Othering – The concept of othering is an important postcolonial element in the novel. It is evident in the novel where the pronouns “they” is used to represent the African slaves and the natives while the constant use of “we”, “us” and “our” shows the self or the white superior race. The concept of othering is based on binary opposition where self refers to the white and the other refers to the natives or colonized. It is evident in the dedicatory epistle , Behn consider the natives to appear as “New and Strange” that establishes the Eurocentric othering of the natives and the division of the two worlds.
Double Colonization of a woman– The postcolonial feminist has given a discourse on double colonization of a woman during the colonial times. Women were subjugated by the patriarchal society as well as the colonial power. In the novel , Imoinda is a victim of double colonization where she was subjugated by the patriarchy of Oroonko’s grandfather who is the King. He objectifies her charm and body and wanted her to be one of his concubines. After she consummate her virginity to Oroonoko , the King decides to sell her as a slave to the English colonist. It clearly shows that woman are doubly marginalized during the colonial times both by the patriarchy as well as the colonial authority.
Colonial Discourse – The close reading of the novel has led to many critics and scholars suggesting that the author , Behn maintained her racial superiority while dehumanising her own hero of the novel to a simple slave and other. One can clearly observe that Oroonoko is a general and the last descendant of a royal line of Coramantien. Despite showing that Oroonoko belongs to a upper royal class , he has been reduced to a mere slave and subjugated by the colonial power.
He is taken as a slave to Suriname where he is sold to a slave owner Trefry. Trefry changes his name to Caesar and he also sees his beloved Imoinda whose name is changed into Clemene. They lived as a slave but he decides to liberate himself and free from the slavery cage.
Colonial Resistance- This is an important aspect in the novel where Oroonoko decides to free himself from the colonial cage. He convinces the slaves to run away but they are soon caged by the white colonists. Tuscan helped free some of the slaves and Imoinda wounds the colonist Byam on his shoulders. One can see the pyschological effects of colonialism in the minds of the natives where Oroonoko has to kill his own wife and child because he does not want to see his family suffering in a colonial cage. He decides to kill Byam and he is adamant on his revenge to kill Byam but he is kidnapped by an Irishman Banister. They caged him and tied him to the stake where he gradually looses his consciousness.
Summary of Aphra Behn On the Death of the Late Earl of Rochester
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