Behn's novel novel constantly points out how very different Oroonoko is from everyone around him, not only within his own ethnic people, but amongst the British and slave owners.  Not only was once the owner of slaves, but he is later made one. The novel has a struggle with this. The novel really drums this in to the reader and the narrator spends a good amount of time reflecting on Oroonoko's physical appearance, abilities, his mannerisms, demeanor, his sophistication, and how much he gets on with others. This is notable because this novel was written in during a time where slave trade was rampant and many have thought that perhaps this novel was trying to showcase how men are equal and and may have been written by Aphra Behn to show how slave trade is wrong.

Oroonoko is ironically a slave owner at the beginning of this novel, gets tricked into slavery on a ship, and is kidnapped and led to Surinam. There, he reuintes with his long-lost love Imoinda, now, also a slave, and then he leads a revolt against the slavekeepers only to be met with a most barbaric death for trying to run away.

“His nose was rising and Roman instead of African and flat. His mouth, the finest shape that could be seen…”

 

“The whole proportion and air of his face was so noble and exactly formed that, bating his colour, there could be nothing in nature more beautiful.” (Behn)

Published in 1688, Aphra Behn’s novel Oroonoko is the story about a revered royal prince who is tricked into slavery and led from Africa to Surinam. Oroonoko is described as an anomaly amongst men. Men in general and black men. The novel describes that what sets him apart from everyone in this book and make him the focal point are his Eurocentric features in addition to being educated, elegant, debonair, well-spoken, a great soldier and very handsome.

 

 

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