Friday, October 17, 2008

Oroonoko the Noble Savage

How much of the idea of the noble savage is suggested and challenged by the narrator's description of the prince and the events in Oroonoko? We will have finished the book by the time your second posts are due, so you will have a complete picture of him.

12 comments:

Erin said...

I think that the noble savage is a major theme throughout Oroonoko. The prince is described as the most perfect man that nature has ever created. He is strong, brave, wise, etc. Everyone is in awe of him, including the slave traders and his owners. He is given multiple freedoms that are restricted to other slaves, yet he is still kept under the title of "slave."
He also seems to be able to keep his honor...at least until the end of the story. Oroonoko experiences a moment of weakness when he kills his wife and then cannot complete the deed by killing his enemies. He is recaptured, tortured, and killed. Yet he somehow seems honorable even at his death (or perhaps because of his death).
Nevertheless, as many characteristics that show Oroonoko's nobility, he is continually regarded as a savage.

Martin said...

Oroonoko perhaps represents the perfect picture of a nobel savage. Whereas nobility is concerned, in some parts of the book, he is described and held as high council and royalty even. The plethora of adjectives and superlatives thrown his way by the narrator make him seem anything but a slave. Yet at the same time, the saying: you can take the savage out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the savage comes to mind. The biggest example (and I can't wait to hear from all the women about this) is when he slashes Imoidia. Honestly>? Was that her best out? Did she not survive for sixth months before you even came? Oroonoko--or Caesar's--tragic element is in his audacious/ambitious position as a man--once a prince--gone into slavery and now seeking retribution at any cost.

Rod said...

I think that this was a recurring theme for her description on Oroonoko, but I don't agree with it. He was more than that and I think she probably felt the same way, you couldn't help but take to him after you hear his story. She was getting it first hand, but in order to sell her books she had to portray him that way. Even though he was considered a slave his presence demanded respect in every way. That was his dimise. They knew he had to be broken because he could organize the slaves and cause problems for the plantation owners.

Lacey said...

The concept of the 'noble savage' is a prominent theme in Oroonoko. No matter how educated, cultured, and noble he is, Oroonoko still cannot shake the fact that he is of a different color and from a place than the narrator and slave owners.
However when you come to the end and read what happens with Imoinda. The concept of the noble savage really shows. Oroonoko is portrayed as a better man than any other male character in the book yet he brutally kills his wife to 'protect' her. He taints his character by becoming a complete brute. A murderer. He goes from the ultimate man, to a savage in the worst meaning of the word. Killing his wife was a horrible act that really was not neccessary.

Erin said...

Lacey,
Good point about Oroonoko murdering his wife. I just wrote about it as if it was a moment of weakness. However, you added that this proves the idea of his savagery. How could such a wonderful man commmit such a heinous act? In our eyes, it completes the savage aspect of Oroonoko. But it could also be because we cannot understand Oroonoko's idea of honor and nobility. Perhaps that act would be honorable in his own land...but not in ours, where he is a slave. Therefore, it becomes a vicious cycle.

Lacey said...

Rod,
We explored the relationship Behn had with her character a little in class but I really never thought of it in such detail. Maybe she did have to warp him a little to sell novellas. I like how you stand up for characters you really seem to believe in, it's refreshing.

Jamie said...

I think Behn is both suggesting and challenging the idea of the noble savage in Oroonoko. First, she perpetuates the notion through her description of him as perfect in every way except skin color, by emphasizing his complete rejection of Christianity, etc. However, I think she's also challenging this concept by explaining his honor system. In my opinion, she works hard to prove he's not a savage for killing Imoinda, but is only doing what can be considered right and honorable in their culture. The term "savage" connotates someone who is bloodthirsty, out for revenge, can't be guided by reason...Oroonoko is none of these things. In the end, he can't even bring himself to fight because of his despair over Imoinda's death. Doesn't sound very "savage" to me.w

Jamie said...

Martin,

I was surprised to see how much you disagree with the outcome of Oroonoko. I find Oroonoko's murder of Imoinda to be a completely honorable action, especially given that she is a willing participant. At that point in the novel, Oroonoko realizes he can no longer trust the colonists...he has no reason to believe his wife or child will ever taste freedom, or even that they won't be mistreated while they are enslaved. He and Imoinda agree, just as the king told us earlier, that it is better to die a noble death than to be treated as a common slave.

Martin said...

Jamie, the very fact that the meaning of his honor system is challenged at the end of the novel hints at a little savagery. Perhaps we can call it a tragic flaw or falling action, but I still don't see the honor in Imoinda's death. I understand that you might argue that it's more honorable to do that (as opposed to living in slavery), but ultimately I think it is an unnecessary and irrational decision. The savagery casts a shadow on his nobility by using this as his 'out.'

Claudia said...

It is hard to consider Oroonoko a "noble" savage after he kills his wife. But, one can see why he made this choice, and the fact that she agreed with his plan to kill her makes it harder for the reader to blame him. He was trying to protect her from further violation after he died, because he knew he was going to die and he could only protect her for so long. Some may see this decision to end the lovers' lives as not very well thought out and made all too quickly.

Oroonoko was noble in the fact that he was revered although he was enslaved. He had many enviable qualities: courage, strength, leadership, etc. All of these were challenged in his final stand, when he led the slave revolt. He didn't go through with the original plan. He did not kill his enemies, rather he gave into death. Honorable or no, he accepted death rather than fighting it.

"Oroonoko" is just another tragic love story. The lovers suffer in life, seek death as a way out, and who knows what happens after that?

Claudia said...

Rod,

I like that you pointed out that Oroonoko's demise was centered around the fact that he was able to organize the slaves and that he was respected even though he was a slave himself.

Rod said...

erin
you make a good point about, all his noble characteristics and ways and the respect he commanded, and he was still called a savage. i think this was the slave owners way of justifying enslaving a man such as Oroonoko. they being all noble as they thought they were and here was this slave who still portrayed more class and bravery than any of them. even up to the moment he died. for example when he told them "if you are going to kill me you don't have to tie me up" because he was letting them know nothing you can do will change who I am.