Introduction
Afra Benh poem Orunoko has become one of the most important narratives about slavery. The main line examines the story of an African prince who falls in love with a simple girl and is then sent into slavery. In the future, he is freed from it and becomes the leader of the Arab uprising. To best convey the atmosphere, the living conditions of slaves and enhance the narrative, the author uses images of the jungle. Moreover, Benh raises other problems related to the subordination of people for the best depiction of issues. Thus, this research paper examines a poem that tells about love, slavery and the uprising of slaves, while applying the image of wild life.
Slavery in the Poem
The imagery of mutilation in Oroonoko is used to indicate the instances of slavery horrors. The powerful mutilation imagery showed the slavery challenges that people were facing in America. After being caught as an enslaved person by the British, Oroonoko was tortured by the colonialists (Black 145). Benh used imagery to show how British people tortured Oroonoko after lying to him. He also indicated that he was an eyewitness to the events that unfolded. For instance, to understand the negative impact of slavery on Oroonoko, Benh used imagery to display real savages of people. It makes it more understandable, primarily through illustrating slavery’s negative impacts.
It also showed the readers that the British did not act like humans by colonizing people. Prince had been taken from West Africa, and thus, passing through this challenging mutilation was savage. Benh’s use of imagery in the story clearly showed how poorly Oroonoko was being treated. The images were used to point attention to how slavery affected the main protagonist. Generally, they were implemented to elaborate more on the perception of the slavery that Oroonoko got after being captured from West Africa. Benh indicated that the prince had recoiled from self-mutilation that strange Native Americans carried out in the reading. Again, those images showed the culture of mutilation that Oroonoko found in America.
Jungle Imagery
Jungle imagery is used to show courage in the story for Oroonoko while confronting the tiger. The author used jungle imagery in different instances, especially when Oroonoko was approaching Imoinda. First, the author indicated that the trading in the new colonies consisted of jungle animals such as buffalos and marmosets being traded in the new colonies. Implementing these animals was a clear indication that Oroonoko used jungle imagery. Benh stated that “trading with them for their fish, venison, buffaloes, skins, and little rarities; as marmosets, a sort of monkey as big as a rat or weasel” to show an example of jungle animals imagery used in Oroonoko (Black 144). Moreover, there were instances when Oroonoko went jungle hunting to display his courage to try to get in a relationship with Imoinda.
The story of Imoinda was pressuring Oroonoko, especially while trying to approach the woman. The story of Oroonoko displayed how the prince went to the jungle to prove his courage. The instance of Oroonoko going to the jungle to prove his courage was one of the explicit imagery that the story portrayed. Again, the imagery was shown when he purposely wanted to kill a tiger. In the story, it was clear that a tiger in the jungle had overpowered other people due to their fierceness.
However, Oroonoko gets the necessary desire and goes hunting for it. The story of how Oroonoko confronted the tiger in the forest was an implication of jungle imager use. While in the jungle hunting, Oroonoko met the tiger, proving his masculinity and courage. The story also represented some imagery instances, especially the mutilation activity. Even the story of slavery in the Oroonoko displayed imagery of the jungle. These images were apparent in how the reading displayed different jungle incidences. Generally, the story of Oroonoko trying to approach Imoinda was the one that displayed the imagery of the jungle the most in this story of Oroonoko.
Pastoral Nature
The poem included religious nature to show male or female relationships using scenes of rural life. The literary work indicated that there were sacred flames for the love victim. Moreover, it illustrated more about a maid in life, and the use of gods in the poem was another instance of the pastoral display. In her poem, the author showed how the girl was living a life in the rural areas. For instance, “The poor Lysander in despair” indicates pastoral imagery (Benh 141). In this quoted poem line, it is clear that Benh tried to show instances of how the place was pastoral.
The instance of relationships in this poem was also in a local setting especially considering the setting. The presence of morning dew implications in this poem clearly showed how pastoral the nature of the male and female relationship was displayed. The boy was in a relationship with the defenseless maid, as the author indicated in the poem. The poem displays the setting of religious nature and the communication between the lovers. The boy was poor, an indication that they were living in the rural and pastoral areas.
Masks
Mask is used in the story of Country Wife to hide women from sexually sensitive men. In the Country Wife, masks are utilized figuratively and literally, especially when going to the city. In the play, masks were used when Alithea suggested a need for masks for Margery to go to town. Wearing a mask for Margery was figuratively used to appease the pinchiwife’s desperation of keeping her unseen. Margery wore the mask to remain unseen when she was going to town. Therefore, in this case, the mask was used figuratively to hide a woman.
Moreover, the mask was used to make people more inquisitive. The statement “No, I will not use her to a mask; ’tis dangerous, for masks have made more cuckolds than the best faces that ever were known” showed how unsafe it was to make more masks (Black III.1.105-110). In this line, it is also clear that the author was trying to make instances of how masks are used to hide something underneath.
Moreover, there are also examples of fidget ladies wearing masks when going to Horner’s house. In this case, the impact of the mask was literally for enjoying the masquerade party. However, as explained in the story, Margery breached the outfit to stand out for mask in fear of being noticed. The mask used in this case was to ensure that those ladies kept their identity unknown. Furthermore, Margery used a mask to trick her husband that she was Alithea. In this instance, Margery ensured that the mask hid her face and was accompanied by Alithea’s clothing in her body. The masks implied that women remained unnoticed when they wanted to do some tasks anonymously. The characters use masks figuratively to hide and intentions of physical disguise and lies. Horner, in this story, needed women with a mask due to his sexual desire.
Gender Dynamic
Montagu responded to Swift’s imagery by providing insights into social-cultural gender dynamics. Criticism of the homogenization of both sexes runs parallel with Swift’s images. Moreover, the changes in the sexual relationship between Celia and Stefan caused a particular response. This was done to increase the opportunities of the female sex. Thus, the emphasis was placed on confirmation with the help of the Montague response created by Swift.
In the Oroonoko, jungle imagery is repeated, especially when it starts with Oroonoko’s approach to Imoinda. In the case of Oroonoko, the imagery of the jungle was used when he went to confront the tiger, “on the edge of this white rock, towards the river, was a walk or grove of orange and lemon trees, flowery and fruit – bearing branches met at the top” (Benh 196). The pattern in this jungle imagery is portrayed in how the stories unfolded. In the instance, Oroonoko approached Imoinda before being taken by enslaved people. After enslaved people took him, other instances of jungle imagery were told in the story.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Benh told a story about the African Prince Oroonoko to convey the problem of slavery. For this purpose, the story of the royal heir from West Africa, who was taken to America by the British colonies to explain slavery, was presented. To best convey the atmosphere and environment in the poem, many images of the jungle were used. Moreover, in the poem, Ben uses pastoral images to explain the relationship between the young man and the maid. In addition, Montague’s reaction to Swift was presented in the book, demonstrating women’s empowerment. Thus, the work is an excellent example of reflecting aspects such as love, struggle, and slavery.
Work Cited
Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko. Broadview Press, 2020.
Black, Joseph, et al., eds. The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: Volume 3: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century. Broadview Press, 2012.