Europe, the Atlantic World, and Beyond
Literary world regards Daniel Defoe as one of the talented writers who could bewitch his readers with his magnificent ability in writing novels and other pieces of literature. When one goes through the different works of Defoe, one gets a clear picture of the social and cultural life of the European as well as the non-European society that attracted him. The evaluation of Defoe helps one to realize the differences that existed between the Europeans and the non-Europeans.
Defoe gives expression to his view points through his much popular novel and its title hero Robinson Crusoe. One can see the recollection of Crusoe about the African island where he spent many years and learned the real value of life. The reference in the novel to Spaniards, their ceremonies and civilities throws light on the lifestyle which existed during those days. As they were uncultured they were totally ignorant of the system of religion, marriage and so on.
The Spaniards were a peaceloving people who would come ashore but never attempted attacks on the planters or other outsiders. Chapter – viii of Defoe speaks of the conversion of the islanders to Christianity or to Protestantism.
The English people had assured that they shall never attempt to convert the Spaniards into their religion and let the Spaniards keep the Papist view. However the Christians were ready to teach Spaniards the truth of religion and their Savior Jesus Christ. They had also promised that they will never try to create differences or disputes about religion. On the religious belief of the Spaniards, Defoe observes, “Thus it was with this poor man: however ignorant he was of religion and Christian knowledge, he found he had some to do with now more ignorant than himself, and that the least part of the instruction of his good father that now came to his mind was of use to him.” (Defoe, m, 2007). The Spaniards were taught of heathens, savages and barbarians.
Presentation of non –European people
In Chapter Three of the lesson entitled Fight with Cannibals, Defoe provides a detailed picture of the natives. After a serious reading, a reader can understand how the author presents the characters and events. Here Defoe portrays natives, which means non-Europeans, as inferior to the European people. Through the complaints of the fellow citizens, the author draws a clear-cut picture about the native people. The words of the Englishman reveal the status of natives. He says: “The Island was theirs; the governor had given it to them, and no man had anything to do there but themselves;” (Defoe, m, 2007).
Here the non-Europeans are presented as uneducated, uncultured and a group of people who have no self-identity. The online article titled The Atlantic System and Its Consequences shares the similar idea about the non- Europeans. In the very opening of the article the author comments of the Africans slaves. African and Caribbean slaves were handled merely as raw commodities. The following statement underlines the humiliating and oppressive conditions of slaves or non –Europeans.
The article Slavery and the Atlantic System says, “Sailors and officers raped the women whenever they wished and beat those who refused their advances.” (The Atlantic system and its consequences 1690-1740, n.d.). The masters of slaves mainly people from Britain, Spain France and Portugal describe the slaves as animal like creatures and justify their actions through cultural domination. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the European forces concentrated on establishing colonies in various Afro-Asian countries such as India, Cyclone, Java and Burma and they considered the natives as uncivilized barbarians.
Their power and control over both trade and politics showed that Europeans were never ready to admit non-Europeans as a people who have political, economical, religious and social freedom. In the end of chapter three, Defoe throws new light about the native people of the Island. The author remarks the native people used strange weapons and they killed their enemies and smashed their heads into pieces. One can see that the author attributed savage backgrounds to them. The slaves were treated as barbarians.
In case of religion and worship, non-Europeans had only nominal rights. Indians and people from North America and South America were discarded from church duties because of their nature of humility and innocence. After westernization Russia emerged as a new force in Europe.
Here one can see a gradual change in the attitude of Europeans towards other non-European people. For bringing out this change, Peter the Great (1689-1725) had organized a large number of programs such as setting up technical schools and laboratories. Such activities and the formation of Russian Academy of Science offered chances to non- Europeans in education and trade. Introduction of Arabic numerals is an example of the fact that European had altered their attitude towards non- European people. They began to treat the people from other countries as cultured citizens.
Defoe writes something about the social and cultural life of the native people. Europeans, mainly English people, treated women from non-European countries merely as just objects for sexual satisfaction. In the fourth chapter, Defoe shares his views about the fearful conditions of women, when he says: “When the poor women saw themselves set in a row thus, and fetched out one by one, the terrors of their condition returned upon them, and they firmly believed they were now going to be devoured.” (Defoe, m, 2007). The evilness of colonialist attitude against woman is very tellingly portrayed thus. Sexual anarchism against African America slaves is clearly mentioned in the article Making of the West also.
In the ending part of the book especially in chapter XIV Defoe writes about his own experiences in Asian countries especially in China. Chapter XIV is entitled Attacked by Tartars. Here Defoe introduces a Chinese merchant who came from Pekin. Defoe gives the cultural background of China comparing them to the people from other non-European countries Defoe gave more emphasis on the incredible cultural diversity. The fact that even they had some change of heart can be seen in their attitude towards Chinese people. Europeans were not ready to accept non- Europeans as equals to them.
When analyzing Defoe’s work and the online article Making of the West a reader can easily reach the assumption that Non Europeans had an inferior status and were considered as barbarians with unending sufferings. The place of non-European women is presented in almost similar way. The exploited and troubled status of female community is highlighted in Defoe’s’ work. After a close reading of these two pieces of literature, one can find that non-Europeans lead a life with their own whims and fancies. The influence of consumerism in western culture forced the Europeans to look upon the non- European nations merely as a consumer state.
An evaluation of the two works reveals the similarities in the attitude of the Europeans towards the non-Europeans, who rejected almost all the rights of these non-Europeans and regarded them as inferior. Though the Englishmen acknowledged that the land belonged to non-Europeans, they were not ready to grant equal freedom to them. A comparison of both works brings out the fact that the Europeans always considered majority of the non-Europeans as uneducated and uncultured. African and the American slaves were the real victims of European supremacy, who were to surrender their personality and wealth to the westerners.
The given narratives have a striking similarity when talking of the suffering of non-European women who were either molested or raped by the European natives. The major colonialists during that period were Britain, Spain, France and Portuguese who usurped land and wealth of the people of India, Cyclone, Java and Burma. One can see the reference to suppression by the Europeans in both the narratives. Defoe in his narrative describes the suffering of Africans with sympathy and he succeeds in his attempt to attract the attention of his readers to this reality. The mentioning of the natives’ use of strange weapons assumes importance in the two narratives.
This narration is helpful in realizing the attitude of the Africans of that time who wished to be more aggressive. The inferior status attributed to the non-Europeans is very clear in both the narratives and it portrays the pathetic state of non-Europeans. A notable change against the non-Europeans, as mentioned in the narratives, occurred after the rise of Russia as one of the powerful countries. Another important aspect that caused the raising the status of non-Europeans was the invention of the Arabic numerals. Sexual exploitation and the personal attacks against non-Europeans were quite common during those days. To conclude, one can find similarities in both the narratives regarding the treatment of non- Europeans by the Europeans.
Reference
Defoe, M. D. (2007). The further adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Web.
The Atlantic system and its consequences 1690-1740: Slavery and the Atlantic System: The life of the slaves. (n.d.). Web.