《鲁宾逊漂流记》中鲁宾逊性格浅析(2)
Researchers have studied Robinson Crusoe from three aspects: the religious perspective; aesthetic perspective and the perspective of Robinson as a bourgeoisie in the rising period. However, if we read this novel and think conscientiously from the glorious aspect, we will find that Robinson Crusoe displays numerous virtues and a colonial ideology as well. Robinson’s experiences are similar to early bourgeoisie’s colonization. Robinson’s development process is in fact an epitome of Western capitalism’s early practice of overseas colonization. In this paper, I mainly try to analyze Robinson Crusoe’s character.
The main body of this paper is a detailed analysis of Robinson Crusoe’s character from two aspects. Firstly, It refers to the glorious aspects of the character of Robinson Crusoe, and it includes the following aspects: a man of hard working, a man of pursuing his dream, a man of being hopeful in hopelessness, a man of being strong in desperation, a man of wisdom and a man of virtue. Secondly, it discusses the colonial aspects of the character of Robinson Crusoe. It includes the following two detailed aspects: Robinson Crusoe’s colonial prerequisite and Robinson Crusoe’s colonial activities. In conclusion, I make a brief summary on the whole thesis.
II. Background Information
2.1 The Introduction of Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) who was born in a commercial family in 1660 in London, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer. He was once a businessman, who ran the enterprise of underclothes, cigarettes and wine trade. Although he suffered from numerous difficulties, he could rescue his enterprise every time. Meanwhile, he showed us his steadfast determination to struggle against his fate. He could not be destroyed. Those entire experiences lay a profound foundation in thought and technique of the accomplishment of his masterpiece Robinson Crusoe, which means that the success of Robinson Crusoe is not occasional. It was not until 1719, at the age of sixty, that Defoe published the eminent novel. Defoe’s influence upon the evolution of the English novel is tremendous, so he is remembered as the first important English novelist and a great imaginative writer (Defoe, 2004:50).
2.2 The Introduction of Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe, written in 1719, is sometimes regarded as the first novel in English, to some extent, which reflects the rising bourgeoisie at that time. Ever since its first publication it has become one of the most popular novels in the world.
It is well known that Robinson Crusoe is an extraordinary character shaped by Daniel Defoe. Although Robinson is a fictitious great person, he tells the general public the truth that we should confront the adversity properly and positively. Robinson Crusoe’s life brims with legends. He is born in a wealthy family in the city of York. As his father said, “It was the best state in the world, the most suited to human happiness, not exposed to the miseries and hardships, the labor and sufferings of the mechanic part of mankind and not embarrassed with the pride, luxury, ambition, and envy of the upper part of mankind” (Wang Songnian, 2002:100). But due to his strong and eager thoughts about going to the sea, he breaks loose to be a sailor against his parents’ will. Unfortunately, he is caught by Turkish buccaneers and becomes a slave at the African shore. Owing to the unbearable life, he escapes from his Patron in a boat. Then he is saved by a freighter, and he is sent to Brazil safely. He becomes extreme rich by plantation. But when someone advises to go to the sea to buy and sell Negroes, he surrenders himself to his dream once more. Then he steps on his way to navigate to Africa. On the way there, they are caught by a violent storm, which brings death to everyone except Robinson. He is driven by the current and drifted to a desert island where he starts his life, which is the most wonderful part of the whole story. Robinson’s life of more than twenty eight years on the island is supposed as the acme of perfection.
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