Both "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe and "Robinson der Jüngere" by Joachim Heinrich Campe are published in the eighteenth-century, the so called age of Enlightenment. The Enlightenment thinkers turn their back on the traditional authority of the church and focus on the pursuit of human liberation, rights, natural equality and so on.
When it comes to literature, Defoe’s "Robinson Crusoe" creates a new genre of literature: novel. The major difference between novel and previous middle ages’ prose fiction is its realism which focuses on individual and particulars while the earlier fiction is in favor of the universal.
My paper focuses on analyzing self-realization in both of works. In the paper, I argued that the self-realization of Robinson Crusoe shifts to the self-realization of the children in Campe's work. Self-realization is an essential aspect in understanding the individual realism in novel, because the novel primarily concentrates on individual and self-realization, which is an individual development from a personal inchoate state of being to a state of maturity.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Self-Realization in Two Robinsonades
- 2.1 Effects of Narrative on Self-Realization
- 2.2 Distinctions of Plots and Robinson's Characteristics
- 2.3 Different Aspects in the Self-Realization in Two Robinsonades
- 3. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay examines the concept of self-realization as depicted in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Joachim Heinrich Campe's Robinson der Jüngere. It compares and contrasts the portrayal of self-realization in these two eighteenth-century Robinsonades, analyzing the impact of narrative style and exploring how each author uses the Robinson Crusoe narrative to achieve their distinct literary and pedagogical goals.
- Self-realization as a process of individual development
- The influence of narrative style on realism and the depiction of self-realization
- Comparison of the protagonists' journeys of self-discovery
- The contrasting purposes of the two works: individual exploration versus child education
- The concept of "Empfindsamkeit" and its role in Campe's work
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the context of the essay by situating both Robinson Crusoe and Robinson der Jüngere within the context of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment and the rise of individualism. It introduces the concept of self-realization, defining it as a complex process encompassing self-awareness, change, and self-expression. The chapter highlights the key difference between the novels: Defoe's focus on individual realism and Campe's use of the Robinsonade for pedagogical purposes in child education. It sets the stage for a comparative analysis of self-realization in the two works, arguing that while self-realization is central to Defoe's novel, it is absent in Campe's and shifts instead to the self-realization of the children who read it.
2. Self-Realization in Two Robinsonades: This chapter delves into a comparative analysis of self-realization in Defoe's and Campe's Robinsonades. It discusses how Campe's reworking of Defoe's narrative serves his didactic aims in child education, contrasting this with Defoe's focus on individual exploration. The chapter introduces the concept of "Empfindsamkeit" ("sentimentality") as a key element in Campe's work and explains how Campe uses the Robinson narrative to address contemporary concerns about sentimental excess in children's literature. Campe aimed to foster a balanced, realistic awareness in young readers, in contrast to the potential for unrealistic emotional responses from overly-emotional literature.
2.1 Effects of Narrative on Self-Realization: This subchapter focuses on the impact of narrative style—specifically, the first-person narrative in Defoe's work versus the third-person narrative in Campe's—on the representation of realism and, consequently, on the depiction of self-realization. It draws upon Ian Watt's analysis of realism in the novel to discuss how narrative choices affect the plausibility of events and the portrayal of characters.
Keywords
Self-realization, Robinson Crusoe, Robinson der Jüngere, Enlightenment, individualism, realism, narrative, child education, Empfindsamkeit, didactic literature, novel, comparative literature.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparative Analysis of Self-Realization in Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and Campe's "Robinson der Jüngere"
What is the main topic of this essay?
This essay examines the concept of self-realization as depicted in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Joachim Heinrich Campe's Robinson der Jüngere. It compares and contrasts how self-realization is portrayed in these two eighteenth-century Robinsonades, analyzing the impact of narrative style and exploring how each author uses the Robinson Crusoe narrative to achieve their distinct literary and pedagogical goals.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
Key themes include self-realization as a process of individual development, the influence of narrative style on realism and the depiction of self-realization, a comparison of the protagonists' journeys of self-discovery, the contrasting purposes of the two works (individual exploration vs. child education), and the role of "Empfindsamkeit" (sentimentality) in Campe's work.
How does the essay structure its analysis?
The essay is structured into three main chapters: an introduction, a comparative analysis of self-realization in the two Robinsonades, and a conclusion. The comparative analysis chapter further breaks down into sub-sections focusing on the effects of narrative style on self-realization.
What is the significance of the chosen texts?
The essay uses Robinson Crusoe and Robinson der Jüngere as case studies to explore how self-realization is presented differently depending on the author's intentions (individual exploration vs. didactic child education) and narrative techniques. The selection highlights the evolution of the Robinson narrative and its adaptability to different literary and pedagogical contexts within the 18th-century Enlightenment.
What is the role of "Empfindsamkeit" in Campe's work?
The essay highlights "Empfindsamkeit" (sentimentality) as a key element in Campe's Robinson der Jüngere. It explains how Campe utilizes the Robinson narrative to address contemporary concerns about sentimental excess in children's literature, aiming to foster balanced, realistic emotional awareness in young readers, contrasting with potentially unrealistic emotional responses from overly emotional literature.
What are the key differences in narrative style between the two novels, and how do these differences affect the portrayal of self-realization?
The essay contrasts Defoe's use of a first-person narrative in Robinson Crusoe with Campe's third-person narrative in Robinson der Jüngere. It argues that these narrative choices significantly impact the representation of realism and, consequently, the depiction of self-realization. The first-person narrative in Defoe contributes to a sense of individual realism, while Campe's choice reflects his didactic aims and potentially limits the direct portrayal of self-realization in the main character.
What is the conclusion of the essay?
While a detailed summary of the conclusion isn't provided in the preview, it can be inferred that the conclusion synthesizes the comparative analysis of self-realization in the two novels, reinforcing the key differences in their thematic concerns and narrative approaches in relation to the concept of self-realization.
What keywords are associated with this essay?
Key words include: Self-realization, Robinson Crusoe, Robinson der Jüngere, Enlightenment, individualism, realism, narrative, child education, Empfindsamkeit, didactic literature, novel, comparative literature.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Chao Tang (Autor:in), 2016, Self-Realization in "Robinson Crusoe" and "Robinson der Jüngere", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/356079
