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Essay 1: Satan as a Renaissance Hero in Milton’s Paradise Lost, book, 1

by

Somapti Sarkar

ID:18203011

Professor Sayeed Noman

ENG 214

28 Mar 2021
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Somapti Sarkar

Professor Sayeed Noman

ENG 214

28 March 2021

Satan as a Hero in Milton’s Paradise Lost, Book 1

Paradise Lost is an epic in blank verse of the seventeenth century by English writer John Milton.

The first edition of the book published in 1667, comprises ten books with more than 10,000 lines

of the stanza. The poem begins with Satan and the extremist angels who were tossed out of

heaven and documented the first disobedience, as a result, they plunge from heaven. In the poem,

the personality of Satan depicted by Milton has created conflict among the critics and readers. In

this epic, Satan is again and again represented in a way that the readers feel emphasized for his

heroism. Satan is thoroughly examined in participation with the disastrous wannabe. Milton's

epic poem, Paradise Lost, book 1 indicates the disobedience of individuals and as a result, they

drop from the enchanting heaven. The description of Satan is fundamentally recognized for

Milton's heroic demonstration of Satan. Milton introduced a different character of Satan than

some other essayist who had been depicted previously in both literature and art. John Milton's

presentations of Satan in the epic lead the critics to build up a creative portrayal of Satan. As per

Biblical records, Satan is the creator of evil, the expert of camouflage, and man's most noticeably

awful adversary. Pride, defiance, and dauntlessness are Satan's significant qualities that are

portrayed a few times by John Milton in this incredible epic. In the event of deluding his

devotees, he implied various techniques. The poetic persona lets Satan talk concerning

progression, order, rebellion, and defiance. In Paradise Lost Book 1, the heroism of Satan
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depicted by John Milton is not possible looking at just a single. To comprehend the significance

of plurality in the characteristic of Satan, it is important to go through the character in a few

different ways. A confounded representation often opposes this idea with the poetic persona.

Moreover, the author enlivened the personality of Satan both legend and scalawag, who protest

autocracy, and he is additionally an evangelist of freedom, and host of his egocentrism.

Therefore, the poetic persona intentionally gives Satan the qualities of the Renaissance by

depicting a certain significance of Satan.

First of all, Paradise Lost Book 1, is about Satan; he is a glorious holy messenger yet

changed paradise to hellfire as a frightful character. His first and last impression is exceptionally

astonishing. Satan's personality in Paradise Lost from start to end of the epic forced readers

considering him as a legend of the epic and signifying Satan with the author himself. It is fact

that Satan in the narrative demonstrates the fall of man. In book 1, Satan is anchoring and

overflowing with the pool of fire in hell. For instance, the author gives a grand background of

Satan’s appearances

With Head up-lift above the wave, and eyes

That sparkling blaz’d, his other Parts besides

Prone on the Flood, extended long and large

Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge

As whom the Fables name of monstrous size, (Paradise Lost, Book I, p.193–97)

He has the incomparable courage to face the supreme punishment. He has set out to battle

against the most noteworthy discipline that has been met out to him the tortures of damnation.
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He had been tossed over the bastion of paradise with his fellow mates. Satan is the primary

significant character in the sonnet who in the past called Lucifer. He is resolved as a shaft star, he

is gutsy as a lion, and he is utilized as an ocean beast. This nature of Satan makes him an

incredible ground figure of Paradise Lost. He is a legend just as a scoundrel yet the main

character of Paradise Lost. There are a few characteristics of Satan that make him the hero of

Paradise Lost. Rakib Uddin student of English literature in his essay titled “Satan, the Most

Well-developed Character of Milton’s Paradise Lost: A Critical Analysis.”

