Oroonoko, or, The Royal Slave

Hey all, sorry I am so late on my posts, haven't been feeling well. Anyway I do not know about you but when I was reading this story I could not help but think back to the past colonization of America, the New World, when the English thought that the indians were strange, barbareous, and weird due to their way of life and the fact that they did not wear clothes, care about money, and used their resources just like in Surinam. Aphra Behn, a great female writer, pulled her readers into this short story, narrated as if the readers were witnessing the same thing she was. When I was reading this I felt like I was a witness to Oroonoko's many deceits and disappointments. Behn writes about slavery and that no matter who you are people, England, does not care and if you are not careful can lead you to death. Behn gives the readers incentive to admire this prince. The fact that he is half African and black in a white powered society, who is a great warrior, and a handsome man who is very educated. She allows us as readers, to respect him from the beginning. How can we not "cheer" him on. He was described as being tall, piercing eyes, skin tone of ebony and polished jet, and white teeth and that "there could be nothing in nature more beautiful, aggreeable, and handsome" (2187). He also spoke French and English. So when people could view him it should not have been about his race or the color of his skin but simply his stature, poise, and amazing appearance. Behn explains this great prince and soon enough slave to never change and stay true to Imoinda and himself. He never lets the white men get to him.
Behn also explains Surinam in "ideal" imagery and descriptions similar to those of Utopia; however, in this case Surinam is not as perfect as it seems. Behn explains the different life forms, natives, and cultures. How beautiful the women are and how they are all naked and wear beads of all colors, without curiosity and in peace (2184): "With these people, as I said, we live in perfect tranquility and good understanding, as it behooves us to do, they knowing all the places where to seek the best food of the country and the means of getting it" (2185).
I feel that even though this story touches on slavery it is also about true love and how sometimes fate brings you together. In the two lovers here they are brought together before slavery and during. In which Imoinda still bears his child ( if lived long enough) and they risk each other's lives in order to die happy and together and not be banned for eternity to slavery, which saved their child for not having to do the same.
This story made me feel very sad and angry at times for the way that this great African prince was treated. For instance, the prince fell in love with Imoinda which so happens to be the old king's new affection and because of this the old King's jealousy purposely uses his power to his advantage. He knows that Imoinda is secretly sworn to the prince, but he sends the royal veil to her anyway while Oroonoko is hunting. In which she is forced to accept:"She loved Oroonoko entirely. This gave the old king some affliction, but he salved it with this, that the obedience the people pay their king was not at all inferior to what they paid their gods; and what love would not oblige Imoindato do, duty would compel her to" (2189). Therefore, Imoinda had no chance but to take the veil or her life would be in danger or put into slavery for disobeying the King. Therefore, they did what anyone else would do who were in love, and they tried to follow their passions and love anyway. However, they were caught and Imoinda was sent directly into slavery in Surinam followed by the prince (deceited again) being tricked into slavery. However, even arriving in Surinam this couple was reunited and continued their love there.
In Surinam the couple were given different names to wipe out their identity. And ironically enough Oroonoko's name was Caesar- a great Roman warrior: "Which name will live in that country as long as that glorious one of the great Roman" (2205). And Imoinda became Clemene who was still considered there as beautiful as ever. Therefore, somehow true love can not be escaped: "From that happy day Caesar took Clemene for his wife, to the general joy of all people; and there was as much magnificence as the country would afford at the celebration of this wedding: and in a very short time after she conceived with child, which made Caesar even adore her, knowing he was the last of his great race" (2208).
However, of course this story can not end in happiness, especially considering the whole point is to prove how slavery is brutal, but because England gains power for this they do not care. Anyway this tragic ending, which occurs in most slave novels and poems. The prince tried to lead these slaves to freedom but could not succeed in doing so. He realized that in order to same his family and himself from slavery he had to kill them: "He told her design of first killing her, and then his enemies, and next himself, and the impossibility of escaping, and therefore the necessity of dying" (2223). And as a heroic wife Clemene, Imoinda, was willing to do so, perhaps because she would rather sacrifice herself to her husband than be brutally killed by someone else. And then "he, with a hand resolved and a heart breaking within, gave the fatal stroke; first cutting her throat, and then severing her yet smiling face from that delicate body" (2223). And after he did this he laid by her body in tears and sadness until someone noticed the smell. (Have you guys ever read a Rose for Emily? this attachment from love is explained in a similar tone, except she had possible necrophilia) Anyway because of this Caesar did not have a reason to live anymore and sadly a good thing because back in Parham they did not only kill him but brutally assassinated him. They hacked him into pieces while having a pipe in his mouth. And as strong and noble as he was he huffed away on that pipe until they very last blow. It is hard not to feel sorry for this character, and perhaps that is because he seems like a perfect well-being and because of the color of his skin and the choice of his love he was banished. which ultimately lead to his tragic murder. And Behn wraps up her feeling as well as ours in the last paragaph: "Thus died this great man, worthy of a better fate, and a more sublime wit than mine to write his praise; yet, I hope, the reputation of my pen is considerable enough to make his glorious name to survive to all ages, with that of the brave, the beautiful, and the constant Imoinda" (2226).
I personally can not help to think about the slaves in this case and how they like the prince deserved a better fate, and like him they did not deserve this treatment.