Crusoe’s Secret by Tom Paulin is an insightful collection of essays that delves into the culture of English dissent across four centuries. From the sixteenth to the twentieth century, Paulin explores a range of canonical works and authors, including Paradise Lost, Robinson Crusoe, and Clarissa, offering fresh interpretations of these literary giants.
Paulin extends his analysis beyond the well-known to include writers whose work was subtly shaped by dissent—figures like Clare, Kipling, and Hopkins. By examining their creative expressions, Paulin uncovers the often hidden, yet transformative, influence of dissent on their work. The book also traces the intersection of dissent and the English working class, while highlighting its vital role in shaping middle-class print culture, civic discourse, and utopian thought.
In continuing the investigation begun in his earlier study, Day-Star of Liberty, Paulin broadens his focus to include Irish authors, such as Sheridan, Yeats, Joyce, and Heaney, drawing connections between English and Irish radical traditions. This thought-provoking collection brings new depth to the understanding of dissent and its impact on literature and society.
