ENG 251
THE RISE OF THE NOVEL
The Eighteenth Century Novel
Daniel Defoe
WHAT IS A NOVEL?

There is no definite definition of the novel but it
can be seen as follows:
a novel is a narrative in prose, based on a story in
which the author may portray:
characters, a life if a age, analyze sentiments &
passions, & the reactions of men & women to
their environment.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF NOVELS
Novel of Adventure
 Satirical
 Epistolary Novel
 The Gothic Novel
 Bildungsroman
 Science Fiction
 Picaresque novel
 Gothic novel
 The Regional Novel
 Historical

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE NOVEL OF
THE 18TH CENTURY
Focus on the individual experience.
 The plot was not based on mythology, history,
legend, or previous literature.
 The plot had to be acted out by particular people
in particular circumstances
 Characterization and presentation of background
were paid more attention.
 The writers made the subject of the novels the
exploration of their characters as they are
defined by their past and present.
 The events took place in an actual physical
environment.

REALISM VS ROMANCE
Realism
It depicts real life
experience.
 Uses characters of low
rank.
 Uses simple every day
language.

Romance
It is imaginary
 It uses elevated
language.
 It is misleading about
life.
 Events can never take
place in real life.

VERISIMILITUDE IN REALISM
Realism in literature is the depiction of subjects
as they appear in everyday life.
 Verisimilitude is the appearance of truth; the
quality of seeming to be true. It is significant in
the novels of the 18th century and emphasizes the
realistic quality of the works we study.
 It holds that truth is discovered by the
verification of the senses.
 In the novels realistic elements include the lists,
repetition, diaries, and the ordinary nature of the
characters.
 Also time is important. The events are presented
in chronological order.
 The first person narrator emphasizes the aspect
of realism in the novels.

ROBINSON CRUSOE (1719)
Daniel Defoe wrote a novel that was easy and
flowing.
 He had a sharp sense of realism
 The spiritual self-exploration takes place in
Crusoe’s mind away from society emphasizing
the puritan belief that a man’s religion is his
own.
 Religion is discussed in a way that reveals it
essence away from political influence.
 Defoe shows us Crusoe going through crisis after
the other – in his faith, in his work ethics, & his
reasoning of things – in order to finally present
the perfect colonial figure.

THEMES IN ROBINSON CRUSOE

Colonialism

Quest for individuality

Necessity of repentance

Survival

Fear

Self-importance
STYLE IN ROBINSON CRUSOE
Use of Irony:
several scenes in the novel are represented
ironically to emphasize the distance of Crusoe
from his family, society, & the civilized world as a
whole.
 Use of symbolism:

the father’s words are symbolic of the society’s
skepticism against change.
 the parents are symbolic of the society
 the shipwreck & the solitude afterwards are symbolic
of the criticism of the society by depicting the perfect
society that Crusoe creates.


The first person point of view adds to the
credibility of the novel.
THE THEME OF COLONIALISM
Colonialism is considered the controlling &
dominant theme in the novel that offers a
clarification of the other themes & allows a close
analysis of the character of Robinson Crusoe.
 Tools of colonialism:
reason – work-ethic – & faith
 Process of transformation into a colonialist:
secure – possess
 Challenges to transformation:
fear – patience
 Characteristics of a colonialist:
manly independence – unconscious cruelty –
persistence – intelligence – practical religiosity

MAJOR CONCEPTS IN ROBINSON CRUSOE




The novel is more than an account of a practical
man’s adjustment to his life & survival on a deserted
island. It is about Crusoe’s struggle to conquer his
fear & find God.
Defoe believed that the Englishman must be ruthless
yet reasonable in order to become a colonialist & to
conquer nature and receive God’s reward.
After the dream, & after Crusoe starts reading the
Bible regularly, his mind is essentially at peace; & the
remainder of the novel is an account of the due
rewards & powers of the man who has been saved.
He believed that a colonialist must overcome his fear
(of the unknown – of failure – of the wilderness – of
the enemies – of punishment).