“In quintessence then, Milton's magnificent poetic style locates Satan up as daring in

Books I and II. The appearance of Satan formulates him to give the impression superior

to him is in the beginning, illustrates the reader to Satan's point of view. Supplementary,

for the reason that all of the other characters in the poem — Adam, Eve, God, the Son,

the angels — are fundamental categories to a certain extent than characters, Milton

expend additional imaginative liveliness on the improvement of Satan so that through the

poem, Satan's character sustains the reader's concentration.” (653)

Then, Satan’s greatness, pride, and loftiness in Paradise Lost are the author’s creation. The

author gives him the image of scalawag however in the appearance of the hero. In general,

Milton calls attention to Satan's face which once outperformed the sun. His unique magnificence

might have been distinguished him from other character in the poem, and this difference

demonstrates the picture of an unflinching heroic soul. In the primary discourse, he makes

unsuccessful yet lofty fun of god's martial force. Satan viewed himself as more prominent than

the god. Indeed, even amidst all his torment as well as humiliation, he has gear to make plans for

another conflict. Moreover, Satan's inseparable determination for retribution is another principle

that highlights his character. Though the position of Satan is second, his determination stays
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unshaken, his assurance is the principal motivation for the fallen angel by his strong verdict. For

example, “[ . . .] for now the thought Both of lost happiness and lasting pain, Torments him;

round he throws his baleful eyes, that witnessed huge affliction and dismay, Mixt with obdurate

pride and steadfast hate (Paradise Lost, Book I, 54–58).” As a reader, we appreciate the firm

determination of Satan which never be submitted. The poetic persona makes Satan’s shrewd

expectation quite understandable. He is full of endless disdain for God and a longing for

vengeance. Milton shows the different sides of the character of Satan.

Furthermore, the hero is a man of action. Courage is the most significant aspect of

Satan’s character. God had thrown him into an abyss, and now he understands that he is

defenseless in the absence of fluid fire. Yet he has regaining consideration about that defenseless

state. Satan's fellow mate Beelzebub believes that the fallen angel is bound to live everlastingly

in heck, but Satan is promiscuous to overcome himself from that obstacle circumstance, and with

the expression of boldness he eliminates the dread of his supporters and gives them new

expectation. At that point with the strong statements, he rises their dropping soul as well as

reunites mental strength in them. Even though they crushed, yet not reluctant to pronounce his

conflict with the incredible adversary. Neither the force of God nor the agonies of damnation can

defeat his courage. Hence, he is promptly demonstrated as a pioneer as he guided others. Here

his Renaissance spirit is quite evident. For example, a critic Jim Jenkins explains, “A

Renaissance Leader is adept at creating a shared vision across all areas of an organization. They

view change as a developmental process that requires understanding not just where they want to

take their company, but also their people, creating a holistic model for future success.”

Besides, critics argued that three key qualities of an ideal leader make him an admirable

command first his oratory, second his politics, and third his control. We see rare oratory in his
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speech that is full of inspiration. We see he has a political sense with the ability to set up a

systematic ministry for a fallen angel. This is a true quality of a great leader and heroic man; a

real hero is one who not only possesses heroic qualities but also creates similar qualities in

others. In puritan theology, he is a villain leader but, in the renaissance, he is a universal model

of ideal leadership. Further, Satan is the great sinner of God and man, but one of the renaissance

or art lovers of Milton’s creative imagination, he is truly ground. Even in book 1, Satan is a good

hero, he only appears grand but is not only great and thus Satan is not real hero of religious

sculpture but he is the remarkable product of heroic poetry. Once again, Paradise Lost book 1 is

the most elevated articulation of Milton's exceptional religious belief. Hence Satan has all the

qualities of an ideal hero in light of the Renaissance spirit.

Secondly, Satan's limitless rebel against God, passion for darning risk, the enthusiasm of

independence, unreasonable energy for gaming out in a world of aspiration and augmented, point

of view, excitement, and noteworthy interest in worldly life, and so forth demonstrate Satan as a

legend of Renaissance. The strength of the image of Satan created by Milton is interpreting his

Renaissance hegemony. Renaissance significantly indicates resurrection or reawakening in the

restoration of European art as well as writing. Moreover, the classic model was explicitly

constructed in the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. Aside from this, we additionally

characterize Renaissance in terms of the Europe-wide agitation that began in Italy. That

development shut the convention of the middle age. This movement blended every aspect of life

and culture altogether. Also, during the Renaissance, the men needed a wide range of

information they followed excellence in all spheres, they need abundance, they need to control

the political system, this is Renaissance’s spirit. The author, Milton himself was glad, and he had

raised his voice against the oppression of the King in that age, and in this epic Paradise Lost the
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author decides to legitimize the methods of God to men. He supplied Satan with extraordinary

Renaissance hegemony and quality, and that is the reason Satan can go against the ruler of

paradise. In this context, William Blake explained that “Milton was a true poet and of the devil’s

party without knowing it.” In this way, as a result of Satan's unyielding will, boldness,

determination, predicted Renaissance characteristics, Satan is viewed as a legend. Satan was

extraordinary among all angels; his character is amazing; God made heck to oblige Satan and his

followers who had rebelled against god. Satan was different than others; he was the first to come

to see it, while noticing in the pool of fire, he observes and addressed his lieutenant, Beelzebub.

