Robinson Crusoe's Return to England: What He Found

After 28 years on his Caribbean island (and subsequent adventures), Daniel Defoe's protagonist returns to England in The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1719) to a sobering reality.

What Changed

• Both parents deceased – his father (who opposed his seafaring) and mother passed during his absence.
• Family estate lost – the inheritance was consumed by creditors' lawsuits after his presumed death.
• No immediate family – he was an only child; no siblings, spouse, or children awaited.
• Financial reset – his Brazilian plantation (managed by partners) had generated wealth, but legal tangles delayed access.

Literary Significance

This homecoming underscores Defoe's themes:

• Providence vs. Chance: Crusoe's survival was "divine"; his worldly loss, human.
• Impermanence: Even land-based security is fragile (lawsuits, death).
• Restlessness: He cannot settle—soon departs for new voyages (Madagascar, China, Siberia).

Context

The sequel reflects early 18th-century realities: primogeniture, creditor priority, colonial trade wealth, and the "prodigal son" moral arc. Crusoe's island kingdom (with Friday, Spanish, English settlers) contrasts sharply with rootless London.