Summary of “Robinson Crusoe”
About the work
Daniel Defoe’s novel “Robinson Crusoe” was first published in April 1719. The work gave rise to the development of the classic English novel, made the pseudo-documentary direction of artistic prose popular.
The plot of “Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” is based on the real story of the boatswain Alexander Selkir, who lived on an uninhabited island for four years. Defoe many times copied the book, giving its final version a philosophical meaning – the history of Robinson became an allegorical depiction of human life as such.
Main characters
Robinson Crusoe – the main character of the work, raving sea adventures. I spent 28 years on an uninhabited island.
Friday is the savage Robinson saved. Crusoe taught him English and took it with him.
Other characters
The captain of the ship – Robinson saved him from captivity and helped to return the ship, for which the captain took
Xori is a boy, a prisoner of Turkish bandits, with whom Robinson fled from pirates.
Summary
Chapter 1
From his early childhood, Robinson loved the sea most of all, dreamed of long voyages. The boy’s parents did not like this very much, because they wanted a more peaceful and happy life for their son. My father wanted him to become an important official.
However, the craving for adventure was stronger, so on September 1, 1651, Robinson, who at that time was eighteen years old, without asking permission from his parents, along with his friend, boarded a ship departing from Hull to London.
Chapter 2
On the very first day the ship got into a heavy storm. Robinson was bad and scared of the strong pitching. He swore a thousand times that if all goes well, he will return to his father and never again swim in the sea. However, the coming calm and a glass of punch helped Robinson quickly forget about all “good intentions.”
The sailors were confident in the reliability of their ship, so all the days spent in entertainment. On the ninth day
Chapter 3
In London, Robinson met with the venerable elderly captain. A new acquaintance suggested that Crusoe go with him to Guinea. During the journey, the captain taught Robinson to the ship’s business, which was very useful to the hero in the future. In Guinea, Crusoe was able to profitably exchange the brought trinkets for gold sand.
After the death of Captain Robinson again went to Africa. This time the trip was less successful, on the way to their ship pirates attacked – the Turks from Saleh. Robinson was captured by the captain of a robber ship, where he spent almost three years. Finally he had a chance to escape – the robber sent Crusoe, the boy Xuri and the Moor to fish in the sea. Robinson took with him everything necessary for a long voyage and on the way threw the Moor into the sea.
Robinson kept his way to the Green Cape, hoping to meet a European ship.
Chapter 4
After many days of swimming Robinson had to go ashore and ask the savages for food. The man thanked them for killing the leopard from the gun. The savages gave him the skin of an animal.
Soon the travelers met a Portuguese ship. On it Robinson got to Brazil.
Chapter 5
The captain of the Portuguese ship left Xuri in his home, promising to make him a sailor. Robinson spent four years in Brazil, engaged in growing sugar cane and sugar production. Once the familiar merchants suggested that Robinson again make a trip to Guinea.
“In an evil hour” – on September 1, 1659, he stepped on the deck of the ship. “It was the same day that eight years ago I ran away from my father’s house and so madly ruined my youth.”
On the twelfth day a strong squall flew to the ship. Bad weather lasted twelve days, their ship floated, where the waves drove him. When the ship ran aground, the sailors had to change seats on the boat. However, four miles later the “furious shaft” turned their ship over.
Robinson wave thrown ashore. He was the only one left alive. The hero spent the night on a tall tree.
Chapter 6
In the morning Robinson saw that their ship was nailed to the shore. Using the spare masts, mast and rhei, the hero made a raft on which he ferried boards, chests, provisions, a box of carpentry tools, weapons, gunpowder and other necessary things to the shore.
Back on the land, Robinson realized that he was on an uninhabited island. He built himself a tent of sails and poles, surrounded by empty boxes and chests for protection from wild beasts. Every day, Robinson sailed to the ship, picking up things that he might need. Found the money Crusoe at first wanted to throw, but then, after thinking, left. After Robinson visited the ship for the twelfth time, the storm carried the ship into the sea.
Soon, Crusoe found a convenient place to live – on a small smooth clearing on a slope of a high hill. Here the hero placed the tent, surrounding it with a fence of high stakes, which could only be overcome with the help of a ladder.
Chapter 7
Behind the tent, Robinson dug a cave in the hill that served as a cellar for him. Somehow during a severe thunderstorm, the hero was afraid that one lightning strike could destroy all his gunpowder and after that he laid it out in different pouches and kept it separately. Robinson discovers that on the island there are goats and began to hunt them.
Chapter 8
In order not to lose track of time, Crusoe created an imitation calendar – he drove a large log into the sand, on which he marked the days with notches. Along with the things, the hero from the ship carried two cats and a dog who lived with him.
Above all, Robinson found ink and paper and made notes for a while. “Sometimes I felt desperate, I felt mortal anguish to overcome these bitter feelings, I took a pen and tried to prove to myself that in my plight there is still much good.”
Over time, Crusoe dug a hill in the hill, made himself furniture.
Chapter 9
Since September 30, 1659, Robinson kept a diary, describing everything that happened to him on the island after the shipwreck, his fears and worries.
