Category: Oroonoko

We as a society have come a long way from the discovery of the first light bulb to stepping on the moon. The world has developed, people are more educated, technology has made day-to-day life easier, but what has remained the same is the social stratification people had to and still have to deal with. This social stratification is not based on merit or education, it is merely a gift or burden you are born with. If you are lucky you would be born to a Duke and Duchess and if not then you would be born to a common blacksmith. The issue of social stratification has been part of our society for a long time. Gender, race or sexuality should not determine how people are treated. In order to better tackle the ideologies of gender and/ or race and/ or sexuality I will be focusing on the play ‘Titus Andronicus’ by William Shakespeare, ‘The picture of Dorian Gray’ by Oscar Wilde and ‘Oroonoko’ by Aphra Behn.

William Shakespeare wrote his plays in an era dominated by men. It was a patriarchal society with men dictating the lives of women. Women were not allowed to express their opinions, where the clothes they wanted or even marry the man they fell in love with. The play ‘Titus Andronicus’ is the perfect example of how women were merely pawns in the larger game of power played by men. The play begins with Bassianus and Saturninus fighting over who should be the successor to their father as the emperor of Rome. Soon after being named as the successor by Titus, Saturninus in order to establish his authority claims Lavinia as “Rome’s royal mistress” (1.1.241). Saturninus’ interest in Lavinia in not lustful as he has his eyes for the Gothic Queen Tamora, but Lavinia would help improve the Andronici family name. Lavinia, the only daughter of Titus Andronicus brings with her the trust of her father and hence claiming here strengthens Saturninus’ political position. This is the first instance in the play where a woman’s life gets decided by men and she has no say in it. After Titus yields Lavinia to Saturninus, Bassianus clutches her and announces, “this maid is mine” (1.1.276). Titus surrenders his daughter, a stolen queen and the empire to Saturninus as tribute. The three gifts given by Titus are a representation of power and authority and further the argument of women being mistreated in those times. Tamora and Lavinia’s powers are portrayed very differently in the play. Tamora is a woman who owns her sexuality and can’t be controlled when it comes down to that. On the other hand, Lavinia’s power although sexuality as well, is that of a ‘changing piece” (1.1.309). First, she is claimed by Bassianus as Rome’s rich ornament, then by Saturninus as Rome as well as his own mistress, and finally again by Bassianus as his maid. Through all these exchanges Lavinia was quiet and had no say in the decisions of her own life. The stereotype prevailing in the time was that men had rights in the life of female kin, but the women had no rights in their own lives or the lives of their male kin. When we read the play Tamora comes forth as evil and Lavinia as virtuous and kind. Tamora

Noble savage refers to the group of uncivilized men and indigene outsiders who symbolize humanity without exposing themselves to the influences of corrupting civilization. John Dryden was the person to bring the phrase in English through his heroic play “The conquest of Granada”. It referred to “wild beast or wild man”. The phrase became renowned later for the idealized picture of ”nature’s gentleman”.

Oroonoko being captured by the captain and sold to Trefry as a slave didn’t evoke a sense of revenge in him but instead he bids farewell and feels glad to know his true nature. This shows that Oroonoko is gentle and noble by heart. Oroonoko is not only valued by Trefry but also valued and admired by his people for his bravery and nobility. He is the role model to the rest of the slaves conveying his message that slaves can be noble without being free.

Oroonoko’s weakness is also portrayed at the end of the story where he experiences a weak moment thus portraying how the image of noble gets disrupted into a savage, under difficult circumstances when he killed his own love Imoinda. On the other hand, since he was young Oroonoko was a skilled warrior and later the General sacrifices his life to save Oroonoko. When Oroonoko was having hard time instead of helping, the Europeans show brutality and savagery. For instance the betrayal by his grandfather, the captivity of Imoinda, and his capture by the slaver captain. The final section describes Oroonoko’s rebellion and its aftermath.

The native people are portrayed as having basic human virtues such as creative artistry and modesty. Despite being naked, there is never seen among them any improper behavior. They have basic survival skills which are lost by advanced technological societies. The African prince Oroonoko is a model of nobility and honour. He accepts the innate superiority of the European people and the European culture. The physical appearance itself was so noble. Oroonoko was an extraordinary even among his people because he was educated and taught manners by a French tutor. His great virtue might be attributed to his non-native education which reflects the narrator’s Eurocentric approach. The Europeans, regarded supreme by the world, happen to be more savage than this uncivilized race.They inflict inhuman torture upon the slaves and colonize their individuality. Thus, this portrays how Europeans superiority and noble savage are related.

In a nutshell, Oroonoko is exemplary idea of the noble savage. He is a man who is not afraid of any circumstances on his way and keeps a example to his people that a coloured man can present his nobility not only by legacy, but through personality and qualities too. But no matter how far sighted and intelligent he is, he cannot change the fact that he is a coloured man and a slave. Hence the truth that he killed Imoinda cannot be hidden. But this does not unveil the fact that he is coward but rather portrays that he had immense love for Imoinda and couldn’t see her honour being tainted by the colonizers. Hence, employing the idea of noble savage while reading the novel is justified for the several incidents in the plot help us comprehend that the idea works both ways. Whether it is plot, characterization or events: everywhere the concept is reflected.