https://youtu.be/ntIyRKx2Tu0
19:14-22:14
Here we can hear that Oroonoko killed Imoinda before he took a engage on Byam. I can find an opinion of the author throughout the novel that death is better than becoming slaves. In the previous sections, the king told Oroonoko that Imoinda was dead. I think there is some reason here. I think that the king wanted to achieve his goal of letting Oroonoko fight for the country and for the king himself. On one hand, by telling him that Imoinda was dead could end Oroonoko’s hope that he could run away with her. On the other hand, the king didn’t want his general to hate him. So I guess that being a slave was worse than death at that time.
It was probably true. Being a slave meant something like hell for no matter men for women. But as for women, there were more meanings. They could become sex slaves and this was an extremely hard punishment for a woman. From the previous description of Imoinda, we know that she had a beautiful body and a beautiful soul. She was such an amazing creature who was loved by two of the most powerful men of that country. Those women who became slaves were human as the slave owners. They were loved and they were loyal too. They were well educated and they had so many noble qualities.
According to the book:
“……and taking Imoinda with him as he used to do in his more happy and calmer days, he led her up into a wood, where (after with a thousand sighs, and long gazing silently on her face, while tears gushed, in spite of him, from his eyes) he told her his design, first of killing her, and then his enemies, and next himself, and the impossibility of escaping, and therefore he told her the necessity of dying. He found the heroic wife faster pleading for death that he was to propose it, when she found his fixed resolution; and, on her knees, besought him not to leave her a prey to his enemies. He (grieved to death, yet pleased at her noble resolution) took her up, and embracing of her with all the passion and languishment of a dying lover, drew his knife to kill this treasure of his soul, this pleasure of his eyes; while tears trickled down his cheeks, hers were smiling with joy she should die by so noble a hand, and be sent into her own country (for that’s their notion of the next world) by him she so tenderly loved, and so truly adored in this: for wives have a respect for their husbands equal to what any other people pay a deity; and when a man finds any occasion to quit his wife, if he love her, she dies by his hand; if not, he sells her, or suffers some other to kill her. It being thus, you may believe the deed was soon resolved on; and ’tis not to be doubted but the parting, the eternal leave-taking of two such lovers, so greatly born, so sensible, so beautiful, so young, and so fond, must be very moving, as the relation of it was to be afterwards.”
This scene was just so heartbreaking. They were so close to success. But they lose just because they were kind and they had sympathy even for people who hurt them. Their love was so pure, Imoinda would rather die than being insulted. And they all know clearly that they would die for each other in their heart. When she died, all of his happiness was taken away. He was too sad to launch a war. He just got weaker and weaker in the bottom of the forest. That was not inspiring but that was so real. And that was a heartbreaking reflection of the history. Just like everyone else, Oroonoko was not just a hero, he was also a human who had so many emotions. Although the ending was unpredictable and frankly speaking I was a little bit disappointed. Because Imoinda’s death seemed like in vain. However, I gradually understand that history would never lie. There were so many failures in the fight against slavary. And this story just exposed the truth to people who was not awake. This novel is a work that contains very romantic imagination and it really makes me very sad. Although the background story looks somehow a little exaggerated and unreal. But I think the ending is a real reflection of history, which is admirable for a novel.