Negotiating Power and Identity: A Post-Colonial Discourse of Robinson Crusoe and The Tempest

Md. Nurul Haque; Israt Jahan; Sumona Sharmin; Sarah Tabassum

Vol-10,Issue-6,November - December 2025

Author: Md. Nurul Haque, Israt Jahan, Sumona Sharmin, Sarah Tabassum

Keywords: post-colonialism, economic exploitation, subjugation, power politics, dominance

Abstract: This study delves into the nuanced dimensions of post-colonial identity within Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Navigating the turbulent seas of colonialism and imperialism, the narratives unravel the human repercussions of external dominance and economic exploitation of indigenous communities. Drawing on Edward Said's Orientalism (1978), the research adeptly employs a balanced application of colonial and postcolonial theories to analyze the transformation of the protagonists, Robinson and Prospero, from isolation to mastery after saving their respective servants. The exploration emphasizes the depiction of colonizers appropriating native lands, altering traditions, and shaping intricate dynamics between master and servant, challenging prevailing authorial perspectives on race, gender, and ethnicity. Key findings uncover issues of subjugation, religious conversion, power abuse, dominance, and linguistic hegemony within the context of power politics. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between colonizer and colonized, enriching literary discourse and fostering a comprehensive understanding of postcolonial identity in these literary masterpieces.

Article Info: Received: 07 Oct 2025; Received in revised form: 04 Nov 2025; Accepted: 08 Nov 2025; Available online: 13 Nov 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.106.9