- Aphra Behn was the first professional woman writer in England. Another English writer, Virginia Woolf, said that Aphra Behn gave women "the right to speak their minds" (198)
- Oroonoko is a novella by Aphra Behn about a prince named Oroonoko. The novella tantalizes readers with the fiction of a narrator who witnesses much of Oroonoko's adventure. The novella makes a case against slavery (prior to abolitionism) while presenting the prince as a victim of enslavement.
- Little known about Behn's early life; she created a fictional genealogy for herself which made things even more confusing.
- She married a German merchant named Johannes Behn
- Restoration to the English throne of Charles II (Theater enthusiast) allowed for the period called "the Restoration" where theatrical innovation and creativity occurred.
Aphra Behn, Oroonoko, (198-224)
- Last part of his adventures took place in a Colony in America named Surinam in the West-Indies (201)
- Coramantien, also called "a Country of Blacks" was an English fort and slave trading station in West Africa (203)
- Prince Oroonoko was called a Moor, which was used in the period to refer to Muslims or dark-skinned peoples (204)
- Oroonoko became general when the general he fought beside was killed with an arrow to the eye (204)
- Narrator claims to have been a witness to many of Oroonoko's "mighty actions" and assures us readers that "the most illustrious courts" couldn't have produced a "braver man" (204)
- Oroonoko speaks both French and English (204)
- Oroonoko had very ebony skin, eyes and teeth white like snow (205)
- Imoinda is the daughter of his foster father, the dead general
- Imoinda told the king things wont work because she was another's and that would mean he would be committing a great sin (208).
- Imoinda tried to calm him before telling who it was. He said whoever it is she would name should die (208).
- He led her into the bath anyways (208).
- When Oroonoko tried to visit Imoinda and found she wasn't there, he fell into madness (208).
- Oroonoko believed it was just and lawful as her husband to retrieve her from the Palace of the King's women (209).
- Imoinda could only think of Oroonoko as she was forced to do as asked by the King
- Onahal agreed to be a messenger for Oroonoko, to let her know what he said (211).
- Aboan informed Oroonoko how effective Onahal was in aiding Oroonoko's love with Imoinda (212)
- Onahal singled out Aboan and confessed her passion for him and said she would be ready for him at midnight (213).
- Imoinda fell from her carpet into Oroonoko's arms and was then sent to her apartment and the King told Oroonoko if he were to be found in the court one more time, he would be killed for disobedience (213).
- Onahal became worried since Oroonoko's stay was crucial in order for her to be with Aboan (213)
- The king wanted spies to keep an eye on Oroonoko (214)
- Onahal led Oroonoko to Imoinda where they got to spend alone time together. Imoinda's virgin honor was still intact. (214)
- Armed men sent by the king tried to barge in, but Oroonoko guarded the door with an ax and warned them to leave unless they wish to die. They advise Oroonoko to leave for his own safety (214-5)
- Imoinda told the king Oroonoko broke in to her apartment. The king decided to sell her and Onahal as slaves instead of killing them. (215).
- Oroonoko tells the messenger there is no account of revenge to be adjusted and that Oroonoko would hope to die first (217).
- Oroonoko was excited to be on a ship for the first time (219).
- Oroonoko was betrayed and locked up on the ship, to be sold as a slave (220)
- Prince Oroonoko felt a lot of grief and kept thinking about Imoinda and "that fatal night" (222).
- Narrator decides to refer to Oroonoko as "Caesar" going forward since that's how we was known in "our Western World" as his slave name (224).
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