In reality, the author begins Paradise Lost with the very first statement of Satan after that

addressing:

“All is not lost the unconquerable will

And study of free which immortal hate

And courage neighbor to submit or to yield” (106-108)

Satan is here a chivalrous character; he is unpretentious in contention; he is free in his verdict, he

is additionally perplexing as well as intriguing character, he is honorable to the point that is his

never-ending determination of victory, and as he assists the demission to the conquer as though

he conveys the flag of humanism. In the main discourse, Satan supports his lieutenant as a

genuine chief, here the author tracks down the features of a genuine commander in Satan's

character. Although from the beginning, Satan laments the deficiency of defeat and life.

However, at the same time, he recuperates from the condition of hopelessness and said that

“To reign is worth ambition, though in hell;

Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”

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Thus, from these lines, we find that Satan needs to rule, he needs to be a lord. So, that is the

reason he decides to reign in heck than serve in paradise. Satan shows his fulfillment even in the

prison of hellfire. Here we discover Satan as an optimistic person which indicates the

Renaissance thought of the artist. An optimistic means the hopefulness, the hopeful

characteristics of mind in every situation. Then in the fourth speech, Saturn boosts up his

soldiers, the fallen angels, and awakens them from the sleep of despondency. He exerts havoc

and rises from to be forever fallen. Renaissance Leaders are never satisfied with doing things as

they've done them in the past. Instead, they encourage creativity and innovation at all times and

at all levels.

Then in his last speech, Satan appears to be a worshipper of democracy, his rhetorical

interrelation that “who can think of sublimation”, it is always a negative answer as nobody wars

for slavery. Here also Satan depicts, Milton's Renaissance spirit that is protesting against the

system of autocracy. For instance, “Revolt against the autocracy of the church or spiritual

jurisdiction (power) was one of the significant causes behind the Renaissance” (Pias). The author

depicts Satan as a legend who has rebelled against the autocracy of God. His ambition is to raise

in the equal position of heavenly God. Satan challenged the autocracy of God and conducted an

impure conflict in paradise to hold onto the throne of God, which can be found in the personality

of Satan in Paradise Lost book 1. However, at the moment of humiliation and defeat, he thinks of

conflict and revenge. Moreover, at that time the adventurous spirit of Renaissance in Satan's

unconquerable will to do malicious, revengeful intention, and interminable disdain against

Divine force. After failing in his battle, Satan with his devotees decided never to submit or give

up to the god as they have lost nothing. In book 1, the poetic persona states, Satan feels in a way

that God's anger and force are unable to degrade the greatness of his 'self'. So, Satan says
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goodbye to paradise and invites Hell with every aspect of its distinctions. He comforts himself

with the prospect that he is the ruler of Hell. He takes some reassurance from the prospect that

Hell is the better place as he does not have to see the disdainful sight of God. As Jim explains,

“Renaissance Leaders also embrace change and allow themselves to take risks, using every

situation as an opportunity.” Thus, it can be said that the characteristics of Satan full filled most

of the aspect of Renaissance leader. The attribute of the Satanic psyche and its enthusiasm for

over-lordship is clear in the following lines:

“The mind is its own place, and in itself

Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.”

(Paradise Lost, Book, 1)

In Medieval and Renaissance literary work, the villain was typically gigantic. Satan is compared

to many mythological creatures which are monstrous in size. Firstly, Satan is compared with the

Titans and monsters who battled against Gods. At that point, he is compared with Briareids,

Typhoon, Leviathan. By using Homeric similes, the author depicts the monstrous configuration

of Satan's massiness’. Satan conveys an awkward, mass and enormous shield on fallen angels.

