Oroonoko is a novel written by Aphra Behn. What's interesting is the fact that it is a discussion of sexism and racism and tells the perspective of enslaved Africans — in 1688. And it was published, making it possibly the first novel in the English language to be written by a woman. Furthermore, Behn did not use a pseudonym, and made sure all publications very expressly stated her gender.
The basic plot surrounds an African tribe (the Coromantin), and both the prince (Oroonoko) and his grandfather fall in love with a girl (Imoinda). Imoinda marries Oroonoko, but the king still forces her into his harem. Trying to escape, Imoinda is discovered and sold into slavery. The chief tells Oroonoko that she was killed, which is much more honourable than being captured and a slave. The prince then leads a tribal war and is captured by an English colonist, who plans to sell him as a slave, too. Both Imoinda and Oroonoko are sent to a sugar cane plantation in Suriname, a colony on the North tip of South America. They are reunited, but called by Christian names. Imoinda still attracts a lot of men — all the men that see her, it would seem. She soon becomes pregnant and Oroonoko petitions for them to be freed and return to Africa, but the English are having none of it, and so he leads a slave's revolt.
It was probably influenced by the time that Behn was living in Suriname as the lieutenant general's daughter, though there is little definite information of that time.
Examples found in Oroonoko:
- The Ace: Oroonoko is intelligent, handsome, moral, has great combat skills, is admired by many of his people, and is a seasoned captain by the age of seventeen.
- Author Avatar: The narrator is usually agreed to be Aphra Behn's voice, or at least a character heavily based on her own experiences.
- Dirty Old Man: The king, Oroonoko's grandfather, falls in love with Imoinda and forces her into his harem.
- Downer Ending: The slave revolt fails, and the main character and his love interest die in the end.
- Made a Slave: The main characters enslavement is a major part of the plot.
- Narrator: The narrator is an unnamed female colonist who is based off Behn.
- Noble Savage: Oroonoko and Imoinda's physical and mental attributes are romanticized, and their society is shown in a golden age yet portrayed as more innocent compared to the Europeans, and come off as more honorable and noble than European society.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Oroonoko and Imoinda's love cannot overcome the actions of the king, their enslavement, and white society's unwillingness to acknowledge them.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: The African characters are fictional, though the details of the setting are based off the author's own experience in Suriname and the slave revolt from accounts of real Coromantin slave rebellions. Furthermore the European characters existed and were actually in Suriname in the 1660s.
