Master – Slave Relationship In Robinson Crusoe

Master – Slave Relationship In Robinson Crusoe

Name:  Pritiba B. Gohil

Roll No. :  23

Course No. 2 :  The Neo - Classical Literature

Topic:  Master – Slave Relationship In Robinson Crusoe

M.A. English Semester - 1

Batch: 2014 - 2016

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Submitted  to :-

Heenaba Zala ,

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Master – Slave Relationship In Robinson Crusoe

   Novel :- Robinson Crusoe

        Novelist :- Daniel Defoe

Introduction :-

                           This novel Robinson Crusoe is written by Daniel Defoe and this is not only novel but more than just an adventures novel or adventures journey of the central character of this story and that character is Robinson Crusoe who is name of novel also. This novel includes themes like The Ambivalence of Mastery, The Necessity of Repentance, The Importance of Self-Awareness and motifs like Counting and Measuring, Eating, Ordeals at Sea, and also symbols like The Footprint, The Cross, and Crusoe’s Bower etc.

 

About this Novel Robinson Crusoe :-

                              The importance of this novel “Robinson Crusoe” in English Literature is that it is considered to be one of the most important precursors of the novel as a genre. We can say that Robinson Crusoe is not a novel because there is no development of character, and no central conflict to be resolved. Crusoe is marooned on an island for twenty-four years, left to its natural resources and his own industry for many years, establishes a two-person fiefdom by conquering the other inhabitants of the island and eventually returns home. About this novel Philip Sidney says that,

Philip Sidney's Views:-
Philip Sidney looks at the writer as a moral teacher and instruction becomes the chief function of literature and the novel 'Robinson Crusoe' fulfils all his demands.

About Two Main Characters  :- 

                            This novel is mainly characterised upon two characters namely Robinson Crusoe and Friday. These are two main characters of this novel and whole novel is based on this two characters.

Master – Slave Relationship In Robinson Crusoe :-

                         The 'Master-Slave dialectic’ is soul of this novel. Slave trade and the concept of Master and slave are projected to have persisted prominently in Crusoe's time. The master-slave relation in the novel, first of all is displayed when Robinson Crusoe is taken captive by the Moors and made a slave to a certain master. He however, manages to escape from there with a boy called Xury.  The kind of relationship the two of them have is the second place where master-slave dialectic is portrayed. Xury chooses to remain obedient to Crusoe even until he is sold to a certain pirate.

                      We can also say that the kind of relationship Crusoe shares with Man Friday is the most essential instance that depicts the Master-Slave relationship. Critics are of the view that Robinson Crusoe, in the island can be compared to the whole European Citizens and Man Friday, the whole African slaves. The novel is in fact, a microcosmic representation of the whole concept of Master-Slave culture that persisted during those times in Europe.

                        In this novel we can say that the theme of master servant relationship is very clear. After being the master of the whole island, nature and animals Robinson Crusoe was successful to be a master over human beings too. Since the first day in which he saw Friday, he decided to make him his slave in order to help him in cultivation and other works.  He achieves on the island as he already feels that he is like a king or an emperor of that island. 

                    A very strong relation linked between both of Robinson Crusoe and Friday it's the relation of love and mutualism as Friday shared Crusoe in all the works and activities on the island.  Is also a very important relation that links the two men; it is the spiritual or the religious relationship; it was Crusoe that teaches Friday the rituals of the Christian doctrine, he was able to change him from cannibalism to a real Christian man who believes in God. We can also say that master servant relationship in "Robinson Crusoe" can also be seen as a relation of capitalism as they divided labour among them with equal shares.

                      Robinson Crusoe was uncomfortable in the presence of "savages" until his experience with Friday. After Crusoe rescues him, Friday becomes a competent and loyal servant to Crusoe. While he is no longer afraid of the savage, he does not change in his perspective of the type of person he is. Crusoe does not feel that Friday has anything of value to contribute, and therefore does not engage in an exchange of ideas with him. Friday attempted to show him an easier way to burn the inside of the boat, but Crusoe refused to hear it. And we can also noticed one thing throughout this novel that at the end of this novel Robinson Crusoe has property still but he will sell both Friday and the boat. He does not see the time and experiences they have shared as anything worth considering. It does not change his outlook on Friday.

                          Their relationship certainly seems to be ambiguous and open to interpretation. There are times when it appears to be almost based on a father-son type of intimacy, but there is a clear master-slave element to their relationship. For example:

[ "I made him know that his name was to be Friday...
I likewise taught him to say Master".]

 The naming of slaves by their masters was important thing in that time and the fact that Man Friday never knows the true name of his master indicates an attitude of extreme superiority throughout the novel.

