This
is the second in a series on the novel, Oronooko or the Royal Slave by Aphra Behn.
You
can find Part 1 here.
So
what to make of this strange story?
There are several themes that have been proposed for the novel. Let me give my opinion of each.
Anti-Colonialism
Well,
certainly there is colonialism. The
English and the Dutch fight over this New World territory, set up plantations,
and administer a ruling government. The
slaves however that work the plantations are imported from Africa, and the
natives for the most part seem to be left alone. At the beginning of the novel Behn sets up
what projects to be a much more prominent theme when she characterizes the
natives as innocent in a prelapsarian way.
They are extreme modest
and bashful, very shy, and nice of being touched. And though they are all thus
naked, if one lives for ever among them, there is not to be seen an indecent action,
or glance; and being continually used to see one another so unadorned, so like
our first parents before the Fall, it seems as if they had no wishes; there
being nothing to heighten curiosity, but all you can see, you see at once, and
every moment see; and where there is no novelty, there can be no curiosity.
(75)
But
then later when Oronooko accompanies a group into the heart of the country,
there is great fear of the Indians.
About this time we were
in many mortal fears, about some disputes the English had with the Indians, so
that we could scarce trust ourselves, without great numbers, to go to any
Indian towns, or place, where they abode, for fear they should fall upon us, as
they did immediately after my coming away, and that it was in the possession of
the Dutch, who used them not so civilly as the English, so that they cut in
pieces all they could take, getting into houses, and hanging up the mother, and
all her children about her, and cut a footman, I left behind me, all in joints,
and nailed him to trees. (120)
I
guess one could say the natives were provoked but it certainly not the docile
and innocent humanity of pre-fallen world.
But the natives are at least sincere and perhaps serve as a contrast to
the white Christians who lie and cheat repeatedly. I can’t quite tell if the author intended the
theme of anti-colonialism. It just isn’t
developed. I think the natives serve as
a contrast to the Europeans.
Contemporary
Politics of Behn’s England
I think we can all agree that Behn supports the
monarchy, and I’ll develop that theme further down, but is there an intraparty
political dynamic going on in the novel?
The two major characters who are in the power structure of the
territory, Governor William Byam and the King’s plantation manager, John
Treffry, are both Royalist. One is
Oronooko’s biggest supporter and the other is Oronooko’s biggest nemesis. The only white character in the power
structure who is not a Royalist is George Marten, a brother to a Cromwell
supporter, and, though not a fully developed character, seems to be sympathetic
to Oronooko. If there is any political
implication from the tension between Byam and Trefrey, it is lost on me. There isn’t any outright hostility, just
diverging interest in Oronooko.
International Dynamics between England and
Dutch
There is an English/Dutch rivalry that is undercurrent
in the novel, but I can’t discern any noticeable bias. It probably reflects the historical
circumstances of her time, but I don’t see a theme. Perhaps the fact that she, an English woman,
doesn’t favor England by default is a statement in itself, but I don’t sense an
international rivalry between the nations as a theme. Christian Europeans are depicted as liars and
cheats and brutal slave owners in contrast to the Surinamese and the Africans,
but I think both were and are mentioned in the novel as slave owners too. While the English and Dutch are rivals in
both African and South American colonialism, this rivalry isn’t a developed
theme.
Anti-Slavery
Slavery is definitely a theme of the novel, and Behn
doesn’t lend any support to this heinous practice. I don’t know if she stands out on this issue
for her day, but she is certainly valiant.
I assume slavery was a commonly held notion in her day, but she seems to
go against that trend. Now that is not
to say there aren’t complexities that complicate the theme. Oronooko and his countrymen enslave, hold
slaves, and sell slaves. Oronooko
himself participates in the practice.
But when Oronooko is enslaved he reaches what I think is an
enlightenment on the practice. First in
being enslaved, he feels the degradation of what the practice entails.
First it is quite extraordinary that Behn creates such
a noble and gallant character in Oronooko in contrast to the scheming and
treacherous whites. And Behn does this
twice in that she creates an almost equally noble female in Imoinda to
complement Oronooko.
[Oronooko] became, at the
age of seventeen, one of the most expert captains, and bravest soldiers, that
ever saw the field of Mars; so that he was adored as the wonder of all that
world, and the darling of the soldiers. Besides, he was adorned with a native
beauty so transcending all those of his gloomy race, that he struck an awe and
reverence, even in those that knew not his quality; as he did in me, who beheld
him with surprise and wonder,when afterwards he arrived in our world. (79)
There are some I think that characterize Oronooko as a
“noble savage,” but frankly I think that is a mischaracterization. A noble savage implies a certain innocence
that has been preserved from civilized corruption. I think Behn characterizes the natives of
Surinam as noble savages, but the Africans of Coramantien have a functioning
government with rivalries, courts, wars, hereditary monarchies. In addition, Oronooko is educated in European
culture.
’Twas then, afflicted as
Oroonoko was, that he was proclaimed general in the old man’s place; and then
it was, at the finishing of that war, which had continued for two years, that
the prince came to court; where he had hardly been a month together, from the
time of his fifth year to that of seventeen; and ’twas amazing to imagine where
it was he learned so much humanity; or, to give his accomplishments a juster name,
where ’twas he got that real greatness of soul, those refined notions of true
honour, that absolute generosity, and that softness that was capable of the
highest passions of love and gallantry, whose objects were almost continually
fighting men, or those mangled, or dead; who heard no sounds, but those of war
and groans. Some part of it we may attribute to the care of a Frenchman of wit
and learning, who finding it turn to very good account to be a sort of royal
tutor to this young Black, and perceiving him very ready, apt, and quick of
apprehension, took a great pleasure to teach him morals, language and science,
and was for it extremely beloved and valued by him. Another reason was, he
loved, when he came from war, to see all the English gentlemen that traded
thither; and did not only learn their language, but that of the Spaniards also,
with whom he traded afterwards for slaves. (79)
This is not a noble savage but a man larger than
life. The narrator goes on to speak from
her firsthand experience with him.