To dig the cellar, the hero made a shovel out of the “iron” tree. One day in his “cellar” there was a collapse, and Robinson began to firmly strengthen the walls and ceiling of the depression.
Soon Kruzo managed to tame a kid. During the wanderings around the island, the hero discovered wild pigeons. He tried to tame them, but as soon as the wings got stronger their wings, they flew away. From goat fat, Robinson made a lamp, which, unfortunately, burned very dimly.
After the rains, Crusoe discovered sprouts of barley and rice. The hero carefully collected the harvest, deciding to leave it for seeding. Only in the fourth year he was able to allow himself to separate part of the grain for food.
After a strong earthquake, Robinson realizes that you need to find another place to live, away from the cliff.
Chapter 10
The wreckage of the ship was broken by waves to the island, Robinson got access to his hold. On the shore of the hero found a large turtle, the meat of which replenished his diet.
With the beginning of the rainy season, Crusoe became ill, and a violent fever started. Cured by tobacco tincture with rum.
Studying the island, the hero finds sugar cane, melons, wild lemons, grapes. The latter he dried in the sun, to prepare raisins for future use. In the blossoming green valley, Robinson arranges for itself a second dwelling – “dacha in the forest”. Soon one of the cats brought three kittens.
Robinson learned to exactly divide the seasons for rainy and dry. He tried to stay at home for rainy periods.
Chapter 11
In one of the rainy periods, Robinson learned to weave baskets, which he really missed. Crusoe decided to explore the whole island and found a strip of land on the horizon. He realized that this is part of South America, where wild cannibals probably live and was glad that he was on a desert island. On the way, Crusoe caught a young parrot, whom he later taught to speak some words. There were a lot of turtles and birds on the island, there were even penguins.
Chapter 12
To save the harvest of cereals, Crusoe fenced the field with a fence. The birds, who pecked the ripe ears, managed to scare them off with dead relatives.
Chapter 13
Robinson got a good pottery clay, from which he made utensils and dried it in the sun. Once the hero discovered that pots can be burned in fire – it was a pleasant discovery for him, since now he could store water in the dishes and cook food in it.
To bake bread, Robinson made a wooden mortar and an improvised stove from clay tablets. So passed his third year on the island.
Chapter 14
All this time, Robinson did not leave the thought of the land, which he saw from the shore. The hero decides to repair the boat, which was thrown ashore during the wreck of the ship. The updated boat was at the bottom, but he could not launch it. Then Robinson set about making pies from the cedar tree trunk. He managed to make an excellent boat, however, just like the boat, he could not pull it to the water.
The fourth year of Crusoe’s stay on the island has ended. He ran out of ink, clothes were worn out. Robinson sewed three jackets from sailors’ jackets, from skins of killed animals-a hat, a jacket and trousers, made an umbrella from the sun and rain.
Chapter 15
Robinson built a small boat to get around the island by sea. Bending around the underwater rocks, Crusoe sailed away from the shore and fell into a stream of sea current, which carried him ever farther. However, soon the current weakened and Robinson managed to return to the island, which he was infinitely happy.
Chapter 16
On the eleventh year of Robinson’s stay on the island, his stocks of gunpowder began to be depleted. Not wanting to give up meat, the hero decided to come up with a way to catch wild goats alive. With the help of “wolf pits” Crusoe managed to catch the old goat and three kids. Since then, he began to breed goats.
“I lived a real king, without needing anything, there was always a whole staff of loyal to me courtiers – there were not only people.”
Chapter 17
Once Robinson discovered on the shore a trace of a human foot. “In a terrible alarm, without feeling the ground under my feet, I hurried home, to my fortress.” Crusoe hid himself at home and spent the whole night thinking about how the man was on the island. Calming himself, Robinson even began to think that this was his own track. However, returning to the same place, he saw that the footprint was much larger than his foot.
In fear, Crusoe wanted to dissolve all the cattle and dig up both fields, but then calmed down and changed his mind. Robinson realized that savages come to the island only occasionally, so it’s important for him not to get caught up in their eyes. For added safety, Crusoe has pegged the potholes between the densely planted trees, thus creating a second wall around his dwelling. The entire area behind the outer wall, he planted trees, like a willow. Two years later a grove turned green around his house.
Chapter 18
Two years later on the western side of the island, Robinson discovered that savages regularly come here and arrange cruel feasts, eating people. Fearing that he could be found, Crusoe tried not to shoot, began to carefully build a fire, got charcoal, which almost does not give a smoke when burning.
In search of coal, Robinson found an extensive grotto that made his new pantry. “It was already the twenty-third year of my stay on the island.”
Chapter 19
On one of the days of December, coming out of the house at dawn, Robinson noticed a fire on the shore – the savages made a bloody feast. Watching the cannibals from the telescope, he saw that they had sailed from the island with a tide.
Fifteen months later, a ship was sailing near the island. Robinson burned the fire all night long, but found out in the morning that the ship had crashed.
Chapter 20
Robinson went on a boat to a broken ship, where he found a dog, gunpowder and some necessary things.
