Week 2 Literary Analysis: “Oroonoko”

"Oroonoko"

Without the historical era of the story of Oroonoko, my underlying reaction to the author’s portrayal of the royal prince would be less than flattering. I do agree that Oroonoko itself is ambiguous, however, present or past, I can’t help contradicting the idea that it puts forth a capable defense against slavery (198). Despite what might be expected, the author’s dialect passes on an undercurrent of European reason. Being that the author portrays herself as a companion to Oroonoko and, recounting his story from a first-person narrative, one would accept that her own depiction of him would not be as cliché. Proposing that Oroonoko fate as a slave, out to have been overturned since he was not your run of the mill primitive African. He had the makings of an European prince: mind, body, and soul. His only disadvantage- the color of his skin. The author, so far, does not favor slavery but rather bolster the notion of white supremacy.

 The author, in a similar way, delineates an amicable connection between the Africans and the Europeans, as did Columbus regarding the Indigenous people. “But before I give you the Story of this Gallant Slave, `this fit I tell you the manner of brining them to these new Colonies; for those they make use of there, are Natives of the place; for those we live with in perfect Amity, without daring to command ‘em; but on the contrary, caress ‘em with all the brotherly and friendly Affections in the World (201). As though to state, that the common relationship evolved, without any human persuasion, into an unforeseen role of racial supremacy, whereby, those of color were made subordinates.

At an early stage, in the story, the author describes a race, whom I suspect are Native Americans. In this portrayal one can plainly observe the subject of racial domination based on color. Asserting that people of any color other than white is sub-par, “Some of the Beauties which indeed are finely shap’d, as almost all are, and who have pretty features, are very charming and novel; for they have all that is called Beauty, except the Colour” (202). We see these same stereotypical words used again, as the author describes the King of Coramantien and his beautiful Black wives, “for most certainly, there are Beautifies that can charm of that Colour” (203). The author’s character is desensitized to her common, yet unintentional racist perspective of those of color by her European reasoning. Oroonoko, in the narrative, is a prized exception in his Black race: “He was adorn’d with a native beauty so transcending all those of his gloomy race, that he strook an awe and reverence, even in those that knew not his Quality; as he did in me, who beheld him with surprise and wonder (204). The author’s portrait of Oroonoko, turns into a convincing apparatus in my contention that this kind of speculation of people of color, particularly blacks, is why individuals in our society still have this bogus standpoint- that all blacks look alike; possessing only, undesirable features: “His nose was rising and Roman, instead of Africa and flat. His mouth, the finest shap’d that cou’d be seen; far from those great turn’d lips, which are so natural to the rest of the Negroes. The whole proportion and air of his face was so noble, and exactly form’d that bating his colour there cou’d be nothing in nature more beautiful, agreeable, and handsome” (205). Moreover, the author proposes that common attributes, such as: humanity, accomplishments, greatness to the soul, true honors, absolute generosity couldn’t be found in such a race, making the royal slave, once again, an exception.

In the author’s depiction of Oroonoko, we see another stereo type of the past, that people of color are idiotic creatures. Intelligence was endowed to whites only, “Nor did the perfections of his mind come short of those of his person; for his discourse was admirable upon almost any subject; and who-ever had heard him speak, wou’d have been convinc’d of their errors, that all fine wit is confin’d to the White men” (205). This European thinking still exist today, President Obama was considered the exception to his race. In a CNN radio interview, Senator Reid, suggested that if Obama was to run for presidency he could win on the basis that he is a light skinned African American with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one (Feagin).  Recently I was engaged in a conversation with a good friend, who is Caucasian. She naively stated that it’s unfortunate, but that if African American kids were going to succeed they need to learn how to speak white. I was a thrown back by her comment. I responded with a question, “what does it mean to speak white?”  Pronouncing your words with conviction and clarity does not mean you speak white, but rather that you speak articulately. The expression on her face, informed me that she had never realized how racist her reasoning was.

During the seventeenth century era, Oroonoko, was a narrative that started to challenge European reasoning, thereby questioning whether slavery could be ethical. It caused a society to see people of color as human beings capable of love, honor, respect, loyalty, and intelligence. Today, Oroonoko can be as your run of the mill slave narrative with the standard stereotypical portrayal of how Blacks are seen.

Behn, Aphra. “Oroonoko; or, The Royal Slave” The Norton Anthology World Literature. Martin Puchner. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 198-224. Book. 

Feagin, Joe R. “Senator Reid's White Racial Framing: Obama as the ‘Exception to His Race’ -.” Racism Review, 12 Jan. 2010, www.racismreview.com/blog/2010/01/12/senator-reids-white-racial-framing-obama-as-the-exception-to-his-race.