Daniel Defoe was born in 1659 at St. Gille’s, Cripplegate in London. He was a man of many shades. These different personal traits are reflected in his literary contribution. He had done a numerous occupation during his life time. Some of his important masterpieces like “Essay on Progects “(1698), “The True born English Man” (1701), “The Hymn to Pillary” (1703), “Consolidator” (1705),” Apparition of Mrs. Veal” (1706), “History of the Union” (1708-09), “Reasons Against Succession of the House of Hanover” (1712), “A General History of Trade” (1713), “Robinson Crusoe” (1719), “Captain Singleton” (1720), “Mole Flanders” (1722) “Rexona or the Fortunate Mistress” (1724) and other important literary works will remain glorious throughout the ages.
Man has control over everything except nature. But the fact is false in case of Defoe’s “ROBINSON CRUSOE”. Defoe’s hero Robinson Crusoe has total control over the environment. He is hardcore traveler. He loves to explore new and unknown places. Due to his bad luck, and also a storm, his ship has been destroyed and he comes to an unknown island. The island is not only unknown to Robinson but it is too lonely. Robinson does not able to find a single human being. He is totally confused. He feels confusion due to uncertainty of his destiny. He has no shelter, no food and no clothing. He is alone. He does not get even a rare shadow of any one in this deserted and lonely island. He finds nothing on the island to survive. He has no shelter, food, fresh drinking water, no proper clothing, and the very basic elements to live a life. He stands all alone and he has to face the Nature from now onward.
Robinson cries bitterly but there is no one who can give assurance. There is no one who can provide the best comfort and warmth. But he has to survive as he comes in a desolated island. Slowly and gradually he understands Nature. More over it can be interpreted that Nature some how plays a major role in bringing the required maturity in Robinson. Nature grooms Robinson to be responsible man. He is traveler, he runs from his much protected shelter, ignoring his parent’s warning but he never takes life as seriously.
He has been cast into an alien island and now he really understands the life how tough it is. But in the novel Nature has been portrayed as very polite character. Nature gives her ever thing to Robinson. Robinson learns to make adjustment with adverse situation. He wins over the hostile location. Nature makes him much more experienced, courageous, and skillful. Robinson should be thankful to Nature. She gives him every essential goods to survive decently on such a strange place.
Robinson goes back to the damaged ship to bring the goods. He finds biscuits, rice, bread, cheese, goat’s flesh, corn, wine, carpenter’s tool, ammunition, arms, barrels, clothes, money and hundreds of other essential merchandise. He needs a roof to protect him and also to preserve the most wanted goods. He finds a suitable place where he can stock his goods. He even gets plenty of fresh water near his shelter. He starts using and exploiting the Nature from now on wards.
Nature teaches him to do many kinds of chores. He learns farming, baking, fencing, ploughing, reaping and many other farm duties. He exploits Nature for his own purpose and Nature too helps him whole-heartedly. Robinson uses everything that he has brought from the ship but he cannot use money. As in such a deserted island he cannot able to buy or sell anything. Thus money or the wealth is just a useless thing to Robinson.
With the help of Nature he makes his personal life much more pleasurable and comfortable. He has everything. He prepares required furniture for his comfort, he reads the Bible, he learns that there are two farming seasons, he learns to make earthen utensils and also knows how to make them durable. He has goats, parrots with which he spends his leisure time. He remains busy all day with many kinds of works. But still he feels seclusion. Lonesomeness is the major problem for Robinson. He remains flourishing in utilizing the Nature. He makes all arrangement for his survival. He has full control over Nature. He remains victorious in the silent battle with the Nature.
Thus in Defoe’s “ROBINSON CRUSOE” the protagonist has full power and control over Nature that Nature which can destroy anything within a fraction of second and that Nature which can be calm and serene at the same time.