The author compared the shield with the moon "as seen through a telescope" (Pias). At the point

when he tended to his soldiers as a tower. Satan’s consciousness of freedom demonstrates the

real Renaissance spirit. After falling from heaven, Satan faced the most devastating situation, he

at that point became extremely expressive. The lieutenants of Satan, Beelzebub breaks the

silence of hell by uttering the first speech to embrace a sublime venture against God. Satan’s

sense of pride and endless ambition is another feature of the Renaissance spirit. The poetic

persona narrates, the earlier failure did not have any effect on Satan; he is determined to go to
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revolt against God. Critics often describe that “his pride and ambition, despite heavy odds, mark

him as a politician, which has the finest resemblance with that of Renaissance period.” Also,

Satan’s youthful enthusiasm and vision are other aspects of the Renaissance. Satan’s lieutenant

Beelzebub tells his friends that God has made another World and another species called 'Man'.

The new creature has more God’s courtesy more than angles. Now they needed to find out a new

world. However, discovering the new world is a significantly dangerous task. They should

attempt to seize that new place where humanity has been put. Satan intensely shows

Machiavellian thoughts. It is a character which utilizes corrupt and extortion technique to make

force and progress without acknowledging others. Similarly, the critics argue that “Satan

employing hypocrisy and false logic can throw the dust into the eyes of followers and supporters

and lead them to remain against the path of God.” Therefore, it can be said that he was the

perfect Renaissance hero. Further, it is a profoundly symbolic poem. Moreover, if we search for

the proposed significance content of the poem it is about the sonnet of the governmental issues of

England. It is viewed as a public protestant epic. In this epic, Milton fundamentally condemned

the Restoration. It is the result of religion and political strife that was going on around then. It is

likewise a hypothetical and philosophical epic with thoughts of defiance and struggle. In this

sonnet, the poetic persona discusses Adam and Eve, and the creation and why everything is

made, and why Satan Revolt against the God, this hypothetical and philosophical thought is

additionally reached out in understanding the contemporary social-political events. And it is also

the biblical myth of fall and loss of Paradise. The clause of fall defines humanity and it is

repeated. It is also about disobeying god, and this disobedience is something that we

continuously do. Even though we know that we are instructed by God through the holy scripture

in the major religion particularly the Abraham religion like Judaism Christianity and Islam,
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which thing has been seen from the Abraham religion. Milton himself was a radical

revolutionary, he was always in favor of the Commonwealth; he was engaged distraught Charles

the first. He was present in the execution of the king, and, surprisingly, he was not killed. The

author depicts all those things in a sugar-quoting manner.

To sum up, the image of Satan which Milton has spent in the primary book of Paradise

Lost is exceptionally interesting and stupendous as the author very cleverly portrayed Satan as

the hero of the Renaissance spirit. There is no uncertainty that Milton has utilized lovely and

sensational forces for portraying Satan's character. Besides, we have seen Satan is not just a

dissident and despot, however, he has gallant characteristics additionally as we have seen he is

courageous, solid, and benevolent. There is an excellent combination of epic formation and

innovative greatness. The main idea of the epic is religious however the tone is classical. The

author's inner soul shakes to the incredible articulations of republican consciousness that he

keeps in the statement of Satan. In the personality of Satan, the author had been represented

Renaissance Pride, temper, wanted liberty, the ambition of power, and energy as a leader. The

rising action of Paradise Lost emerges from the utmost desire and furious enthusiasm of Satan.

Works Cited

Uddin, Rakib. “Satan, the Most Well-developed Character of Milton’s Paradise Lost: A Critical

Analysis.” International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, vol. 10, Issue. 11,

Nov. 2019. ULR, http://www.ijser.org

Pias. “Character of Satan in Paradise Lost, Book 1 by John Milton.” 13 Oct. 2020.

literaryquotation.net/character-satan-paradise-lost-renaissance-hero/
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Jim, Jenkins. “Renaissance Leadership - Explorers for Future Success in Business”. HRM Guide,

https://www.hrmguide.com/hrd/leadership-development.htm

Sayeed, Noman. Lecture, Paradise Lost.

