{"id":226,"date":"2015-06-24T22:56:44","date_gmt":"2015-06-24T22:56:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/americanlit1x22x1\/?post_type=chapter&p=226"},"modified":"2015-06-24T22:57:00","modified_gmt":"2015-06-24T22:57:00","slug":"introduction-to-oroonoko","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/rangercollege-britlit1-curry\/chapter\/introduction-to-oroonoko\/","title":{"raw":"Introduction to Oroonoko","rendered":"Introduction to Oroonoko"},"content":{"raw":"The tale of Oroonoko, the Royal Slave<\/em> is undisputedly Mrs. Behn\u2019s\r\nmasterpiece in prose. Its originality and power have singled it out for\r\na permanence and popularity none of her other works attained. It is\r\nvivid, realistic, pregnant with pathos, beauty, and truth, and not only\r\nhas it so impressed itself upon the readers of more than two centuries,\r\nbut further, it surely struck a new note in English literature and one\r\nwhich was re-echoed far and wide. It has been said that \u2018Oroonoko<\/em> is\r\nthe first emancipation novel\u2019, and there is no little acumen in this\r\nremark. Certainly we may absolve Mrs. Behn from having directly written\r\nwith a purpose such as animated Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe\u2019s Uncle<\/em>\r\n Tom\u2019s Cabin<\/em>; but none the less her sympathy with the oppressed blacks,\r\nher deep emotions of pity for outraged humanity, her anger at the\r\ncruelties of the slave-driver aye ready with knout or knife, are\r\nmanifest in every line. Beyond the intense interest of the pure\r\nnarrative we have passages of a rhythm that is lyric, exquisitely\r\ndescriptive of the picturesque tropical scenery and exotic vegetations,\r\nfragrant and luxuriant; there are intimate accounts of adventuring and\r\nprimitive life; there are personal touches which lend a colour only\r\npersonal touches can, as Aphara tells her prose-epic of her Superman,\r\nC\u00e6sar the slave, Oroonoko the prince.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nEpistle Dedicatory.\r\n\r\nTO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAITLAND.\r\n\r\n[Transcriber\u2019s Note:\r\nThe Epistle Dedicatory was printed as an Appendix; see Note.]\r\n\r\nMy Lord,\r\n\r\nSince the World is grown so Nice and Critical upon Dedications, and will\r\nNeeds be Judging the Book by the Wit of the Patron; we ought, with a\r\ngreat deal of Circumspection to chuse a Person against whom there can be\r\nno Exception; and whose Wit and Worth truly Merits all that one is\r\ncapable of saying upon that Occasion.\r\n\r\nThe most part of Dedications are charg\u2019d with Flattery; and if the World\r\nknows a Man has some Vices, they will not allow one to speak of his\r\nVirtues. This, My Lord, is for want of thinking Rightly; if Men wou\u2019d\r\nconsider with Reason, they wou\u2019d have another sort of Opinion, and\r\nEsteem of Dedications; and wou\u2019d believe almost every Great Man has\r\nenough to make him Worthy of all that can be said of him there. My Lord,\r\na Picture-drawer, when he intends to make a good Picture, essays the\r\nFace many Ways, and in many Lights, before he begins; that he may chuse\r\nfrom the several turns of it, which is most Agreeable and gives it the\r\nbest Grace; and if there be a Scar, an ungrateful Mole, or any little\r\nDefect, they leave it out; and yet make the Picture extreamly like: But\r\nhe who has the good Fortune to draw a Face that is exactly Charming in\r\nall its Parts and Features, what Colours or Agreements can be added to\r\nmake it Finer? All that he can give is but its due; and Glories in a\r\nPiece whose Original alone gives it its Perfection. An ill Hand may\r\ndiminish, but a good Hand cannot augment its Beauty. A Poet is a Painter\r\nin his way; he draws to the Life, but in another kind; we draw the\r\nNobler part, the Soul and Mind; the Pictures of the Pen shall out-last\r\nthose of the Pencil, and even Worlds themselves. \u2019Tis a short Chronicle\r\nof those Lives that possibly wou\u2019d be forgotten by other Historians, or\r\nlye neglected there, however deserving an immortal Fame; for Men of\r\neminent Parts are as Exemplary as even Monarchs themselves; and Virtue\r\nis a noble Lesson to be learn\u2019d, and \u2019tis by Comparison we can Judge and\r\nChuse. \u2019Tis by such illustrious Presidents as your Lordship the World\r\ncan be Better\u2019d and Refin\u2019d; when a great part of the lazy Nobility\r\nshall, with Shame, behold the admirable Accomplishments of a Man so\r\nGreat, and so Young.\r\n\r\nYour Lordship has Read innumerable Volumes of Men and Books, not Vainly\r\nfor the gust of Novelty, but Knowledge, excellent Knowledge: Like the\r\nindustrious Bee, from every Flower you return Laden with the precious\r\nDew, which you are sure to turn to the Publick Good. You hoard no one\r\nReflection, but lay it all out in the Glorious Service of your Religion\r\nand Country; to both which you are a useful and necessary Honour: They\r\nboth want such Supporters; and \u2019tis only Men of so elevated Parts, and\r\nfine Knowledge; such noble Principles of Loyalty and Religion this\r\nNation Sighs for. Where shall we find a Man so Young, like St.\r\nAugustine, in the midst of all his Youth and Gaiety, Teaching the World\r\nDivine Precepts, true Notions of Faith, and Excellent Morality, and, at\r\nthe same time be also a perfect Pattern of all that accomplish a Great\r\nMan? You have, My Lord, all that refin\u2019d Wit that Charms, and the\r\nAffability that Obliges; a Generosity that gives a Lustre to your\r\nNobility; that Hospitality, and Greatness of Mind that ingages the\r\nWorld; and that admirable Conduct, that so well Instructs it. Our Nation\r\nought to regret and bemoan their Misfortunes, for not being able to\r\nclaim the Honour of the Birth of a Man who is so fit to serve his\r\nMajesty, and his Kingdoms in all Great and Publick Affairs; And to the\r\nGlory of your Nation, be it spoken, it produces more considerable Men,\r\nfor all fine Sence, Wit, Wisdom, Breeding and Generosity (for the\r\ngenerality of the Nobility) than all other Nations can Boast; and the\r\nFruitfulness of your Virtues sufficiently make amends for the Barrenness\r\nof your Soil: Which however cannot be incommode to your Lordship; since\r\nyour Quality and the Veneration that the Commonalty naturally pay their\r\nLords creates a flowing Plenty there . . . that makes you Happy. And to\r\ncompleat your Happiness, my Lord, Heaven has blest you with a Lady, to\r\nwhom it has given all the Graces, Beauties, and Virtues of her Sex; all\r\nthe Youth, Sweetness of Nature, of a most illustrious Family; and who is\r\na most rare Example to all Wives of Quality, for her eminent Piety,\r\nEasiness, and Condescention; and as absolutely merits Respect from all\r\nthe World as she does that Passion and Resignation she receives from\r\nyour Lordship; and which is, on her part, with so much Tenderness\r\nreturn\u2019d. Methinks your tranquil Lives are an Image of the new Made and\r\nBeautiful Pair in Paradise: And \u2019tis the Prayers and Wishes of all, who\r\nhave the Honour to know you, that it may Eternally so continue with\r\nAdditions of all the Blessings this World can give you.\r\n\r\nMy Lord, the Obligations I have to some of the Great Men of your Nation,\r\nparticularly to your Lordship, gives me an Ambition of making my\r\nAcknowledgements by all the Opportunities I can; and such humble Fruits\r\nas my Industry produces I lay at your Lordship\u2019s Feet. This is a true\r\nStory, of a Man Gallant enough to merit your Protection, and, had he\r\nalways been so Fortunate, he had not made so Inglorious an end: The\r\nRoyal Slave I had the Honour to know in my Travels to the other World;\r\nand though I had none above me in that Country yet I wanted power to\r\npreserve this Great Man. If there be anything that seems Romantick I\r\nbeseech your Lordship to consider these Countries do, in all things, so\r\nfar differ from ours that they produce unconceivable Wonders, at least,\r\nso they appear to us, because New and Strange. What I have mentioned I\r\nhave taken care shou\u2019d be Truth, let the Critical Reader judge as he\r\npleases. \u2019Twill be no Commendation to the Book to assure your Lordship I\r\nwrit it in a few Hours, though it may serve to Excuse some of its Faults\r\nof Connexion, for I never rested my Pen a Moment for Thought: \u2019Tis\r\npurely the Merit of my Slave that must render it worthy of the Honour it\r\nbegs; and the Author of that of Subscribing herself,\r\n\r\nMy Lord\r\nYour Lordship\u2019s most oblig\u2019d\r\nand obedient Servant\r\nA. Behn.","rendered":"

