Synthesis of the story
Robinsons father, `a wise and grave man', exhorts his son not to give in to his 'rambling thoughts', but to choose a suitable life as a lawyer in the middle state, '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'. Robinson is not understood by his mother either; she tells him to listen to his father.
But just like his two elder brothers - the eldest died as a soldier near Dunkirk; the second was never heard of again after he left the house of his parents - Robinsons is too much attracted by the adventures promised by the sea.
(...) I would be satisfied with nothing but going to sea; and my inclination to this led me so strongly against the will, nay, the commands, of my father, and against all the entreaties and persuasions of my mother and other friends, that there seemed to be something fatal in that propension of nature tending directly to the life of misery which was to befall me.
On 1 september 1651 Robinson is invited by a friend in Hull to embark on a ship that is bound for London. They are caught in a storm and Robinson promises himself that - if he reaches the coast - he will obey his parents. But he doesn't, not even after a second admonition, this time from the ship's captain. On the contrary, he will now make a long trade voyage to Guinea. The voyage is successfull. But on his second Guinea-voyage he is taken as prisoner by Moorish pirates, and sold as a slave in Sallee. After two years he manages to escape, together with the boy Xury. In a little boat they sail along the West-African coast. Robinson fears the wild animals and natives, but thaks to his gun, they can make provisions and survive. Near the Cape Verde Islands they are taken aboard on a Portuguese ship heading for Brazil. Robinson sells the boy Xury to the captain his request, with Xury's consent. In Brazil, Robinson takes care of his overseas possessions by letter and sets up a plantation. After four years, he undertakes a new voyage to Guinea to buy slaves for the plantations of his neighbours, as well as for his own.
In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my effects and keep up my plantation. Had I used half as much prudence to have looked into my own interest, and have made a judgment of what I ought to have done and not to have done, I had certainly never gone away from so prosperous an undertaking, leaving all the probably views of a thriving circumstance, and gone upon a voyage to sea, attended with all its common hazards, to say nothing of the reasons I had to expect particular misfortunes to myself.Indeed, Robinson is punished a third time for his sinful inclination towards adventure. Beyond the equator, the ship is seized by a hurricane and driven out of its course. Just before the Caribbean islands it hits a sand-bank and is stranded. After another violent storm, Robinson is cast ashore on a desert island, as the only survivor of the shipwreck.
Initially, Robinson has only his knife and some tobacco on the island. A few days later, by means of a self-constructed raft, he brings over provisions from the wreck: weapons, gunpowder, food, some corn-seed, clothes, money, bibles and other books, pens, ink, paper, ship's instruments, two cats and a dog...
He builts a 'fortress', stores his possessions in a cave, hunts goats, kees up with the calendar and writes down his experiences and reflections in a journal. He registers his observations very systematically. For instance, he makes an inventory of the 'evil' and the 'good' that has come upon him.
A number of experiences following shortly after each other, are interpreted by Robinson in a religious manner: his discovery of accidentally grown barley, an earthquake, and a heavy fever followed by a vision. Robinson renews his faith in the Christian God.He explores the rest of the island, gathers knowledge on the climate and the vegetation, he keeps a herd of goats, he bakes bread, he makes pottery... He now fully accepts his condition, and he believes that Providence has finally chosen his side.
As he has discovered land on the horizon at the other side of the island, he builds a canoo, but it is too heavy to carry it to the sea. Later, he manages to explore the coastal waters in a proa, but he is almost dragged into the open sea by the current. Thanks to his knowledge of the current and the tide, he finally succeeds in making small sea-trips.
In the mean time, a speaking parrot has joined his small company of a dog, some cats and a herd of goats.
It would have made a stoic smile, to have seen me and my little family sit down to dinner. There was my majesty, the prince and lord of the whole island; I had the lives of all my subjects at my absolute command. I could hang, draw, give liberty, and take it away; and no rebels among all my subjects.
After twelve years of loneliness on the island, Robinson sees a footprint on the shore, and is immediately filled with anxiety. He expands his fortifications, moves his herd to another part of the island and so on. Years later, he discovers human bones and flesh; it appears that cannibals use the island to execute their deadly rituals. WIth abhorrence, but also relieved that there is no immediate threat, he returns to his normal life. Reflecting on the practice of cannibalism, he takes a relativist stance.
He discovers an underground cave and thinks he sees the devil when a pair of eyes is staring at him in the darkness. On second inspection, this 'devil' appears to be a dying goat. Robinson buries weapons and ammunition in the cave.
After 23 years on the island, Robinson finally witnesses a cannibal feast. Again, he is struck by anxiety. A little later, a Spanish ship is wrecked just off the coast. From the wreck Robinson fetches new provisions.
One night, he dreams that he saves a native 'savage' from death in a cannibal ritual. One and a half years later, this happens in reality. Out of gratitude, the savage spontaneously throws himself at Robinson's feet. Robinson calls him Friday, after the day of the event, and starts with his re-education. He teaches him the necessary words in English - beginning with `Master', `yes' and `no' - and some Western habits (how and what to eat, to dress...), and converts him into the Christian religion. Robinson is full of friendship for his loyal servant.Later on, Robinson is told by Friday that members of his tribe have rescued seventeen of the Spaniards and brought them to the main land, where they live. Robinson decides to risk the passage, and to travel further from there on, with the probable help of the Spaniards. Friday refuses to part from him. They make a boat.
On the 27th year since Robinsons arrival, the island is revisited by cannibals - again it is a group that is hostile to Friday's tribe. Seeing that one of the three victims is a European, Robinson decides to take action. Together with Friday he shoots several cannibals; the rest take to their heels. One of the people saved appears to be Friday's father; Robinson is very much moved by Friday's affection for his father.
The European is a Spaniard. They decide that he will go back to Friday's tribe, together with Friday's father, to fetch his compatriots. The condition is that they will accept Robinsons leadership.
In the mean time, yet another company lands on the island: in a sloop, English mutineers drop the captain of their ship and two loyal members of the crew. Robinson & company come to their rescue, and together they recover the ship and capture the mutineers. Put to the choice, the latter prefer to remain on the island in stead of being sentenced in England. Friday stays with Robinson, who returns to the civilized world after 28 years on the desert island.
Back in Europe, Robinson discovers that his parents have died. In Lisbon he receives the proceeds of his plantation in Brazil. Because he is become afraid of the risks of a sea voyage, he travels back to his native country over land. Though this is not without danger either: during the passage of the Pyrenees, the company is attacked by wild animals.
In London, Robinson sells his overseas plantation and becomes a rich man. He marries and becomes father of three children. But when his wife dies, he resumes his former adventurous activities and travels to the East Indies as a tradesman. On this trip, he visits the island - as its governor and owner - and learns that the Spaniards have continued and expanded the colonization. He supprots them by sending women and animals. At the end of the novel, he announces a sequel.
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© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
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Creada: 22/02/2000 Última Actualización: 27/03/2000