crusoe’s story represents the genre of the middle class; it is the narration of middle-class lives with the help of realism elements and prominent themes that reflect on middle-class issues and interests. Crusoe represents mankind in the simplest form, he stands on middle ground no higher or lower than any other. He represents every reader who reads his story; they can substitute him for themselves. His actions are what every reader can picture himself or herself doing, thinking, feeling or even wishing for (Coleridge and Coleridge 188-192)