The first
thing that sticks out in my mind in Oroonoko, is the comparisons with the Garden
of Eden. The highlight of colonization
showed a high point
in European power. A power that was
known - now - everywhere in the world.
And the Europeans show a consistent disregard for anything not under
their thumb. The novel in its entirety
puts Europeans versus "natives" which includes the local population
as well as the imported slaves. While
Oroonoko is a model of nobility and honor, being intelligent and physically
strong, he is still overpowered by the fact that his opponents are European,
and they outnumber him. However, Oroonoko
is portrayed as beautiful in terms of European physiognomy: "The most
famous statuary cou'd not form the figure of a man more admirably turned from
head to foot...His nose was rising and Roman, instead of African and flat. His
mouth, the finest shap'd that could be seen...The whole proportion and air of
his face was so noble, and exactly formed, that, bating his colour, there cou'd
be nothing in nature more beautiful, agreeable, and handsome". Oroonoko is
exceptional even among his people because he was educated and taught manners by
a French tutor. He is described as great through European terms, and even his
greatness is due to his European training.
All these things are other examples of Behn showing the Europeans as
superior to all other peoples. So it
seems in the test that the Europeans have the power, even Oroonoko has his ability
due to European influence. While the
novel appears to be anti-colonialist, the message remains that the European
people are far superior, even if they are portrayed as brutal, greedy and
liars. They still hold all the power and
authority that is "due" to them over the rest of the world. Why ask for anti-colonialism without any real
backing?
I definitely agree that this seems like a bit of a contradiction. After all, it really seems as though Oroonoko is no longer African, but rather, a European in every sense of the word, aside from his skin color and true origin. In reality, I think that the novel is meant to show hypocrisy. Not just to show anti-colonialism, but to make people realize the true flaws in the system. So Oroonoko and Imoinda get special treatment simply because they are less “savage”? Hmm…kind of fishy. Or at least that’s what it seems like to me. I think the fact that there is no real “backing”, as you put it, reinforces the idea that this is a criticism of Imperialism, and the claiming of foreign lands. I really admire Behn’s tactic in portraying that, actually, because she makes us actually SEE the hypocrisy for ourselves, rather than just say it outright.
ReplyDeleteChad and Becca, I agree with both of you that this seems like a contradiction. As Becca pointed out, it does seem like Oroonoko is no longer an African. Even with the changing of his name, from Oroonoko to Caesar, it's like he is a different person. Though this is true, can you really say that Oroonoko and Imoinda get "special treatment"? Okay maybe a little bit, but they both end up dead. Oroonoko cuts her throat and cuts off her face and then Oronooko has his ears, nose and leg cut off and then dies. Sounds to me that this "special treatment" was more of a trick into making them think they have some sort of power, but then the Europeans' saying "sorry, it's ours."
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