An Annotated Excerpt from "Oronooko" by Aphra Behn
Dublin Core
Title
An Annotated Excerpt from "Oronooko" by Aphra Behn
Subject
Oronooko's Kidnapping and Betrayal
Description
Oronooko is kidnapped by the captain of a slave-trading ship, but the captain manages to dupe Oronooko into thinking it was all a misunderstanding.
Creator
Aphra Behn
Source
Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko : Or, The Royal Slave, The Floating Press, 2009. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gatech/detail.action?docID=445923.
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gatech/detail.action?docID=445923.
Publisher
The Floating Press
Date
1688
Contributor
Matthew Zachary
Relation
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding - John Locke
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
“…he resolved to perish for want of food; and pleased at last with that thought, and toiled and tired by rage and indignation, he laid himself down, and sullenly resolved upon dying, and refused all things that were brought him.
This did not a little vex the captain, and the more so because he found almost all of 'em of the same humor; so that the loss of so many brave slaves, so tall and goodly to behold, would have been very considerable. He therefore ordered one to go from him (for he would not be seen himself) to Oroonoko, and to assure him, he was afflicted for having rashly done so unhospitable a deed but it since he resented it in so high a nature, he assured him he would revoke his resolution, and set both him and his friends ashore on the next land they should touch at; and of this the messenger gave him his oath, provided he would resolve to live. And Oroonoko, whose honor was such as he never had violated a word in his life himself, much less a solemn asseveration, believed in an instant what this man said; but replied, he expected, for a confirmation of this, to offense had been so great which he had put upon the prince that he durst not trust him with liberty while he remained in the ship, for fear lest by a valor natural to him, and a revenge that would animate that valor, he might commit some outrage fatal to himself and the king his master, to whom this vessel did belong. To this Oroonoko replied, he would engage his honor to behave himself in all friendly order and manner, and obey the command of the captain, as he was lord of the king's vessel and general of those men under his command.”
This did not a little vex the captain, and the more so because he found almost all of 'em of the same humor; so that the loss of so many brave slaves, so tall and goodly to behold, would have been very considerable. He therefore ordered one to go from him (for he would not be seen himself) to Oroonoko, and to assure him, he was afflicted for having rashly done so unhospitable a deed but it since he resented it in so high a nature, he assured him he would revoke his resolution, and set both him and his friends ashore on the next land they should touch at; and of this the messenger gave him his oath, provided he would resolve to live. And Oroonoko, whose honor was such as he never had violated a word in his life himself, much less a solemn asseveration, believed in an instant what this man said; but replied, he expected, for a confirmation of this, to offense had been so great which he had put upon the prince that he durst not trust him with liberty while he remained in the ship, for fear lest by a valor natural to him, and a revenge that would animate that valor, he might commit some outrage fatal to himself and the king his master, to whom this vessel did belong. To this Oroonoko replied, he would engage his honor to behave himself in all friendly order and manner, and obey the command of the captain, as he was lord of the king's vessel and general of those men under his command.”
Collection
Citation
Aphra Behn, “An Annotated Excerpt from "Oronooko" by Aphra Behn,” Enlightenmens, accessed March 22, 2023, http://enlightenmens.lmc.gatech.edu/items/show/544.