Essay2: Capitalism, Defoe, and Robinson Crusoe

by

Somapti Sarkar

ID:18203011

Professor Sayeed Noman

ENG 214

28 Mar 2021
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Somapti Sarkar

Professor Sayeed Noman

ENG 214

28 March 2021

Capitalism, Defoe, and Robinson Crusoe

“Capital is money, capital is commodities by it being value, it has acquired the occult to add

value to itself. It brings forth living offspring, or at the least lays Golden eggs” (Karl Marx). The

Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of Daniel Defoe published in 1719.

It portrays the tempestuous time of monetary change in Britain from the mercantilist to the

capitalist ideology. Unexpectedly, the novel uncovers the tainting impact of capitalist ideology

on man. The work unveils that the financial framework is shady of human labor. This is a very

widely recognized text and Robinson Crusoe is a product of fiction, but everybody knows him

more or less as a genuine figure. Moreover, adventure is a dominant theme in Daniel Defoe’s

fiction. An adventure is a tool for Defoe through which he portrayed his capitalist perception.

The author used the figure Crusoe as a tool for experimenting with capitalist thoughts and ideas.

So, it is through adventure, he just tried to give voice, and to express id-oriented capitalism. It

was also for comparing national conditions with global positions becoming a successful
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individual. Defoe’s description gives readers a sense of industrial superiority of England which

depends on the capital system as he shows the conflict between two monetary frameworks, the

conflict between father and son which refers to the conflict between bourgeois and proletarian.

Besides, contemporaries particularly Alexander Pope and other writers considered Defoe as a

literary prostitute. They hated him and they considered him as a writer who produced arts for a

degraded popular test that he was more or less business-minded, he writes only because he wants

to make money, and also, because they thought that he was biased and Defoe was also, like a

more aligned to some political propaganda, and he was a writer for hire. The critics also argue

that Defoe depicts in Robinson Crusoe arisen in the eighteenth century with the breakdown of

the mercantilist framework which required “a system of government intervention to promote

national prosperity to increase the power of the state” (Burns,496). Therefore, the author depicts

his capitalist ideology through the adventure of Robinson Crusoe to change his fortune.

First of all, in the text, Defoe has a very latent understanding of colonization. For Defoe

colonization is not a systematic process, it is more or less just a kind of opportunistic

exploitation. For example, Robinson Crusoe is an opportunist that he is out there without any

ideology, without any philosophy, he is out there because he wants to make money, he wants to

make a profit, he is out there not necessarily he tries to promote his so-called superior English

culture or values or philosophy or world view; he is out there because back home he did not have

a very prospective life. He was from the lower class of the society and he did not have any

education, and he thought that the only way for him to improve himself is to make money, and

making money back home is difficult that’s why he is trying to explore the different parts of the

world. And then as an opportunist, he is going to get whatever he can get. So, that was the motto
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behind his exploration, and there is no systematic ideology behind it. To understand it as Defoe

view, it is profit-oriented.

Moreover, Robinson Crusoe, the text is basically about the development of capitalism,

and is about the aspiration of individuals to improve themselves financially. Daniel Defoe was an

economic theorist and also, he was a moralist and social commentator, he got involved with

everything and he used to talk about everything and surprisingly only in his later life that he was

when almost 60 years old he started writing novels. Defoe was a writer of works ranging from

different topics. He is credited to start the syndicated column. In a newspaper he started a column

and, in that column, different people contribute and he serialized his work, and that way he just

helped to increase the circulation of the newspaper. In that period, people did not have internet,

they did not have satellite channels, and other media and they have only newspaper and people

for entertainment as well as information they are going to buy the newspaper every day, but to

arrest the attention of the readers and force them to buy the newspaper every day, he had to use

some bait, he used to convince them to get addicted to reading things. Daniel Defoe is one who

invented this technique, and it revolutionized modern publication. A modern publication is a

newspaper. It published newspapers and people are going to buy it every morning. It was a

breakthrough in the publishing industry and for which Defoe is credited and it also did

something else, it initiated the free public exchange of political ideas that have been called the

bourgeois public sphere in the early 18th century. Hence, Defoe himself was an industrial

complex personality. It was very normal that a fictional character of him will demonstrate the

same hegemony.