I have often seen and
conversed with this great man, and been a witness to many of his mighty
actions; and do assure my reader, the most illustrious courts could
not have produced a braver man, both for greatness of courage and mind, a
judgment more solid, a wit more quick, and a conversation more sweet and
diverting. He knew almost as much as if he had read much: he had heard of, and
admired the Romans; he had heard of the late Civil Wars in England, and the
deplorable death of our great monarch, and would discourse of it with all the
sense, and abhorrence of the injustice imaginable. He had an extreme good and
graceful mien, and all the civility of a well-bred great man. He had nothing of
barbarity in his nature, but in all points addressed himself as if his
education had been in some European court. (80)
Second, while experiencing the life of a slave,
Oronooko grows, so that freedom is seen as part of the nobility of every
man. Here is his impassioned speech to
his fellow slaves to stir them to rebellion.
Caesar, having singled
out these men from the women and children, made a harangue to them of the
miseries, and ignominies of slavery; counting up all their toils and
sufferings, under such loads, burdens, and drudgeries, as were fitter for beasts
than men; senseless brutes, than human souls. He told them it was not for days,
months, or years, but for eternity; there was no end to be of their
misfortunes. They suffered not like men who might find a glory, and fortitude
in oppression, but like dogs that loved the whip and bell, 61 and fawned the
more they were beaten. That they had lost the divine quality of men (126)
Though Oronooko is no Christian, he frames this in
Christian terms, telling them “they had lost the divine quality of men.” And further, he characterizes the brutality
of enslaving as that of savages.
‘And why,’ said he, ‘my
dear friends and fellow sufferers, should we be slaves to an unknown people?
Have they vanquished us nobly in fight? Have they won us in honourable battle?
And are we, by the chance of war, become their slaves? This would not anger a
noble heart, this would not animate a soldier’s soul. No, but we are bought and
sold like apes, or monkeys, to be the sport of women, fools and cowards, and
the support of rogues, runagades, 62 that have abandoned their own countries,
for raping, murders, thefts and villainies. Do you not hear every day how they
upbraid each other with infamy of life, below the wildest savages, and shall we
render obedience to such a degenerate race, who have no one human virtue left,
to distinguish them from the vilest creatures? Will you, I say, suffer the lash
from such hands?’ (126)
Behn has turned the convention on its head. The African is the noble and grand character,
while the Europeans are the degenerate savages.
Feminism
The feminism theme is not as pronounced as one would
expect if it were a dominant theme. On
the one hand, none of the female characters have any power or even rebel
against male authority. Yes, Imoinda is
cast as a powerful woman, but even she is below in stature to Oronooko, who she
complements, and she never displays any will to break free from the men who
dominate her life. She acquiesces to
become the African King’s concubine, though her wishes are clearly against it. She is sold off as a slave when the King no
longer has use for her, and accepts her death at Oronooko’s hand for fear to be
left alive without his protection. As
powerful a woman as she is cast, we never see her power in either rebellion or to
work her way out of a situation. In the
end, she is a minor character.
In what way then is there a feminist theme? Two thoughts.
I think the respect Oronooko pays to Imoinda is an honest respect paid
to a woman without objectifying her in her gender. Here’s how Behn describes Oronooko’s courtship:
She was touched with what
he said, and returned it all in such answers as went to his very heart, all in
such answers as went to his very heart, with a pleasure unknown before. Nor did
he use those obligations ill that love had done him; but turned all his happy
moments to the best advantage; and as he knew no vice, his flame aimed at
nothing but honour, if such a distinction may be made in love; and especially
in that country, where men take to themselves as many as they can maintain; and
where the only crime and sin with woman is to turn her off, to abandon her to
want, shame and misery. Such ill morals are only practised in Christian
countries, where they prefer the bare name of religion; and, without virtue or
morality, think that’s sufficient. But Oroonoko was none of those professors;
but as he had right notions of honour, so he made her such propositions as were
not only and barely such; but, contrary to the custom of his country… (82-83)
He was not only honorable by the standards of his country,
but superior to those of “Christian countries.”
This is certainly an understanding of a woman’s needs that only a female
writer can conceptualize.
Also in support of a feminist theme is the strong
voice of the female narrator. It is the
narrator who is Oronooko’s equal as he provides intimate details of his
life. Here is how she speaks of a moment
after such a private conversation:
Before I parted that day
with him, I got, with much ado, a promise from him to rest yet a little longer
with patience, and wait the coming of the Lord Governor, who was every day
expected on our shore. He assured me he would, and this promise he desired me
to know was given perfectly in complaisance to me, in whom he had an entire
confidence. (115)
Notice the language: “I got…a promise from him,” “he
assured me,” “this promise he desired me to know.” Despite her being a woman, she is at least an
equal in the relationship. And it is only
in her, a woman, Oronooko places his confidence, not any of the men, not even
Trefry. It is the female narrator who is
Trefry’s superior in obtaining Oronooko’s trust, as he tells her of his life
story.
While women’s issues are not part of the thematic
structure, certainly through the narrator’s voice and through Oronooko’s
respect for the women he encounters and develops a relationship with, the novel
shows great dignity for women.