Crusoe lived two more years “in full content, not knowing the deprivations.” “But all these two years I was only thinking about how I would leave my island.” Robinson decided to save one of those whom the cannibals brought to the island as a sacrifice, in order to get out together. However, savages appeared again only a year and a half later.
Chapter 21
Six Indian pies landed on the island. The savages brought with them two prisoners. While they were engaged first, the second rushed to run away. For the fugitive, three people were chasing, two Robinson shot with a gun, and the third with a saber killed by the runaway himself. Crusoe beckoned the frightened fugitive to himself with signs.
Robinson led the savage into the grotto and fed him. “He was a handsome young man, tall, well built, arms and legs muscular, strong and at the same time extremely graceful, looking like he was about twenty-six years old.” The savage with all possible signs showed Robinson that from that day he would serve him all his life.
Crusoe began to gradually teach him the right words. First of all, he said that he would call him Friday, taught the words “yes” and “no.” Savage offered to eat the dead enemies, but Crusoe showed that he was terribly angry with this desire.
Friday was a real companion for Robinson – “never a single person had such a loving, such loyal and faithful friend.”
Chapter 22
Robinson took Friday with him to hunt as an assistant, taught the savage to eat meat from animals. Friday began to help Crusoe in the household. When the savage learned the basics of the English language, he told Robinson about his tribe. Indians, from whom he managed to escape, defeated the native tribe of Friday.
Crusoe questioned the comrade about the surrounding lands and their inhabitants – the peoples who live on the neighboring islands. As it turned out, the neighboring land is the island of Trinidad, where the wild tribes of the Caribs live. Savage explained that the “white people” can be reached by a large boat, this gave Crusoe a hope.
Chapter 23
Robinson taught Friday to shoot a gun. When the savage learned English well, Crusoe shared his story with him.
Friday said that a ship with “white people” had crashed on their island. They were rescued by the natives and stayed on the island, becoming “savages” for the savages.
Crusoe begins to suspect Friday of wanting to escape from the island, but the native proves his devotion to Robinson. The savage himself offers to help Crusoe return home. Men for a month made a pie from the trunk of a tree. Crusoe put a mast with a sail in the boat.
“The twenty-seventh year of my imprisonment in this prison came.”
Chapter 24
After waiting for the rainy season, Robinson and Friday began to prepare for the forthcoming voyage. One day, savages approached the shore with their regular captives. Robinson and Friday dealt with cannibals. Saved prisoners were the Spaniard and father of Friday.
Especially for the weakened European and savage father, men built a canvas tent.
Chapter 25
The Spaniard said that the savages hosted seventeen Spaniards, whose ship crashed near the neighboring island, but the rescued are in great need. Robinson agrees with the Spaniard that his comrades will help him with the construction of the ship.
The men procured all the necessary supplies for the “white people”, and the Spaniard and his father went to Europe for the Europeans. While Crusoe and Friday were expecting guests, an English ship approached the island. The English on the boat docked to the shore, Crusoe counted eleven people, three of whom were prisoners.
Chapter 26
The boat of the robbers with low tide ran aground, so the sailors set off to walk around the island. At this time Robinson was preparing guns. At night, when the sailors fell asleep, Crusoe approached their captives. One of them – the captain of the ship, said that his crew rebelled and went over to the side of the “gang of scoundrels.” He and two of his comrades barely convinced the robbers not to kill them, but to land them on a deserted shore. Crusoe and Friday helped to kill the instigators of the riot, and the rest of the sailors were tied up.
Chapter 27
To seize the ship, the men pierced the bottom in the boat and prepared for the next boat with the robbers. The pirates, seeing the pierced ship and the fact that their comrades were gone, were frightened and were going to return to the ship. Then Robinson came up with a trick – Friday and assistant captain lured eight pirates deep into the island. Two robbers who remained to wait for their comrades, unconditionally surrendered. At night, the captain kills the boatman who understood the mutiny. Five thieves surrender.
Chapter 28
Robinson decides to put the rebels in the dungeon and take the ship with the help of the sailors who stood on the side of the captain. At night the crew swam to the ship, and the sailors smashed the robbers on it. In the morning the captain sincerely thanked Robinson for helping to return the ship.
By order of Crusoe, the rebels were unleashed and sent to the interior of the island. Robinson promised that they would be left with everything necessary to live on the island.
“As I later found on the ship’s log, my departure took place on December 19, 1686. Thus, I lived on the island twenty-eight years two months and nineteen days.”
Soon, Robinson returned to our homeland. By the time his parents died, at home he was met by sisters with children and other relatives. Everybody listened with great enthusiasm to the incredible story of Robinson, which he told from morning until evening.
Conclusion
Roman D. Defoe’s “The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” had a huge impact on the world literature, setting the beginning of a whole literary genre – “Robinsonade”. The novel became a real discovery in the culture of the Enlightenment. The book Defoe was translated into many languages, more than twenty times filmed. The proposed brief retelling of “Robinson Crusoe” by chapters will be useful for schoolchildren, as well as for everyone who wants to get acquainted with the plot of the famous work.
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