Imperial Ideas In Defoe's Novels

As a famous British writer and political pamphleteer,Daniel Defoe and his writings has always been a spotlight in the world review in the past centuries.At the age of nearly60,he began the creation of his first novel,Robinson Crusoe.Then,he wrote other novels,such as Captain Singleton,Colonel Jack,etc.In the three novels,Robinson,Singleton and Jack describe their overseas adventures from the perspective of first-person narrative.They participate in the expansion of the British Empire and the construction of imperial ideas.The thesis is based on the post-colonialism theory,especially Said's analysis of imperial ideas.This thesis attempts to provide a comprehensive study on imperial ideas in Defoe's three novels.The rise of novels in the early 18^th century became the main form of imagination of the British Empire,and novel had a relationship with the empire called complicity.Britain continued to expand the territories,plunder wealth and promote the idea of white supremacy.It is obviously reflected in Defoe's novels.In politics,the strengthening of imperial ideas promotes Britain's territorial expansion.In economy,the advance of imperial ideas accelerates the process of wealth accumulation.In culture,comparing with the superiority of the“self”and the inferiority of the“otherness”,it can be concluded that imperial ideas are associated with the so-called cultural superiority closely.Based on the above analysis,this thesis holds that imperial ideas are formed and developed in the expansion of the British Empire.In Defoe's three novels,imperial ideas bring about a series of colonial wars in the process of accelerating the expansion of the British Empire.Meanwhile,it also brings endless wounds to the colonial people.Undoubtedly,Robinson Crusoe,Captain Singleton and Colonel Jack are the classic works of Defoe.While reading the texts of these classic novels,we can perceive the distant world presented in the texts.It will lead us to obtain a deep reflection on the empire and its imperial ideas.