Oroonoko, Aphra Behn

Oroonoko

Written by Aphra Behn

1688

Penguin Books, 2004

And these people represented to me an absolute idea of the first state of innocence, before man knew how to sin; and 'tis most evident and plain that simple nature is the most harmless, inoffensive and virtuous mistress.

A curious book, born out of its time - the origins of the novel as a legitimate form of expression, imperialism, the emergence of women writers, and enlightened ideals all conflate to influence Aphra Behn's Oroonoko. There are no easy answers here, no simplistic, fill-in-the-blank answer to "this novel means __________." From a modern perspective, the ethics are contradictory and more than slightly off-putting, and while this novel is sometimes heralded as an antislavery polemic, it's decidedly more complicated than that. Hold your breath, folks, as we dive into the exciting world of slavery, imperialism, and the trope of the "nice white lady."


Plot synopsis time: Meet Oroonoko, West African Prince and all around most eligible bachelor; he falls for the beautiful Imoinda, who is soon sold into slavery in Surinam by Oroonoko's not-so-friendly grandfather. After being kidnapped himself by a slave trader, Oroonoko (through what can only be described as incredible luck, fate, or more likely plot convenience) ends up on the same plantation as Imoinda. One marriage and conceived child later, Oroonoko attempts to lead a slave revolt so that his child won't be born into slavery. It ends in disaster and a suicide pact between Oroonoko and Imoinda ensues. Ultimately, Imoinda is killed and Oroonoko is captured and killed by colonial officials. Not exactly an uplifting tale.

Aphra Behn, 1670s

Of significance is Behn's report that this is all true; she claims to have witnessed most of these events and heard the rest from Oroonoko. Given that she visited Surinam in the 1660s, it's certainly not impossible, but the text itself suggests otherwise. There are moments detailed that neither Behn nor Oroonoko could have witnessed, which seems to indicate that at the very least, there are fictional elements, and that perhaps it's more of an amalgamation of various stories. However, I argue that this is all really beside the point; whether true or false, Behn crafts an interesting narrator with a very political tale to tell, and so the rest of the review is prefaced with this: I don't honestly care whether it's true. Take that up in the comments if you feel compelled.

So let's talk about slavery, specifically that Behn's narrator is pretty ambiguous about the whole affair. Yes, we the readers like Oroonoko and Imoinda, and no, we do not like the slave traders and the colonial officials. Behn crafts these characters carefully, and the reader is manipulated by Behn much like Oroonoko is manipulated by imperialism. Oroonoko is a tragedy, and it is Oroonoko who falls victim to a clearly unfair system. But here is the complication that many readers don't seem to grasp: just because Oroonoko is a tragedy about slavery does not mean that it is strictly antislavery. I'll leave Behn's other writings outside of this discussion except to say that she is not exactly the poster-child for Enlightened thinking.

Oroonoko, by Suu999

His nose was rising and Roman, instead of African and flat. His mouth, the finest shaped that could be seen; far from those great turned lips, which are so natural to the rest of the Negroes.

Oroonoko is immediately identified with the European tradition and culture, in terms of his appearance as noted above, and also in the description of his court, which is distinctly formatted after a European model. This correlation between Oroonoko and Europe is made more prominent at the conclusion of the book, during which Oroonoko is juxtaposed with other slaves. Here Behn reveals a troubling paradigm: the other slaves in Surinam are described as cowardly and depict Euro-centric views regarding African savagery. Since Oroonoko continues to be associated with European ideals, the traditional power dichotomy is reinforced as he becomes the de facto leader.

Pears soap ad, 1885

And this leads us to a fun history lesson: the civilizing mission. When enslaving a race of people, having some moral impetus and justification tends to help boost support. And this was exactly the method employed by many European countries from as early as the 1600s - We are Christians! We have manners! We use soap! Thus we are civilized, ergo we should civilize you! It's a pretty painful argument to hear, and Oroonoko, at least in my opinion, is a softened version. Oroonoko is the exception to the rule, civilized despite his race, and the underlying support of imperialism that runs throughout the text suggests that the civilizing mission is needed. This is not to say that Behn's narrator is not somewhat progressive; it's clear that the imperial system has faults, and she continually underscores the unfairness of it all. However, given that Oroonoko is identified with Europe, it comes across not so much that slavery is wrong, but rather enslaving someone so civilized is wrong. A decided double standard.

Final thoughts? It's ambiguous, and not the effective antislavery campaign I had expected. The writing isn't to my taste, and I feel that this book has remained prevalent because of the content rather than the artistry. Behn effectively joins the ranks of the "nice white lady" trope (she may actually be the founder). You know the type - you've read those books or seen those movies - those Enlightened Caucasian characters that may have good intentions to somehow eradicate racial disparity or help the impoverished minorities, but in doing so themselves they seem to unintentionally amplify their own status and imply that minorities cannot help themselves, thus further reinforcing traditional power structures. These types seem popular lately...

The Help, 2009

Freedom Writers, 2007

The Blind Side, 2009

Further Reading
Oroonoko, Aphra Behn - full text to download through Project Gutenberg
Teaching Guide - an excellent discussion of Oroonoko via post-colonialism