Robinson Crusoe Lecture Notes

• Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is available as a free eBook from Planet PDF. Their website is http://www.planetpdf.com/, and they have a newsletter.

CHAPTER I - START IN LIFE

• Crusoe was born in 1632 in York. His father was a foreigner from Bremen who initially settled in Hull.

• The father made a fortune through merchandise, later retiring in York. His mother's family name was Robinson.

• Crusoe's original family name was Kreutznaer, later anglicized to Crusoe.

• Crusoe had two elder brothers: One was a lieutenant-colonel killed in Flanders, the other's fate is unknown.

• Crusoe, being the third son and not trained in a trade, developed "rambling thoughts".

• His father aimed for him to study law, ensuring he had an education from home and a free school.

• Despite his father's plans Crusoe wanted to go to sea.

• His father, a wise man, advised against a seafaring life due to his middle-class status.

• The "middle state" of life is best for human happiness, avoiding the hardships of the working class and the problems of the upper class.

• Kings lament their positions and wish for a middle ground. The wise man prayed for neither poverty nor riches.

• Calamities are shared among the upper and lower classes, while the middle class has fewer disasters. They have temperance, health, quiet, and agreeable diversions.

• They live comfortably without being enslaved by daily labor or envying the great. They appreciate life's sweetness without the bitterness.

• Crusoe's father urged him not to rush into a miserable life and assured Crusoe that he would be provided for and should remain at home.

• The father used Crusoe's elder brother as an example, warning Crusoe against war.

• The father said if Crusoe took the "foolish step" of leaving, God would not bless him, and he would regret neglecting his father's advice.

• Crusoe's father was moved to tears, especially thinking about the death of Crusoe's brother.

• Crusoe resolved to stay home but changed his mind a few weeks later. He got his mother talk to his father about letting him go on just one voyage.

• Crusoe's mother was angry and said she would not speak to his father about such a thing, and would not consent to it.

• Crusoe's father said that if the boy left, he would be miserable and would not consent to it.

• One day in Hull, without planning to elope, Crusoe took an opportunity that presented itself via seafaring companions and boarded a ship to London on September 1, 1651.

• The storm was the first of Crusoe's misfortunes. He was seasick and terrified.

• Crusoe reflected on disobeying his father and felt divine judgment. He resolved to return home and obey his father.

• The next day the weather improved, but Crusoe's companion persuaded him to drink punch and forget his fears and repentance.

• Crusoe drowned his conscience in wickedness, shaking off serious thoughts and mastering his "fits" of reflection by drinking and socializing.

• After six days they were in Yarmouth Roads, and the wind was contrary and it was calm.

• There was a large number of ships from Newcastle coming into the Roads, as it was a common harbor and the ships waited for wind headed towards the river.

• On the eighth day, the wind increased, so they struck out the topmasts.

• The sea went very high, and the ship once or twice lost its anchor, so they ordered another anchor so they rode with two anchors.

• The master was vigilant in preserving the ship and could himself say, “Lord be merciful to us! we shall be all lost! we shall be all undone!”

• Crusoe could not resume his penitence. He trampled upon it and hardened himself against it. Death would be nothing like it.

• The sea ran mountains high. Two ships near them had cut their masts. One about a mile ahead of them had foundered. Two being driven from anchors had run to sea.

• The main-mast stood so loose, and shook the ship so much, that they were obliged to cut that away also, and make a clear deck.

• Crusoe was in horror of mind because of his former convictions. These, and the storm, were beyond description.

• Then one of the men cried out they had sprung a leak; another said there was four feet water in the hold. So all hands were called to the pump.

• The master ordered to fire a gun as a sign of distress. Crusoe thought the ship had broken, or some dreadful thing happened, and so he fainted.

• The men roused him to pump, and seeing other ships slipping and running to sea, they fired a gun as a signal of distress.

• When Crusoe came to, the ship would founder. A light ship ventured a boat to help them. After effort, the men pulled close under the stern and got into the boat.

• They agreed to let the ship drive, and to pull the boat towards shore. The master promised to pay if the boat was damaged upon shore.

• They drove to the northward, and got safe to shore where land had broke the violence of the wind.

• After a quarter hour they saw the ship sink. From the moment they put Crusoe into the boat, his heart was dead.

• The men were able to see many people running along the strand to assist us when we should come near the shore.

• They walked to Yarmouth, where they were used with great humanity, and were given money to carry them back to London or to Hull as they thought fit.