The tale of Oroonoko, the Royal Slave<\/em> is undisputedly Mrs. Behn\u2019s
\nmasterpiece in prose. Its originality and power have singled it out for
\na permanence and popularity none of her other works attained. It is
\nvivid, realistic, pregnant with pathos, beauty, and truth, and not only
\nhas it so impressed itself upon the readers of more than two centuries,
\nbut further, it surely struck a new note in English literature and one
\nwhich was re-echoed far and wide. It has been said that \u2018Oroonoko<\/em> is
\nthe first emancipation novel\u2019, and there is no little acumen in this
\nremark. Certainly we may absolve Mrs. Behn from having directly written
\nwith a purpose such as animated Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe\u2019s Uncle<\/em>
\n Tom\u2019s Cabin<\/em>; but none the less her sympathy with the oppressed blacks,
\nher deep emotions of pity for outraged humanity, her anger at the
\ncruelties of the slave-driver aye ready with knout or knife, are
\nmanifest in every line. Beyond the intense interest of the pure
\nnarrative we have passages of a rhythm that is lyric, exquisitely
\ndescriptive of the picturesque tropical scenery and exotic vegetations,
\nfragrant and luxuriant; there are intimate accounts of adventuring and
\nprimitive life; there are personal touches which lend a colour only
\npersonal touches can, as Aphara tells her prose-epic of her Superman,
\nC\u00e6sar the slave, Oroonoko the prince.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Epistle Dedicatory.<\/p>\n

