Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko is considered by many scholars as having pushed forward abolitionism, with Behn’s representation of the colonizers’ evil towards Oroonoko and other slaves. While reading Oroonoko, I found myself debating whether Behn is ultimately promoting anti slavery or pro slavery. Although at first glance it seems like an anti-slavery theme, I came to the conclusion that it cannot be completely placed under that category. In this essay, I will argue that Behn has no intention to criticize the royal practice of slaves altogether in Oroonoko, with her excessive romanticism on slavery and her character formulation of a noble slave.
Many scenes involving slavery seem to be romanticized to an excessive degree, in the manner in which it’s …show more content…
Betrayal is demonstrated in the English Captain’s tricking of Oroonoko. He first invites Oroonoko to his ship, where he befriends with Oroonoko and treats them to a banquet replete with wine in which they overindulge. The captain then “gave the Word, and seiz’d on all his Guests,” including Oroonoko –“locking him down fast, secur’d him” and betrays him into slavery (Behn 31). The critical words used in the text, such as “treachery,” “hoist,” and “indignity,” make it clear that the narrator disdains the captain’s betrayal and hideous scheme. Nevertheless, the narrator spares a paragraph emphasizing her intention to leave it to her readers to judge whether the Captain’s trick is brave or shameful – “Some have commended this Act, as brave, in the Captain; but I will spare my sense of it, and leave it to Reader, to judge as he please” (Behn 31). The narrator finds herself in a dilemma judging whether the Captain’s trick is justifiable, given Oroonoko’s contradictory status as both a prince and a slave. Practice of tricking blacks into slavery would be common at that time; however, the narrator hates to see Oroonoko being tricked into slavery since he is such a honourable man, who the narrator …show more content…
However, Behn only portrays slavery in a negative light when the royal prince Oroonoko, who is more like a European rather than a savage and subhuman native, gets enslaved and tortured in the process. The whites whip Oroonoko ruthlessly and rend the flesh from his bones – “When they thought they were sufficiently Reveng’d on him, they unty’d him, almost Fainting, with loss of Blood, form a thousand Wounds all over his Body; from which they had rent his Cloaths, and led him Bleeding and Naked as he was; and loaded him all over with Irons; and then rubbed his Wounds, to compleat their Cruelty, with Indian Pepper, which had like to have made him raving Mad” (Behn 57). However, we need to keep it in mind that under Behn’s pen, Oroonoko is a noble slave with all the good natures in European standards, and that makes Oroonoko’s misfortunes and death worth all the
Many scenes involving slavery seem to be romanticized to an excessive degree, in the manner in which it’s …show more content…
Betrayal is demonstrated in the English Captain’s tricking of Oroonoko. He first invites Oroonoko to his ship, where he befriends with Oroonoko and treats them to a banquet replete with wine in which they overindulge. The captain then “gave the Word, and seiz’d on all his Guests,” including Oroonoko –“locking him down fast, secur’d him” and betrays him into slavery (Behn 31). The critical words used in the text, such as “treachery,” “hoist,” and “indignity,” make it clear that the narrator disdains the captain’s betrayal and hideous scheme. Nevertheless, the narrator spares a paragraph emphasizing her intention to leave it to her readers to judge whether the Captain’s trick is brave or shameful – “Some have commended this Act, as brave, in the Captain; but I will spare my sense of it, and leave it to Reader, to judge as he please” (Behn 31). The narrator finds herself in a dilemma judging whether the Captain’s trick is justifiable, given Oroonoko’s contradictory status as both a prince and a slave. Practice of tricking blacks into slavery would be common at that time; however, the narrator hates to see Oroonoko being tricked into slavery since he is such a honourable man, who the narrator …show more content…
However, Behn only portrays slavery in a negative light when the royal prince Oroonoko, who is more like a European rather than a savage and subhuman native, gets enslaved and tortured in the process. The whites whip Oroonoko ruthlessly and rend the flesh from his bones – “When they thought they were sufficiently Reveng’d on him, they unty’d him, almost Fainting, with loss of Blood, form a thousand Wounds all over his Body; from which they had rent his Cloaths, and led him Bleeding and Naked as he was; and loaded him all over with Irons; and then rubbed his Wounds, to compleat their Cruelty, with Indian Pepper, which had like to have made him raving Mad” (Behn 57). However, we need to keep it in mind that under Behn’s pen, Oroonoko is a noble slave with all the good natures in European standards, and that makes Oroonoko’s misfortunes and death worth all the