The Inevitable Rise of the Novel
18th century in Britain was a century full of changes by means of economy and social order. Industrial Revolution, Enlightment, liberalism, emerging of the middle classes have changed people's approach to world. Thus, literature was influenced by all of these new changes because literature can not be seperated from a certain period's conditions. So, it can be said that the emergence of a new genre was inevitable.
Throughout the history people loved telling stories, although we have different types of literature, stories have always been in our lives. At first, there is oral tradition in literature. After that, we have the idea of fiction (short and long) and before the novel, there is drama. However, drama …show more content…
Throughout the novel, it is seen that the era in which Crusoe lived has effected his economic side only, not human side. Crusoe's materialist, pragmatic, opportunist, capitalist, greedy and hypocritical features make him homo-economicus not homo-sapiens.
The term “homo-economicus” which is used for defining Crusoe can be explained as a man who can do everything without thinking its moral aspects for his economic aims and profits. In spite of the fact that in the novel we do not see this term, any person who reads it can come up with this definition. “Homo-economicus” has no friend who is not beneficial for him, and he has nothing in his mind but dwelling on his economic profits and rising up on the social ladder by patronizing and using people who are “inferior” to him.
Crusoe is obsessed with the idea of getting rid of his “middle-station” in life and becoming rich. He is willing to do anything to accomplish his purpose. Although he is a religious man, he even makes up reasons for his inhuman behaviours towards slaves. As a man of his era which is totally capitalist, the only language he speaks is money. He is not even stucked between his spiritual and materialistic values because he always chooses the money and …show more content…
They become “friends” and escape together but for Crusoe, Xury is just a loyal, devoted slave because he sells him immediately to a Portoguesian captain for profit without thinking, by claiming that “Xury was willing to be sold.” Selling a firend who helps you to escape, supplies food, shelter and water for you by putting his life in danger, should not been that easy, but if you are as pragmatic as Crusoe, it is just logical. Second example is that he immediately accepts other traders' offer to go to Guinea for buying slaves without questioning because they do not want any money from Crusoe, so he sees it as an opportunity which should not been rejected. Maybe it is normal not to be sensitive towards slavery in that era, however when you read the insights of Crusoe, it is irritating to see that the only thing he cares is money. Thirdly, in his cargo, there are some women to be sent because he wants slaves to multiply as animals because he needs more work
18th century in Britain was a century full of changes by means of economy and social order. Industrial Revolution, Enlightment, liberalism, emerging of the middle classes have changed people's approach to world. Thus, literature was influenced by all of these new changes because literature can not be seperated from a certain period's conditions. So, it can be said that the emergence of a new genre was inevitable.
Throughout the history people loved telling stories, although we have different types of literature, stories have always been in our lives. At first, there is oral tradition in literature. After that, we have the idea of fiction (short and long) and before the novel, there is drama. However, drama …show more content…
Throughout the novel, it is seen that the era in which Crusoe lived has effected his economic side only, not human side. Crusoe's materialist, pragmatic, opportunist, capitalist, greedy and hypocritical features make him homo-economicus not homo-sapiens.
The term “homo-economicus” which is used for defining Crusoe can be explained as a man who can do everything without thinking its moral aspects for his economic aims and profits. In spite of the fact that in the novel we do not see this term, any person who reads it can come up with this definition. “Homo-economicus” has no friend who is not beneficial for him, and he has nothing in his mind but dwelling on his economic profits and rising up on the social ladder by patronizing and using people who are “inferior” to him.
Crusoe is obsessed with the idea of getting rid of his “middle-station” in life and becoming rich. He is willing to do anything to accomplish his purpose. Although he is a religious man, he even makes up reasons for his inhuman behaviours towards slaves. As a man of his era which is totally capitalist, the only language he speaks is money. He is not even stucked between his spiritual and materialistic values because he always chooses the money and …show more content…
They become “friends” and escape together but for Crusoe, Xury is just a loyal, devoted slave because he sells him immediately to a Portoguesian captain for profit without thinking, by claiming that “Xury was willing to be sold.” Selling a firend who helps you to escape, supplies food, shelter and water for you by putting his life in danger, should not been that easy, but if you are as pragmatic as Crusoe, it is just logical. Second example is that he immediately accepts other traders' offer to go to Guinea for buying slaves without questioning because they do not want any money from Crusoe, so he sees it as an opportunity which should not been rejected. Maybe it is normal not to be sensitive towards slavery in that era, however when you read the insights of Crusoe, it is irritating to see that the only thing he cares is money. Thirdly, in his cargo, there are some women to be sent because he wants slaves to multiply as animals because he needs more work