Thirdly, the merchant scholar is another very important aspect in Robinson Crusoe because

at one point Crusoe is going to say that he is a merchant scholar. The merchant scholar in Defoe
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is interested only in money, he is not interested in representing the non-European people as

inferior or imposes European values. According to Wikipedia, “Merchant Capitalism is

distinguished from more fully developed capitalism by its focus on simply moving goods from a

market where they are cheap to a market where they are expensive rather than influencing the

mode of the production of those goods, the lack of industrialization, and commercial finance.” In

the second chapter of the book, the narrator states, “I went on board a vessel bound to the coast

of Africa or as our sailors vulgarly called it a voyage to Guinea.” This is his first international

journey and he is going to Africa. There he was on board the ship and he did not have any

responsibilities to perform. Then he had 40 pounds with him and this is something that he got

from his relatives and maybe as he says from his parents who secretly gave him this money.

Being suggested by the captain of the ship he bought some items, and this is a very important

point of capitalism that he got some money and that is called capital. He is going to invest it and

this investment has been suggested by the captain because he was already in the business. He has

been suggested by the captain of the ship to buy some things and those things are like toys and

some necessary things. He bought these things and he took these things with him and returned

home, and then he's going to sell these things and these make him a lot of money. For example,

the narrator states, “These 40 pounds I had mustered together." Robinson Crusoe the Assistance

of some of my Relations who I […] with, and who, I believe, got my Father, or at leather

Mother, to contribute so much as that to my first Adventure” (Defoe, 73). He is saying that

maybe his relatives at the same time his parents or his mother gave me this money and this is the

first capital that he is going to make some money out of it. This was the only voyage in which he

was successful in all his adventures. Then he was trained by the captain of the ship under “under
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whom also I got a competent Knowledge of the Mathematics and the Rules of Navigation”

(Defoe, 74).

Previously, he was completely ignorant about these but now he is going to learn learned

how to keep an account of the ship’s course navigation, how to keep the record of where it is

going, and he is capable of using some scientific tools and at the same time process taken

observation. Now he is also going to be an observer in the sense that he is going to monitor the

activities of the people on board, and at the same time on land. The most important section of the

text. Through the statement, “this Voyage made me both a Sailor and a Merchant” the narrator

established himself as a capitalist (Defoe, 74). So, the double role that he's going to perform in

his next journey is that he's going to take control of his ship. At the same time, he is going to take

control of his business. He is going to be a businessman and at the same time, he is going to be a

sailor. “For I bought for home five pounds nine ounces of gold dust which yielded me in London

at my return almost 300 pounds” (Defoe, 74). Primarily, he had 40 pounds with him and he

bought some toys and other necessary things and at the remaining money, he bought some gold

dust, and upon coming home upon returning to London he sold that gold dust for 300 pounds. He

is also going to sell the items that he bought. Now, this is the very early stage of capitalism, and

he is capitalist. He got some money and he invested it, and now it is going to generate profit for

him. He made 300 pounds which is a very handsome amount of money at that time, and then he

is also going to be very much greedy. Once he makes some money what happens he want to

make more money he is never happy, he is never competent and this is another aspect of

capitalism. It is driven by the hunger for-profit right. So, he is going to make more money and

this making of money is what he has in his entire life. Then he is going to save some of the profit

that’s he's not going to reinvest the entire money, he has already made 300 and with the 40
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dollars he is going he made more or less 400. So, he is going to take only 100 and he is going to

leave 20 with someone and this is going to increase his capital and that is how he is going to

prove himself very practical. Practical in the sense that he is not risking everything and he is

increasing his capital. As Marx “identified two main areas within a Capitalist society. The first of

these areas is the capitalist assets that can be used or invested to make future assets.”

Furthermore, Daniel Defoe depicts Robinson Crusoe as an opportunist, he is an explorer

who is after money or profit, Crusoe is going to be lonely because he is just living behind his

familiar landscape, home, family, and everything. This loneliness is also very representative of

the very concept of individualism at that time. The main protagonist of the fiction was after

money and was interested to do adventure, and for that, he was ready to leave his beloved family.

For making money he did not think about his other social obligations or social roles. Many

critics of that period explain that the social code of achievement in this period alluded to making

benefits by the business venture. Each part of remuneration or discipline relied upon the measure

of cash the individual lost or acquired. The ones who lost cash lost renown simultaneously.

