Fears, Apprehensions and Conjectures

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DC Field	Value
dc.identifier	ECF_article_1380
dc.title	Fears, Apprehensions and Conjectures. Suspense in Robinson Crusoe
dc.contributor.author	Capoferro Riccardo
dc.publisher	Edizioni Ca’ Foscari - Digital Publishing
dc.type	Research Article
dc.language.iso	it
dc.identifier.uri	http://edizionicafoscari.it/en/edizioni4/riviste/english-literature/2017/1/fears-apprehensions-and-conjectures/
dc.description.abstract	The importance of Robinson Crusoe in the origins of the novel depends not only on its progressive plot and empirical style, but also on its pioneering narrative devices. Defoe’s work is characterised, in particular, by a new approach to the creation of suspense, considered by narratologists as one of the universals of narrative. This approach is based on a consistent, highly diversified use of hypothetical thinking. Crusoe’s emotionally charged previsions have the function of presenting possible plot developments, staging, and causing, the oscillation between fear and hope that is characteristic of suspense. Defoe’s work with suspense shows that epistemological change, in particular the rise of the modern notion of probability, had relevant implications also at the level of narrative discourse.
dc.relation.ispartof	English Literature
dc.relation.ispartof	Vol. 4 \| December 2017
dc.issued	2017-12-18
dc.dateAccepted	2017-10-11
dc.dateSubmitted	2017-09-10
dc.identifier.issn
dc.identifier.eissn	2420-823X
dc.rights	Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.identifier.doi	10.30687/EL/2420-823X/2017/01/007
dc.peer-review	yes
dc.subject	Curiosity
dc.subject	Curiosity
dc.subject	Epistemology
dc.subject	Epistemology
dc.subject	Hypothetical thinking
dc.subject	Hypothetical thinking
dc.subject	Narrative
dc.subject	Narrative
dc.subject	Probability
dc.subject	Probability
dc.subject	Robinson Crusoe
dc.subject	Robinson Crusoe
dc.subject	Suspense
dc.subject	Suspense

Research Article
open access peer reviewed

Suspense in Robinson Crusoe

Riccardo Capoferro La Sapienza Università di Roma

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abstract

The importance of Robinson Crusoe in the origins of the novel depends not only on its progressive plot and empirical style, but also on its pioneering narrative devices. Defoe’s work is characterised, in particular, by a new approach to the creation of suspense, considered by narratologists as one of the universals of narrative. This approach is based on a consistent, highly diversified use of hypothetical thinking. Crusoe’s emotionally charged previsions have the function of presenting possible plot developments, staging, and causing, the oscillation between fear and hope that is characteristic of suspense. Defoe’s work with suspense shows that epistemological change, in particular the rise of the modern notion of probability, had relevant implications also at the level of narrative discourse.

Published

Dec. 18, 2017

Accepted

Oct. 11, 2017

Submitted

Sept. 10, 2017

Language

Keywords: Hypothetical thinking • Curiosity • Narrative • Robinson Crusoe • Epistemology • Suspense • Probability

permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/EL/2420-823X/2017/01/007

Copyright: © 2017 Riccardo Capoferro. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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