• Crusoe says that he had no power because of a secret, overruling decree, that hurries man to his own destruction, and that he rushed that way with his eyes open.

• Crusoe's earlier comrade was less forward toward going on. The first time he spoke after Yarmouth, his tone was altered, and he asked Crusoe how he did.

• His comrade's father was of the opinion that Crusoe ought to never be a seafaring man, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish.

• After a strange kind of passion from him, the comrade gravely asserted that Crusoe will meet with nothing but disasters and disappointment until his father's words were fulfilled.

• Crusoe parted soon with his comrad, and traveled to London by land. There he had many struggles with himself what course of life he should take, whether to go home or to sea.

• Shame prevented Crusoe going home. He states men ought not be ashamed of repenting, but rather of sinning.

• He remained uncertain what measures to take, and what course of life to lead. An irresistible reluctance continued to going home.

CHAPTER II - SLAVERY AND ESCAPE

• That evil influence which carried me first away from my father’s house presented the most unfortunate of all enterprises ,a vessel bourne to the coast of Africa, vulgarly called Guinea.

• It was Crusoe's misfortune that he did not sign himself as a sailor because then he would have learned the duty of that office.

• Crusoe got into good company in London with the master of a ship who had been on the coast of Guinea, and who, having had very good success there, was resolved to go again.

• The captain offered Crusoe a voyage with him without expense. Crusoe became friendship with this captain, and took a voyage carrying toys and trifles purchased with £40.

• This was the only voyage which I may say was successful due to the friend's integrity. Crusoe leared mathematics rules of navagation, to account the ship’s course, take an observation.

• Crusoe adventure came home five pounds and nine ounces of gold-dust for his adventure, almost about 300.

• I had my misfortunes too; particularly, that I was continually sick, being thrown into a violent calenture by the excessive heat of the climate; our principal trading being upon the coast, from latitude of 15 degrees north even to the line itself.

• Crusoe's friend dying soon after, he resolved to go the same voyage. He shipped himself in the same ship with the former mate, and had only about 100 of the prior wealth along this time.

• Making their course to the Canary islands, or between those islands and the African shore, the ship was attacked by a Turkish rover of Sallee. It gave chase to the ship.

• Three in the afternoon they came up with the ship, and pouring in his small shot brought near two hundred men However, our men used small shot, half-pikes, powder-chests, and such like, and cleared decks twice.

• The ship was disabled, three having been killed and eight wounded. They were carried prisoners into Sallee, a port belonging to the Moors.

• Because of his youth and nimbleness, Crusoe was kept by the captain of the rover as his proper prize and made his slave.

• Crusoe looked back on his father’s prophetic discourse to me, that I should be miserable and have none to relieve me. He thought the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was undone without redemption.

• Crusoe hoped the patron would take him to sea in the case of being taken by a spanish or portugal man-of-war to be set at liberty. However, his hope was taken away when he was left on shore to do drudgery. So he meditated his escape.

• After two years, Crusoe's patron had laying by him the longboat of our English ship that he had taken. He resolved he would not go a-fishing any more without a compass and some provision.

• They frequently went out a-fishing with the boat. He had appointed to go out with some Moors, and sent on board provisions and powder and shot. Then he alone told them guests had put off going, and sent them out to get some fish for supper.

• He began to furnish himself not for finishing business, but a little ship. He contrived a pretence to speak to this Moor, to get something for their substance of water, stood evident out of an English prize, and he got a great lump of beeswax. About a half hundred weight.

• He convinced the moor that they should get some shot. And so, muley brought a great leather pouch held one and a half pounds of powder, another with some pounds of shot and some bullets.

• Then they sailed out to fish. The castle knew they were, and so they were not above a mile out of the port, before they hauled their sail and came down to fish.

• He wants to go from that horrid place, so leave rest to fate. The wind blew from NNE, contrary to the desire.

• He told the moor, who was in the head, they stood farther off as I had the helm. And so, giving the boy, the helm, Crusoe took the Moor by surprise and tossed him clear overboard in the sea.

• The moor wanted to be taken in, telling that he will go all over the world. But Crusoe said not, and threatened to shoot him. Instead, he shall make way to the shore.

• Crusoe said to the boy called Xury, stroke his face to be faithful. Mahomet and his father's beard. Xury said to be faithful and go all over.

• The boat stretched windward toward the