Which Enlightenment idea is reflected in both Satan in John Milton's paradise lost and Daniel defoe's character of Robinson crusoe

Respuesta :

The idea that people by nature are free and independent.

The concepts for the characterizations given in Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) and Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719) can be seen in the prominent political philosophers of the same era, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke.  Hobbes' book, Leviathan (1651) and Locke's Second Treatise of Civil Government (1690) both contained ideas that are being explored within these literary stories.

Answer:

Liberalism

Explanation:

In a nutshell, Liberalism is the defense of individual freedom. The concept that each human being has the tools and ability to develop and prosper himself and the Nation. When we look at Paradise Lost and Robinson Crusoe, and especially the historical moment when were written, we can see that their authors were closer to ideas such as freedom of speech, economic development, individual desires, and a government with limited powers.

Now let's take a look at Satan and the character of Robinson Crusoe.

First of all, why Satan was spelled from Heaven. Because he didn't accept God's new creation - the Human. However, if we look at closer, and when we analyze his speech on Hell, we can see that Satan share ideas closer to Liberalism such as individual freedom. How? When he tries to show the "true" to humankind it was an attempt to freed it from the chains God's control. The idea that each human being was able to prosper for themselves. Well, we'll not get into moral debates, we're just trying to understand Satan liberal ideas.

In Daniel Defoe's novel, the character of Robinson Crusoe sees himself lost on an island and has to find a way to survive. Then, he uses the surrounding elements to built a cabin, to fishing, to hunt... Well, Defoe's liberal ideas were that humans can be efficient without a strong state. They can build their prosperity with any element he can find. Crusoe's fantastic ability represents the triumph of individualism, of human ability to dominate nature. An individual completely dominated by the rational pursuit of material interests.