Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe: a Spiritual Biography
Anna Katherine Kerlin
English 254, Section 008
Mrs. Patty Ireland
January 30, 2013
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe: A Spiritual Biography
In the seventeenth century, a form of writing emerged as the idea of religion began to change. Many writers used “spiritual autobiographies” when writing nonfiction pieces. Spiritual autobiographies and later, biographies, were particularly popular because of the emphasis on the Bible in the late 1600s. The concept of spiritual autobiographies and biographies continued well into the 1700s when Daniel Defoe was making his debut in fiction novels with Robinson Crusoe. Critics described Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe as a “spiritual journey.” J. Paul Hunter claimed that Defoe took a spiritual biography approach when crafting Robinson Crusoe by “tracing a rebellion-punishment-repentance-deliverance sequence” (Hunter, 252). Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe using a spiritual biography approach, which ultimately leads the reader to spiritually follow the adventures of Crusoe. The first component of a spiritual biography consists of the protagonist experiencing a situation of rebellion or sin. In Robinson Crusoe, the act of rebellion is introduced very early in the novel. Although Crusoe’s parents do not agree, he dreams of living a life at sea. His father describes, “that if [he] take this foolish step, God would not bless [him]” (Defoe, 6). Crusoe, understanding that he is rebelling against both his parents and God, embarks on his journey in September 1651. It is clear that Crusoe acknowledges that he is going against his parents and God when he claims, “without asking God’s blessing, or my father’s, without any consideration of circumstances or consequences, and in an hour, God knows, on the first of September 1651 I went on board a ship bound London” (7). Although he knows he is rebelling, he continues to embark on his journey at sea. Defoe has established the first piece of creating a spiritual biography by introducing the
English 254, Section 008
Mrs. Patty Ireland
January 30, 2013
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe: A Spiritual Biography
In the seventeenth century, a form of writing emerged as the idea of religion began to change. Many writers used “spiritual autobiographies” when writing nonfiction pieces. Spiritual autobiographies and later, biographies, were particularly popular because of the emphasis on the Bible in the late 1600s. The concept of spiritual autobiographies and biographies continued well into the 1700s when Daniel Defoe was making his debut in fiction novels with Robinson Crusoe. Critics described Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe as a “spiritual journey.” J. Paul Hunter claimed that Defoe took a spiritual biography approach when crafting Robinson Crusoe by “tracing a rebellion-punishment-repentance-deliverance sequence” (Hunter, 252). Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe using a spiritual biography approach, which ultimately leads the reader to spiritually follow the adventures of Crusoe. The first component of a spiritual biography consists of the protagonist experiencing a situation of rebellion or sin. In Robinson Crusoe, the act of rebellion is introduced very early in the novel. Although Crusoe’s parents do not agree, he dreams of living a life at sea. His father describes, “that if [he] take this foolish step, God would not bless [him]” (Defoe, 6). Crusoe, understanding that he is rebelling against both his parents and God, embarks on his journey in September 1651. It is clear that Crusoe acknowledges that he is going against his parents and God when he claims, “without asking God’s blessing, or my father’s, without any consideration of circumstances or consequences, and in an hour, God knows, on the first of September 1651 I went on board a ship bound London” (7). Although he knows he is rebelling, he continues to embark on his journey at sea. Defoe has established the first piece of creating a spiritual biography by introducing the
Cited: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe: An Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism. Ed. Michael Shinagel. New York: Norton, 1994. Print. Hunter, J. Paul. "Spiritual Biography." 1994. The Reluctant Pilgram. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP, 1966. 88-92. Print. Sim, Stuart. "Spiritual Autobiography". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 January 2001 [http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1377, accessed 28 January 2013.]