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAITLAND.<\/p>\n

[Transcriber\u2019s Note:
\nThe Epistle Dedicatory was printed as an Appendix; see Note.]<\/p>\n

My Lord,<\/p>\n

Since the World is grown so Nice and Critical upon Dedications, and will
\nNeeds be Judging the Book by the Wit of the Patron; we ought, with a
\ngreat deal of Circumspection to chuse a Person against whom there can be
\nno Exception; and whose Wit and Worth truly Merits all that one is
\ncapable of saying upon that Occasion.<\/p>\n

The most part of Dedications are charg\u2019d with Flattery; and if the World
\nknows a Man has some Vices, they will not allow one to speak of his
\nVirtues. This, My Lord, is for want of thinking Rightly; if Men wou\u2019d
\nconsider with Reason, they wou\u2019d have another sort of Opinion, and
\nEsteem of Dedications; and wou\u2019d believe almost every Great Man has
\nenough to make him Worthy of all that can be said of him there. My Lord,
\na Picture-drawer, when he intends to make a good Picture, essays the
\nFace many Ways, and in many Lights, before he begins; that he may chuse
\nfrom the several turns of it, which is most Agreeable and gives it the
\nbest Grace; and if there be a Scar, an ungrateful Mole, or any little
\nDefect, they leave it out; and yet make the Picture extreamly like: But
\nhe who has the good Fortune to draw a Face that is exactly Charming in
\nall its Parts and Features, what Colours or Agreements can be added to
\nmake it Finer? All that he can give is but its due; and Glories in a
\nPiece whose Original alone gives it its Perfection. An ill Hand may
\ndiminish, but a good Hand cannot augment its Beauty. A Poet is a Painter
\nin his way; he draws to the Life, but in another kind; we draw the
\nNobler part, the Soul and Mind; the Pictures of the Pen shall out-last
\nthose of the Pencil, and even Worlds themselves. \u2019Tis a short Chronicle
\nof those Lives that possibly wou\u2019d be forgotten by other Historians, or
\nlye neglected there, however deserving an immortal Fame; for Men of
\neminent Parts are as Exemplary as even Monarchs themselves; and Virtue
\nis a noble Lesson to be learn\u2019d, and \u2019tis by Comparison we can Judge and
\nChuse. \u2019Tis by such illustrious Presidents as your Lordship the World
\ncan be Better\u2019d and Refin\u2019d; when a great part of the lazy Nobility
\nshall, with Shame, behold the admirable Accomplishments of a Man so
\nGreat, and so Young.<\/p>\n