                                       Friday, however, appears to be incredibly grateful to his servitude to Crusoe, and places Crusoe's foot on his head in a manner that

[ "Seems was in token of swearing to be my slave forever." ]

Thus Friday’s "slavery" might have been in gratitude for being saved by Crusoe. Crusoe certainly seems pleased to have Friday with him:

[ "I took him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him all I could..." ]

                                After this all the things happen we cannot say that what exactly we have to understand because yet we are left unsure whether this is due to any essential goodness in his nature or just sheer relief at having someone else to talk to, for because after so many long time Crusoe have someone in his life and this is the proof of this that,

[ "they were the first sound of a Man's voice, mine own excepted, that I had heard, for 25 years." ]

                          After reading this all the things we can says that we have two different views throughout the novel that,

1.  The Master - Servant Relationship  Or

2.  The Father - Son Relationship

Between this two main character of this novel Robinson Crusoe and Friday.

                        Friday is the only one person who is introduce by Crusoe in this novel. His name is not Friday by birth but it is given by Crusoe after saving him from the hands of the cannibals. Crusoe also teaches Friday to speak English, encourages him to eat goat and convert him into Christianity. By throughout the reading of this novel we can say that the first and most important point about Friday's relationship with Crusoe is that Friday is Crusoe's slave and assistant or worker of him. Friday always calls Crusoe as a  "Master” . Crusoe also mentions that their relationship is like a “Child to a Father" (176). Why does Crusoe not see Friday as his equal, even after Friday converts to Christianity? That is the main question of this theme master slave relationship between Crusoe and Friday.  

                      Friday is a very honest and innocent person by nature not only for readers of this novel but also for Crusoe as we found in this novel that Crusoe describes Friday like this,

[ "I had a singular satisfaction in the fellow himself: his simple, unfeigned honesty appeared to me more and more every day"(148).]

From this quotation we can say that Friday is a very honest, simple and sincere man by nature in the eye of Crusoe.

                             Robinson Crusoe is man of Man Trader. The relationship between Crusoe and Friday is rather mixed one. We are confused in throughout the novel that what the relationship between them is??  Because at first point of view we can say that they have relationship of father and son because Crusoe teaches Friday that how one can well behave in manner or teaches him that how to eat and he teaches him Christianity also so from this aspect we can say that they have relationship of father and son. But from the second aspect we realise that this is not the relationship of father and son but this is the relationship of master and slave from the second aspect. This colonial aspect of master slave relationship is shown in throughout the novel example like,

[ "I made him know that his name was to be Friday...
I likewise taught him to say Master, and then let him know, that was to be my name".]

This thing shows that Crusoe is master and he gives him name and snatched his identity from him and Crusoe never inform Friday of his real name, it displays certain hierarchy system in this novel example like Crusoe is Master and he is ‘Higher’ in position then Friday who is merely a servant of Crusoe. This is shown time of Crusoe that in that time servant is named by his master and this thing reflect by Daniel Defoe in this novel without knowing that what is his real name. In that period of time when slaves were named by their colonial masters and this is portrayed well when Crusoe gives Friday his name, without regard for what his real name might be. Friday, however, does not take this master-servant relationship badly; in fact, he welcomes it in an extremely grateful manner and displays behaviour that Crusoe sees as surrender to him example like,

"he kneel'd down again, kiss'd the Ground, and laid his Head upon the Ground, and taking me by the Foot, set my Foot upon his Head; this it seems was in token of swearing to be my Slave for ever;"

this half of the sentence gives a strong impression of Friday that he is  submitting himself to 'eternal slavery' for Crusoe in thanks for saving his life.

                      The first few thoughts that come to Crusoe's mind after Friday's evident submission are not negative, as his first reaction, and thoughts, were:

"I took him up, and made much of him, and encourag'd him all I could … he spoke some Words to me, and though I could not understand them, yet I thought they were pleasant to hear".

somehow Crusoe’s thoughts for Friday is changed and his behaviour for Friday is also changed so we can say that in Crusoe’s heart Friday earns some love or respect for him. We can say that this behaviour is changed because of may be for due to mere relief of having another human being or companion with him, relieving him of the many years in solitude:

"for they were the first sound of a Man's Voice, that I had heard, my own excepted, for above Twenty Five Years."

                                 After making sure that the remaining savages are suitably dead Crusoe takes Friday almost but not fairly, under his section or with him and I would like to give you example of this that,

"I carry'd him not to my Castle, but quite away to my Cave, on the farther Part of the Island".

                   He retain his natural fears about being attacked during the night by separating Friday's sleeping quarters away from his own because he feels fear of Friday that may be he attacks on Crusoe so that’s why he does this,

"I made a little Tent for him in the vacant Place between my two Fortifications … I barr'd it up in the Night, taking in my Ladders too, so that Friday could no way come at me in the inside of my innermost Wall, without making so much Noise in getting over, that it must needs waken me".

it is obvious and clearly explained in this sentence that Crusoe does not have one hundred percent trust in Friday, similar to the situation with the usage of a gun. Because when Friday touches that guns Crusoe immediately stops him from doing that this shows that he feels fear from Friday.  At first, Crusoe allows Friday to believe that the gun is

"some wonderful Fund of Death and Destruction"

which results in Friday acting very cautiously around the gun:

“As for the Gun it self, he would not so much as touch it for several Days after; but would speak to it, and talk to it, … which, as I afterwards learn'd of him, was to desire it not to kill him."

this cautious level of slightly low trust supports the colonial master – slave relationship, where the master will not fully trust the slave in his work. The difference is only this that the master will not praise the slave for his work.

