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Robinson Crusoe is son of a well-off
merchant who yearns to go to sea. His father disapproves and
describes how only a middle class life of moderation allows a
man to live a life of virtue and peace. Crusoe tries to strike a
compromise and thereby gain his father's consent to go to sea.
His father refuses to give consent, ending the discussion by
saying that if Crusoe went to go to sea, God would not bless
him. Within a year, at just over the age of eighteen, Crusoe
secretly takes passage on a ship traveling from the town of Hull
to London. No sooner is the ship on the open ocean than a stiff
wind blows up and the sea gets rough. In truth, the storm is
relatively minor, but this being Crusoe's first time on a ship
he becomes tremendously sick and afraid. Wrapped up in his fear,
Crusoe comes to see the wisdom of his father's advice. He vows
that, if the ship manages to make port, he will immediately
return home. The weather soon clears and Crusoe begins to enjoy
the voyage, forgetting his vow to heed his father. Five days
later a far more severe storm strikes. |
The ship sinks, though the entire crew safely escapes
injury. Inspired by fear, Crusoe chides himself for so quickly
overlooking his vow to return. Yet, once again, as soon as his
terror dissipates, Crusoe's desire to see the world returns.
Meanwhile, the captain of the sunken vessel gets to know of Crusoe's
story and advises him never again to go to sea comparing him to the
biblical Jonah who didn't obey his father. Crusoe wrestles for some
time with whether to return home or go back to sea for some time.
The shame of returning home proves too great, however. Crusoe
accepts the offer of free passage from a friendly English Captain of
a ship headed for the coast of Africa. Though he is sick much of the
voyage, Crusoe learns the mathematics and techniques of navigation
and makes quite a profit in trade. He is resolved to travel and make
his fortune. |
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Crusoe's luck does not last. His next ship
is attacked by pirates, and Crusoe himself is taken as a slave by
the pirate captain. Sunk into misery, believing his life could not
get worse, Crusoe reflects again on his father's "prophetic
discourse." Crusoe remains a slave for two years before finally
making his escape by stealing his master's fishing boat. A young
Moorish boy, Xury, is incidentally involved in Crusoe's escape, and
thankfully pledges his faithfulness to Crusoe, his liberator. The
two sail along the African coast, landing from time to time to take
on water or to kill wild beasts and take their pelts. Eventually the
two are picked up by a Portuguese ship involved in the slave trade.
The Portuguese Captain of the ship is exceedingly friendly to
Crusoe. He provides free passage for Crusoe to Brazil and buys
Crusoe's animal pelts and the boat he had stolen from his former
master for generous prices. The captain also buys Xury from Crusoe.
This last sale causes Crusoe some small concern, as he is hesitant
to sell the poor boy's liberty, who had assisted him so faithfully
in procuring his own. The captain persuades Crusoe by offering Xury
a chance at freedom in ten years if he converts to Christianity, and
Xury expresses his consent to the deal.
The ship makes port in Brazil and Crusoe leaves a far wealthier man
than he had been before. He uses his newfound riches to buy a
stretch of land and build up a tobacco and sugar plantation. The
first few years are difficult, but within a number of years his
plantation begins to grow and seems to thrive. Still, Crusoe is
dissatisfied. Life on his successful plantation begins to feel like
the life he had escaped in England. For this reason, he quickly
agrees to lead an expedition to Africa to procure slaves for his
plantation and for the plantations of his neighbors. The ship sets
sail and is quickly damaged by a storm. The captain and Crusoe
consult and agree to head to Barbados in the Caribbean for repairs.
Before they make port, however, a second vicious storm strikes and
the ship is wrecked. Of all the crew, only Crusoe survives, washed
ashore on a deserted island.
In the first moments after safely reaching the shore of the island,
Crusoe rejoices and thanks the Lord for saving his life. Upon
looking around the island and finding it deserted, Crusoe's joy
fades, and he begins to look upon his deliverance as dreadful. His
first night he sleeps in a tree for fear of wild animals. The next
day, Crusoe discovers that the foundered ship is not terribly far
from the island. He swims over and builds a raft on board. Through a
series of trips he salvages everything he can, including food, corn,
rice, guns, ammunition, powder, wood, ropes, and tools. Back on
shore he builds a tent out of sails from the ship and fortifies it
with chests and casks. The next year is completely occupied by
Crusoe's efforts to survive. He builds a stout dwelling against a
cliff face and surrounds it with a wall of earth and a fence of
sharpened stakes. He also digs a cave into the cliff face for
storage and escape bad weather. When he needs meat, Crusoe shoots
fowl or one of the goats he has discovered living on the island. His
life during this time is extremely hand to mouth. As he finishes the
major work on his habitation and the work of survival eases
slightly, Crusoe begins to consider his condition. He had, for a
year, been a despondent worker. Now his reason begins to assert
itself, and, using a meager supply of ink salvaged from the ship,
Crusoe makes a table of the good and evil involved in his landing on
the island. He concludes that though his situation is miserable,
there is some positive in it; in other words, that it could be
worse. In this contemplative vein, Crusoe begins to keep a journal
first describing his first year on the island, then maintaining a
day by day account.
Click here for part 2 of the summary
of Robinson Crusoe |