Abundance right away brought renown, regard, and influence since cash had numerous other

implications alongside progress. Henceforth, abundance essentially signified "social esteem and

subsequently an entire scope of ensuring, advantages, associations, supports [...] the opportunity

to get considerably more since as it were the rich could get enormous amounts of cash (Braudel,

P.p.384). In this regard, acquiring a property will give advantages and new freedoms to Robinson

Crusoe: he won't just be rich, yet he will have the influence to control individuals and his current

circumstance for his closures, for instance, he says “how [he] should be laughed at among the

neighbors.” (Defoe, 10)

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Then the text starts with the typical archetypal concept of going beyond. Crusoe’s father

told him, “it was for Men of desperate Fortunes on one Hand, or of aspiring, superior Fortunes

on the other, who went abroad upon Adventures, to rise by Enterprise” (Defoe, 63). In the text,

the father is making a comparison that if he wants to go abroad of course he is going to be in

desperate situations, and Crusoe wants to improve himself so desperately that he wants to pursue

some adventures, and he is ready to risk everything and make money by enterprise and make

themselves famous in undertakings of nature out of the common road. Moreover, the father

emphasizes the middle state and argues that in the middle stage of life or what might be called

the upper station of low life which he had found by long experience was the best state in the

world. According to the father, the middle stage is not always after adventure and not very docile

or dormant, this state is the best state to enjoy life, “the most suited to human happiness not

exposed to the miseries and hardships the labor and sufferings of the merchant part of mankind

and not embarrassed with the pride luxury and ambition and envy of the upper part.” From the

statements of the father, it is clear that to change his fortune the protagonist is taking the risk to

leave his family, own land, everything he had. He took the role of an adventurer, leave

everything that he had. He cares less about these things, and thinks more about money. So, this is

also a very important aspect of early 18th century English individualism. The loneliness of the

merchant is representative of a defining factor in 18th-century individualism, and this is

something that is rooted in Francis Bacon's imperial, empirical views on life. Also,

“Marx says this is known as labor in which man alienated himself. Common purpose is

the third form of alienation and is when the worker's social actors become alienated from

other workers. The portion of life spent working to earn a wage results in relationships

with other social actors becoming devalued. The final form of alienation is the loss of
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humanity. Due to all the previously mentioned factors of alienation, workers begin to

develop feelings of being estranged from the very essence of human beings.”

These conditions are also applicable for Robinson. Ultimately, he lost everything that he had,

when he came back after long isolation; his parents were no more, as a son he neglects his social

obligation in search of good luck and opportunity as a capitalist. Similarly, a student of English

literature Nurcan in his thesis explains that even though there are no distinct signs of his siblings'

experiences, it is perceived from Crusoe's portrayal that they didn't search for professions in their

countries, a sign of the absence of work openings in England at that point. Subsequently,

Crusoe's emphasis on going abroad proposes the change of a close culture into an expansionist

one with the blossoming of capitalism. His change won't be simply because of the contention

between him and his father. This description also provides the evidence that all of them became

isolated in search for better life as a lobour. Ultimately, to become successful individual they lost

close humans.

Furthermore, in the text Robinson Crusoe, the author depicts the socio-cultural structure

changes of Britain during the eighteenth century. As a scholar of that particular period, in his

introduction to The Complete English Tradesman, Defoe clarifies the movements in the general

public of his contemporary period.

“The temper of the times explains the case to everybody that pleases but to look into it.

The expenses of a family are quite different now from what they have been. Tradesmen

cannot live as tradesmen in the same class used to live; custom, and the manner of all the

tradesman round them, command a difference; and he that will not do as others do, is

esteemed as nobody among them.” (Defoe, 2000, p.12)

