Robinson Crusoe was born in 1632 in the city of York, England. He comes from a comfortable, though not rich family. His father was a merchant from the German city of Bremen, who settled in Hull, a key port for Baltic trade during this era of commercial expansion. When Crusoe is a young man, he father and mother push him to enter some respectable middle-class profession, for such a life, they believe, is the surest path to happiness, avoiding as it does the calamities, complications and intrigues of the lifestyles of either the rich or poor.

Crusoe ignores his parents’ advise and against their strong protestations leaves home to attempt a life on the seas – the ultimate youthful romantic vision of the age. The initial sea voyage and the one after are failures, resulting in Crusoe spending two years as a slave to the emperor of Morocco. When he finally frees himself, he manages to make it to Brazil where he acquires land to start a sugar plantation.

In need of labor, Crusoe hatches a plan to charter a ship to sail to the West African coast and trade for African slaves, whom the ship would then bring back to work on the plantations. The other planters enthusiastically agree and convince Crusoe himself to oversee the mission. The voyage, much like Crusoe’s earlier experiences at sea, turns out to be a disaster, as the ship gets caught in a storm and is smashed against rocks near an island. Crusoe is the shipwreck’s lone survivor.

Stranded on the island and feeling himself exposed and vulnerable, Crusoe embarks an a massive program of creating and sustaining his means of survival, from food and water, to clothing, shelter, tools and other basic material goods. Though Crusoe steadily improves his physical situation – his mental stability continues to fluctuate wildly – and he often finds himself consumed with self-pitying despair.