Abstract   Robinson Crusoe, a masterpiece of Daniel Defoe with strong puritan features, marks the beginning of English realism. This thesis aims at revealing the typical inpidualism which is noticeable in Crusoe in the rising stage of capitalism under the influence of Puritanism. From three points of view, namely Calling, relationship between man and God, inpidualism, this thesis will analyze the role that inpidualism plays during the protagonist’s world conquest and mainly elaborate reinforcement of inpidualism.59912

Keywords: Puritanism; Inpidualism; Calling; reinforcement

摘要丹尼尔·笛福的《鲁滨逊漂流记》被认为是英国现实主义小说的开山之作。小说带有浓厚的清教主义色彩，本文旨在揭示在清教主义的影响下，主人公克鲁索于资本主义上升时期的社会背景下表现出来的典型的个人主义特征。文章从天职论，上帝与人的关系以及个人主义三个角度分析了清教主义在主人公征服世界过程中发挥的作用，着重阐述了文章中个人主义的强化过程。

关键词：清教主义；个人主义；天职论；强化

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. Several Core Views on Puritanism in Robinson Crusoe 3

3.1 Response to the Calling 4

3.2 Relationship between Man and God 5

3.3 Inpidualism 9

4. Reinforcement of Inpidualism 10

4.1 Background of Reinforcement 10

4.2 Reflections of Reinforcement 11

5. Conclusion 14

Works Cited 15

1. Introduction

Daniel Defoe is an English writer, entitled as “the father of European fiction”. He is the first one to channel picaresque novels which prevailed in the seventeenth century into the rail of modern novels. These works have broadened the depth of thoughts and reflected bourgeois values. Therefore, he serves as the pioneer of English modern novels.

Defoe was born in a less affluent family ranking middle class. His father James Foe made a living as a butcher and candle dealer. Being a dissenter, he believed in Presbyterian Church, which did not play a dominant pole in that era. Due to religion disparity, Defoe failed to further his study in Oxford or Cambridge University. Instead, he enrolled in another one which cultivated pastors for puritan denomination. Though feeling indebted to his father’ devotion to his education, Defoe showed little interest in preaching. Following his bent, he was determined to be a businessman. However, his puritan family and education had already produced lasting influences on his religious thoughts. Known as a typical dissenter or nonconformist, Defoe satirized Anglican Church for its oppression on other beliefs in The Shortest Way with Dissenters, which spelled him fines and incarceration.

Defoe became talented through self-study. Being well-read and vigorous, he traveled extensively through Europe and mastered six foreign languages. In 1719, he finished the writing of The Life and Strange and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe which received tremendous popularity. He published Father Adventures of Robinson Crusoe at the same year and Serious Reflections during the Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe in the following year. These latter two works obviously caused fewer social repercussions than the first one. What’s more, Captain Singleton, Moll Flanders, Colonel Jack and Roxana are also superb novels of Defoe.

Defoe lived in a crucial period in English course of history. In terms of politics, two-party system came into being in Britain. Religiously, Anglican Church occupied an invincible position after a struggle with Roman Catholic and Puritanism. Meanwhile, development of capitalist industry and commerce as well as rapid expansion of overseas trade not only exerted a vital impact on politics, but also brought bourgeois’ debut on political stage. He encourages free trade and believes that inpiduals and countries can get access to wealth, prosperity only by diligence and wisdom.