 Sarkar21

The writer demonstrates the contrasts between the earlier and the contemporary orders of his

time. The contemporary system guarantees changes in the particular social layer, as well as

enhances spending. This change unpreventably partitions the individual into two pavilions as the

safeguards of the conventional framework, and as the allies of the contemporary system. As the

pointer of this conflict, the fundamental clash in the fiction rises out of the conflicting

estimations of two unique social standards addressed by Robinson Crusoe and the father, and it is

the contention that makes different conflicts, for example, the inner conflict of the main

protagonist of the fiction, his strife with others, and his contention with nature. The encounter

between his father and Crusoe can be viewed as the battle between the two monetary frameworks

of bourgeois and proletarian. This conflict between the father and the protagonist also creates a

sense of mental division that changes Robinson into a hypochondriac character. Since the

inclinations of the "id-oriented capitalism" with his dad's lessons, he was unable to discover a

significant between these repeated conditions. To fulfill the inclinations of id, he chooses the life

of precariousness, rather than a center conditioned life, as his dad proposed. This choice leads

him to think like a bourgeois. Yet, the main protagonist subdues his blame, and in his

obliviousness, he lives in a universe of disgrace, and blame. Hence, the contemporary framework

influences the socio-political climate as well as upsets the mentality of the person.

Once again, in the chapter named "Robinson Crusoe: The Victim and the scoundrel," the

reasons and the impact of Robinson's inner conflicts will emphasize the essential urges that

compel Crusoe to venture out from home. In this circumstance, the demonstration of his

perspectives and his vision can be depicted by the financial base of contemporary society, it can

be explained from the Marxist point of view. As the financial move additionally requires strict
 Sarkar22

and philosophical principles to maintain its ideology. "Protestant work ethics, and Locke’s

empiricism" can help to track down the converging impact of these three ideas on Robinson

Crusoe. The effect of the "empiricist" theory, as well as "Protestant work ethics" on Crusoe, can

be exemplified significantly. In expansion to these, Crusoe’s relationship with Friday can be

dissected as far as the connection between 'capitalist' and the 'proletariat'. Crusoe's endeavors to

change over the island into a little Britain with Friday can be recognized as a part of his

colonizing industrialist mindset. Once again, the section named “The Mindset of Capitalist

Culture and the Creation of Neurotic Individual” uncovers the impact of the clashing aspect of

Capitalism as well as mercantilism on Robinson Crusoe's mind. His stressed mind and his

fantasies examine the Freudian and Jungian methodologies. The debate between the id and the

super-ego is explained to show that in entrepreneur culture, the adjusting force of ego has

obliterated. Moreover, Crusoe's stifled feeling of guilt will be covered to show his schizoid

character which is the consequence of the conflicting estimations of two clashing thoughts. In

this sense, the impacts of the deficiency of parental love and direction, particularly the paternal

one, will be contemplated. This part incorporates Defoe's perception to write, the novel and the

reaction his perusing public provided thought.

Further, Robinson Crusoe's standards of conduct are founded by the capitalist base.

In the first chapter of the novel, he begins unknowingly adjusting to the perception of capitalism

that can be summed up as "ask for more." He characterizes this oblivious interaction as a “fatal

propension” (Defoe, 1). Crusoe can't characterize his moving necessities which arise as the

consequences of industrialist philosophy. During his fight for endurance on the island, in any

case, he concurs with the philosophy forced upon him by the industrialist structure. After such

change, he turns into the cognizant one, and he begins utilizing the new philosophy to control the
 Sarkar23

"lower class" individuals comprising in the tale of the Spanish, the Portuguese, Ismael, Xury,

Friday, and the load of products of ladies he brought to the island at the end. Crusoe’s

materialistic necessity decide his mentalities towards his followers, and more often than not he is

unconcerned with them as he just sees them in the structure of trade relations.

To sum up, the author himself was a capitalist and in his fiction, he

demonstrates this capitalist ideology by describing the adventure of

Robinson Crusoe. At the time of enlightenment, England experienced

numerous changes from strict ideology to a monetary framework which

helped to the development of capitalism. Written in the mid-eighteenth

century. Defoe's fiction agrees with the financial move from mercantilist to

capitalism which is the time of precariousness in England in the meantime

who changes an alienated island into a productive private asset. Robinson

Crusoe's tale turns into a fantasy for the individuals who attempt to scale the

social stepping stool like the character himself. Defoe made the character

the product of his contemporary social and political conditions who is

determined to take a risk and change his fortune. Even he is ready to leave

behind everything to take a risk like a capitalist. In a word, “Robinson

Crusoe, the first capitalist hero, is a self-made man who accepts objective

reality and then fashions it to his needs through the work ethic, common

sense, resilience, technology, and, if need be, racism and imperialism”

(Carlos Fuentes).

Works cited
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