Abstract

Literary scholars from the humanities are increasingly curious about the intricate relationship between humans and nature. Under an ecocritical lens, they perform various tasks to analyze this complex web of human and natural realms. Without an exception, Robinson Crusoe, the pioneer of English fiction, has been read through this theoretical background. These criticisms generally highlight the deep bond between Crusoe and nature as utopic. However, fewer attempts have been made to bring forth the agency of nature through its constituent elements—water, air, fire, and earth. This article seeks to discuss the interdependence between the protagonist and the elements of nature. The elemental forces of water, land, fire, and air do not merely form the novel’s backdrop but rather act as active agents that influence Crusoe’s survival. This article aims to elucidate the sovereignty of these forces through an analysis of these elements. It reveals their capability of both empowering and challenging Crusoe. Furthermore, it addresses the limits of human power in the face of nature’s unpredictable forces. In addition, the article examines the role of this interaction under both circumstances—beneficial and detrimental to the human. Lastly, this work attempts to establish elemental agentism as supreme and, thereby, conjure nature as the ultimate sovereign over the human.