English 375 — Revolution, Revolt, and British Romanticism (1770-1830)

Professor
J. Jennifer Jones

Student X

Professor Jones

English 375

19 October 2006

Oroonoko, or The Mangled King

Before one can determine whether Aphra Behn’s work Oroonoko, or The Royal Slave makes its point through use of reason or emotion, it is important to ascertain what the point of Oroonoko truly is. While the topic of slavery is certain to evoke visceral reactions in a reader, the institution of slavery is not the main focus of the novel; it is the main character’s noble heritage. Even in the title the word “royal” takes precedence over the word “slave,” emphasising the fact that Oroonoko is a prince first and foremost. Written in a time of great political turmoil in England, when the fate of the monarchy itself was uncertain, Oroonoko is, at heart, a thinly-veiled Royalist manifesto. While the novel certainly brings forth an emotional response from the reader, its strongest asset is Behn’s consistent appeal to reason to illustrate Oroonoko’s nobility of birth and the respect such a position commands.

Behn’s descriptions of Oroonoko’s physical and mental state serve to constantly remind the reader of his gentility through what are meant to be taken as objective observations. Behn repeatedly refers to Oroonoko as acting and looking European, the first example being “He had nothing of barbarity in his nature, but in all points addressed himself as if his education had been in some European court” (2187). The use of the word "court" is important, as Behn consistently employs such terminology when describing the circumstances of Oroonoko’s life in his home country even though, by Behn’s own admission, such a system did not exist in Coramantien: “on that continent . . . they had no king, but the oldest war captain was obeyed” (2185). Furthermore, Behn’s physical description of Oroonoko serves to set him apart above others of his race: “His nose was rising and Roman, instead of African and flat; his mouth was the finest shape that could be seen, far from those great turned lips that are so natural to the rest of the Negroes” (2187). Here, the nobility of Oroonoko’s bearing is impressed upon the reader—the fact that he is exceptional in spite of his race and that he is “capable of reigning well, and of governing wisely” (2187), as is to be expected of a man from a royal bloodline . Everything about Oroonoko speaks to the royalty in his blood; even the name imposed upon him in captivity is indicative of his sovereign rights.

The fact that Mr. Trefry names Oroonoko "Caesar" reminds the reader that the prince is immediately recognizable for what he is. The narrator herself states that his name “will live in that country as long as that (scarce more) glorious one of the great Roman” (2205). This allusion is a clear appeal to the educated among the audience, who would almost certainly draw parallels between the illustrious Roman king and Oroonoko. An immediate comparison one can draw is the issue of betrayal, which features prominently in the lives of both Julius Caesar and Oroonoko. It could even be said that Oroonoko’s tragedy was greater than Caesar’s since he suffered a major betrayal three times: first, when the king takes Imoinda as a wife behind his grandson’s back, then the deception by the sea captain in Coramantien, and finally by Byam, the betrayal which ultimately seals his fate. It is also interesting to note that the overseer chooses to name Oroonoko not merely after any great monarch, but a great pagan monarch. This particular similarity becomes especially evident when Oroonoko is not converted to Christianity, though the narrator makes the attempt. This serves to emphasise the transcendence of royalty, the power and command of a monarch remains, in spite of race, country, or religion.

Oroonoko and the other slaves do not revolt as slaves but rather as a nation under siege, with Oroonoko as their king: “They bowed and kissed his feet . . . and with one accord vowed to follow him to death. And that night was appointed to begin their march” (2218). He is no longer a mere slave in these moments and in the following battle; he embodies the spirit of an empire struggling against invaders “As soon as Caesar found he was persued, he put himself in a posture of defence . . . all promising the conquer or die” (2219). One may draw a comparison to the deceased King, Charles I, who also had been forcibly removed from his rightful place of power, which early in the piece Behn herself referred to as an “injustice” (2187). Because he no longer has a land to fight for, Oroonoko himself must embody the spirit of the land. He does not merely defend an empire. He is the empire.

Everything about Oroonoko is regal, from his bearing, to his ideology of honour, to his speech, and even to the name bestowed upon him by those who were meant to see him solely as an inferior. Behn’s point truly hits home when Oroonoko states that his only regret is “endeavoring to make those free who were by nature slaves” (2220). Clearly, Behn does not feel that the institution of slavery is wrong in and of itself, but that Oroonoko, as a monarch, is above such treatment. This matter is finally righted at Oroonoko’s death when he dies; for, he is not driven into the ground like a common slave by the whip, but rather he meets his death with dignity as a king.

The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Volume 2A: The Romantics and Their Contemporaries. 3rd Edition (2006)

 Britain and the French Revolution. By Clive Emsley. Longman (2000)

Memoirs of Emma Courtney and Adeline Mowbray; or, The Mother and Daughter. [Amelia Opie] College Publishing (2004)

A Writer's Reference. By Diana Hacker. 5th Edition (2002)

What Every Student Should Know about Citing Sources with MLA Documentation. By Michael Greer. Pearson Longman (2007)

What Every Student Should Know about Plagiarism. By Linda Stern. Pearson Longman (2007)

Course Packet. Available at ICopy

Participation (20%)
Paper #1 (15%)
Paper #2 (15%)
Paper #3 (15%)
Paper #4 (20%)
Final Exam (15%)