The story of Oroonoko by Aphra Behn is the story of an African prince named Oroonoko, who is captured and taken to the new world as a slave by English slave-traders. Race and skin color play a role within this story as a recurring motif, however its role within early modern English society is inconsistent, because of conflicting attitudes towards certain groups of people, as well as the emphasis on certain cultural and class traits that transcended race and skin color, as a result race and skin color held very little importance. The inconsistencies of race and skin within early modern English society are prominently displayed when comparing the attitudes the English held towards the Natives and the Slaves. When we are first introduced to the
…show more content…
When describing the Natives as people, the narrator states that they “have all that is called beauty except the colour, which is a reddish yellow…” (9). The narrator almost idealizes the natives of the country of Surinam where both the English and Natives coexist and rely on one another in varying ways, and despite how having beautiful physical characteristics, with the exception of skin color, shows how the English didn’t particularly regard race or skin color as an obstacle towards a friendly relationship. This theory, however, is challenged when the topic of African slavery is introduced, where those who want them must purchase them from slave traders who visit Africa, and when the traders return, allow the slaves to be purchased in lots (11). The English establish a relationship with African kings in Africa, specifically Coramantien, where the war-captives of the King are sold off as slaves. This relationship in some ways show how the English were open to the option of business with …show more content…
A good example of some of the paradigms used by the English to describe certain characters is beauty, culture and class. In the introduction of the character Oroonoko by the narrator, we are given an extremely flattering description of Oroonoko being a great and just character who knew many European languages, and who was tutored by a Frenchman that gave him many favorable European traits (12,13). Even Oroonoko’s physical attributes such as his nose and body structure were European and familiar to the narrator. It’s the narrator’s fixation on some of these physical and personal traits that will make Oroonoko appealing to her, as well as, future men that Oroonoko meets, who become impressed with him after he is enslaved. The favorable opinion on Oroonoko is created from attributes that supercede racism therefore giving race and skin color little to do with treatment in this scenario. The treatment of Oroonoko on the plantation also shows race having a minimal influence in English society. After being captured by an English slaver and sent to South America, Trefry, his new master, realizes that Oroonoko is something more than what he confesses to be and begins to treat him like a brother, as well as give Oroonoko preferential treatment such as free reign on the plantation, his own home
When describing the Natives as people, the narrator states that they “have all that is called beauty except the colour, which is a reddish yellow…” (9). The narrator almost idealizes the natives of the country of Surinam where both the English and Natives coexist and rely on one another in varying ways, and despite how having beautiful physical characteristics, with the exception of skin color, shows how the English didn’t particularly regard race or skin color as an obstacle towards a friendly relationship. This theory, however, is challenged when the topic of African slavery is introduced, where those who want them must purchase them from slave traders who visit Africa, and when the traders return, allow the slaves to be purchased in lots (11). The English establish a relationship with African kings in Africa, specifically Coramantien, where the war-captives of the King are sold off as slaves. This relationship in some ways show how the English were open to the option of business with …show more content…
A good example of some of the paradigms used by the English to describe certain characters is beauty, culture and class. In the introduction of the character Oroonoko by the narrator, we are given an extremely flattering description of Oroonoko being a great and just character who knew many European languages, and who was tutored by a Frenchman that gave him many favorable European traits (12,13). Even Oroonoko’s physical attributes such as his nose and body structure were European and familiar to the narrator. It’s the narrator’s fixation on some of these physical and personal traits that will make Oroonoko appealing to her, as well as, future men that Oroonoko meets, who become impressed with him after he is enslaved. The favorable opinion on Oroonoko is created from attributes that supercede racism therefore giving race and skin color little to do with treatment in this scenario. The treatment of Oroonoko on the plantation also shows race having a minimal influence in English society. After being captured by an English slaver and sent to South America, Trefry, his new master, realizes that Oroonoko is something more than what he confesses to be and begins to treat him like a brother, as well as give Oroonoko preferential treatment such as free reign on the plantation, his own home