Your Lordship has Read innumerable Volumes of Men and Books, not Vainly
\nfor the gust of Novelty, but Knowledge, excellent Knowledge: Like the
\nindustrious Bee, from every Flower you return Laden with the precious
\nDew, which you are sure to turn to the Publick Good. You hoard no one
\nReflection, but lay it all out in the Glorious Service of your Religion
\nand Country; to both which you are a useful and necessary Honour: They
\nboth want such Supporters; and \u2019tis only Men of so elevated Parts, and
\nfine Knowledge; such noble Principles of Loyalty and Religion this
\nNation Sighs for. Where shall we find a Man so Young, like St.
\nAugustine, in the midst of all his Youth and Gaiety, Teaching the World
\nDivine Precepts, true Notions of Faith, and Excellent Morality, and, at
\nthe same time be also a perfect Pattern of all that accomplish a Great
\nMan? You have, My Lord, all that refin\u2019d Wit that Charms, and the
\nAffability that Obliges; a Generosity that gives a Lustre to your
\nNobility; that Hospitality, and Greatness of Mind that ingages the
\nWorld; and that admirable Conduct, that so well Instructs it. Our Nation
\nought to regret and bemoan their Misfortunes, for not being able to
\nclaim the Honour of the Birth of a Man who is so fit to serve his
\nMajesty, and his Kingdoms in all Great and Publick Affairs; And to the
\nGlory of your Nation, be it spoken, it produces more considerable Men,
\nfor all fine Sence, Wit, Wisdom, Breeding and Generosity (for the
\ngenerality of the Nobility) than all other Nations can Boast; and the
\nFruitfulness of your Virtues sufficiently make amends for the Barrenness
\nof your Soil: Which however cannot be incommode to your Lordship; since
\nyour Quality and the Veneration that the Commonalty naturally pay their
\nLords creates a flowing Plenty there . . . that makes you Happy. And to
\ncompleat your Happiness, my Lord, Heaven has blest you with a Lady, to
\nwhom it has given all the Graces, Beauties, and Virtues of her Sex; all
\nthe Youth, Sweetness of Nature, of a most illustrious Family; and who is
\na most rare Example to all Wives of Quality, for her eminent Piety,
\nEasiness, and Condescention; and as absolutely merits Respect from all
\nthe World as she does that Passion and Resignation she receives from
\nyour Lordship; and which is, on her part, with so much Tenderness
\nreturn\u2019d. Methinks your tranquil Lives are an Image of the new Made and
\nBeautiful Pair in Paradise: And \u2019tis the Prayers and Wishes of all, who
\nhave the Honour to know you, that it may Eternally so continue with
\nAdditions of all the Blessings this World can give you.<\/p>\n

My Lord, the Obligations I have to some of the Great Men of your Nation,
\nparticularly to your Lordship, gives me an Ambition of making my
\nAcknowledgements by all the Opportunities I can; and such humble Fruits
\nas my Industry produces I lay at your Lordship\u2019s Feet. This is a true
\nStory, of a Man Gallant enough to merit your Protection, and, had he
\nalways been so Fortunate, he had not made so Inglorious an end: The
\nRoyal Slave I had the Honour to know in my Travels to the other World;
\nand though I had none above me in that Country yet I wanted power to
\npreserve this Great Man. If there be anything that seems Romantick I
\nbeseech your Lordship to consider these Countries do, in all things, so
\nfar differ from ours that they produce unconceivable Wonders, at least,
\nso they appear to us, because New and Strange. What I have mentioned I
\nhave taken care shou\u2019d be Truth, let the Critical Reader judge as he
\npleases. \u2019Twill be no Commendation to the Book to assure your Lordship I
\nwrit it in a few Hours, though it may serve to Excuse some of its Faults
\nof Connexion, for I never rested my Pen a Moment for Thought: \u2019Tis
\npurely the Merit of my Slave that must render it worthy of the Honour it
\nbegs; and the Author of that of Subscribing herself,<\/p>\n

My Lord
\nYour Lordship\u2019s most oblig\u2019d
\nand obedient Servant
\nA. Behn.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t

Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Public domain content<\/div>