Crusoe have holds some of the quite a good opinion for Friday. Soon after discovering Friday and he describes him using several positive comments like :

"a comely handsome Fellow, perfectly well made; with straight strong Limbs … tall and well shap'd … He had a very good Countenance, not a fierce and surly Aspect; but seem'd to have something very manly in his Face."

Crusoe continues describing Friday, but in a way that he is attempting to convince the reader that he is not what was thought of a typical black person at the time. The black population contributed to most of the slaves owned by many Europeans. Blacks were thought of as lower than animals and were treated adversely by their masters, as if they were mere dirt. Crusoe is trying to convince the reader that Friday is not a part of that population, and is therefore trying to raise Friday's level in the hierarchy of people.

"he had all the Sweetness and Softness of an European … His Hair was long and black, not curl'd like Wool … The Colour of his Skin was not quite black, but very tawny; and yet not of an ugly yellow nauseous tawny, as the Brazilians, and Virginians, and other Natives of America are; but of a bright kind of a dun olive Colour … his Nose small, not flat like the Negroes … Teeth well set, and white as Ivory."

woolly and black hair was associated with Black people at that time and is still a characteristic of black people like Friday. It is also symbolism or shows aster slave mentality in Robinson Crusoe.

                             One more example of aster slave mentality in this novel is here in this novel there is also a hidden message or meaning in this text about his intelligence is,

"his Forehead very high, and large"

this is the time of Defoe and during the time of Defoe he wrote this story upon very strange and obscure 'science' called physiognomy was rather popular in that time means during the time of Defoe. First of all let’s understand this term physiognomy. Physiognomy is the term of the study of the facial features or expression in order to measure the personality and intelligence of the person being studied. For instance, deep set eyebrows would signify that the person had a certain darkness or evilness about him, and a large forehead with a receded hairline was seen as a sign of intelligence and wisdom. Here, Crusoe describes Friday as possessing a high and large forehead, which shows that Crusoe believes that Friday is an intelligent man. Blacks were thought of as rather menial creatures at the time; another example of Crusoe attempting to convince the reader that Friday was anything but the typical black of those days.

                   Friday's behaviour is something very important or notable in this novel that he is filled with gratitude for what he perceives as Crusoe's kindness and fatherly care that especially in the first few days after their meeting he finds many chances to thank Crusoe in quite an extravagant way like,

"When he espy'd me, he came running to me, laying himself down again upon the Ground, withal the possible Signs of an humble thankful Disposition, … At last he lays his Head flat upon the Ground, close to my Foot, and sets my other Foot upon his Head, as he had done before; and after this, made all the signs to me of Subjection, Servitude, and Submission imaginable"

                                  Now let’s take one more example of this master slave relationship in this novel Robinson Crusoe from the aspect of figures of speech that is used in his novel. The alliteration that is used by writer Daniel Defoe in this novel that, "Subjection, Servitude and Submission” creates something similar to a rhyme to show that how Friday is swearing to serve Crusoe as long as he lives. His gratefulness is shown in his liveliness and his large amount of energy as if he would never let Crusoe down. He always tries to make Crusoe happy. When Crusoe gives him clothes, food, drink and a home, Friday seems to feel as if Crusoe is some sort of ‘God’ or ‘Angel’ for him  who has come to save him from destiny or from bad luck. Crusoe teaches Friday many skills of which he proves to be very dextrous in,

"he was the aptest Schollar that ever was, and particularly was so merry, so constantly diligent, and so pleased"

Friday's attentiveness, carefulness and intelligence are not taken for granted.

                         Crusoe holds quite a lovely and nice opinion for Friday that,

"for never Man had a more faithful, loving, sincere Servant, than Friday was to me; without Passions, Sullenness or Designs, perfectly oblig'd and engag'd; his very Affections were ty'd to me, like those of a Child to a Father"

After reading this all the things reader gets confused about the relationship between Robinson Crusoe and Friday that what relation they have master slave relationship or father son relationship.  

conclusion:-

                               So, after reading this all the things we can conclude this topic. And after this all the things we can say that in this novel or throughout the journey of Robinson Crusoe and Friday their relationship is build very strong.  In this novel Crusoe and Friday are building their relationship with each other. Throughout the novel two main aspects of their relationship are,

1.     The Colonial Master – Slave Or Servant Relationship :- where Crusoe teaches Friday to call him as a Master and this is quite controlling over who does what.

2.     The Father – Son Relationship :-  where Crusoe holds a pleasant and very good and nice opinion for Friday and takes very good care of him.

So, this all the things proves that this is the novel based on master slave mentality or relationship of master and slave.