Question

"I have heard, that the envious and ill-disposed part of the World have rais’d some Objections against the two first Volumes, on Pretence, for want of a better reason; That (as they say) the Story is feigned, that the Names are borrow’d, and that it is all a Romance; […] I, Robinson Crusoe being at this Time in perfect and sound Mind and Memory, Thanks be to God therefore; do hereby declare, their Objection is an Invention scandalous in Design, and false in Fact; and do affirm, that the Story, though Allegorical, is also Historical; and that it is the beautiful Representation of a Life of unexempled Misfortunes, and of a Variety not to be met with in the World, sincerely adapted to, and intended for the common Good of Mankind, and designed at first, as it is now farther apply’d, to the most serious Uses possible." Comment on this extract, trying to explain how Defoe justifies his text in function of the anterior narrative tradition, at the same time that his work is an innovation of the genre.

a. True
b. False

Answer 1

Defoe justifies his text by asserting that 'Robinson Crusoe,' while fictional, carries historical and allegorical truth, suitable for the common good, which is consistent with earlier narrative traditions yet innovative through its use of realism and moral instruction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The extract in question appears to be from the preface or a similar section of Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is addressing criticisms that the story is entirely fictional and thus, not valuable. In response, he asserts that the story is allegorical and historical, thereby falling within the tradition of narrative writing while also contributing to it. The allegation of fiction is rebuffed as 'an Invention scandalous in Design, and false in Fact,' suggesting that Defoe sees a higher purpose in his work, intended 'for the common Good of Mankind.' This is aligned with the tradition of authors such as Chaucer and Boccaccio, who wrote allegorical works that were both entertaining and instructional.

Moreover, Defoe's claim of historical basis echoes the defense tactics used by the poets of antiquity, like those mentioned by Aristotle, who argue that their portrayals, while not always true-to-fact, reflect a higher truth or present things 'as they ought to be.' His work is also reminiscent of the narrative tradition that includes travel stories and adventure tales that were popularized by books such as 'The Travels of Marco Polo' and 'Le livre des merveilles' by John de Mandeville.

Defoe innovatively uses the realism associated with the Enlightenment's focus on science and facts while pioneering the English novel genre, showing how fiction can offer a critical perspective on real-world situations. In doing so, Defoe helped establish a new form of prose fiction that merges realistic storytelling with instructive themes, thus responding to the social and philosophical movements of his time.