Oroonoko by Aphra Behn

Biography

• Behn is not aristocratic
• First woman to make a living from her works 
• Oroonoko is about slavery (Oroonoko is "the Royal Slave"
• Aphra Behn was not a prostitute
• Behn was primarily a playwright, then turned to fiction
• Oroonoko is Behn's only text about social justice
• Behn may have been bisexual and was what of a badass
• Behn died poor

Oroonoko

The title of "Oroonoko is significant because royal and educated, but still a slave just like savage people. Oroonoko was depicted as having a European nose and was well versed in European politics, which is highly improbable. Simply based off the title, we are meant to be sympathetic to Oroonoko because he is "the Royal Slave."

We should be suspicious of Aphra Behn's claim to be an "eyewitness" to this "history" because this implies that she was a slave along with Oroonoko. It is problematic for Behn to call this narrative a "history" and not a work of fiction because historians are divided about whether or not Behn truly came to the New World and met a slave named Oroonoko. Behn may or may not have been opposed to slavery, but she never again wrote about slavery. 

Oroonoko has the traits of a medieval romance because he is betrayed, he is on a quest for his family's freedom, and Oroonoko sacrifices himself for his family's freedom. Oroonoko fails his quest for the following reasons:

• Because he fails his quest and becomes feminized at the end of the novel
• Oroonoko cannot overcome slavery
• Oroonoko's identity as a slave is questionable because he himself enslaves "less important" people
• Oroonoko's suicide does not fit into the characteristics of a medieval romance
• In a medieval romance, the knight is supposed to have superhuman strength to overcome any weaknesses, including slavery

Behn describes European society as immoral. Behn is oppressed sexually as a woman and Oroonoko is sexually oppressed as a slave. 

Behn says Europeans/Whites are physically, emotionally, and spiritually superior to slaves/blacks. Behn may feel that slavery offers a better life for slaves because they are being "saved" by whites (rhetoric of the empire). Behn may be anti-slavery because the way she depicts the way that Oroonoko is savagely killed. Behn may be pro-slavery because she may be saying Oroonoko is inherently evil, resulting in him murdering his wife.