Oroonoko: Or the Royal Slave

The first two paragraphs serve as an introduction to the novella, and try to show the reader this is supposed to be a true story. Just reading these first two paragraphs, it sounds as if this could be a romance or a tragic romance. Relations between the natives and the English seem to be good; at least this author seems to respect them. The natives are important to the whites because they trade with them and the natives show them how to survive. The English don't enslave them because they are "useful" to them. The blacks do the work in Surinam. The people who want slaves contract with a slave ship, and when the ship comes back, they get the slaves they paid for. Behn's description shows these people have a distinct culture, enjoy ornaments and colorful clothing, and he makes them sound dashing and...
[ View Full Essay]