Oroonoko
In the African country Coramantien, a young prince Oroonoko falls in love with Imoinda who is a beautiful daughter of a general who has sacrificed his own life in battle to save Oroonoko’s. However, his old grandfather, king of Coramantien, decides to make Imoinda his wife. But Imoinda loves Oroonoko so they meet each other secretly. Then his old grandfather found out what happened and sell Imoinda into slavery. Oroonoko quit from the military leader until an attacking force endangers the country. He once again leads his country win the war. However, he is enslaved by an evil English captain to Surinam. When he reaches the plantation, Oroonoko discovers that Imoinda is living on the same plantation. And Imoinda tells him that she is going to have his baby. Oroonoko wants freedom for his baby so that he persuades other slaves to run with him by night into the jungle. But they failed and when they were about to get caught. Oroonoko kills Imoinda to prevent her from being raped by the victors. Oroonoko is finally captured and decapitated.
The text I choose: All that love could say in such cases being ended, and all the intermitting irresolutions being adjusted, the lovely, young, and adored victim lays herself down before the sacrificer; while he, with a hand resolved, and a heart breaking within, gave the fatal stroke, first cutting her throat, and then severing her yet smiling face from that delicate body, pregnant as it was with the fruits of tenderest love. As soon as he had done, he laid the body decently on leaves and flowers, of which he made a bed, and concealed it under the same cover-lid of Nature; only her face he left yet bare to look on: but when he found she was dead, and past all retrieve, never more to bless him with her eyes and soft language, his grief swelled up to rage; he tore, he raved, he roared like some monster of the wood, calling on the loved name of Imoinda. I like this part because it shocked me a lot.
Oroonoko and Imoinda were a couple, they were separated by his grandfather’s prevention, but a strange combination of circumstances made them once again meet. It to be a good ending if they are normal people. However, they were sold as slaves. So, as slaves, their children will be slaved, so Oroonoko wanted freedom for his unborn child, he run out, but he eventually failed, when he knew that he will never get what he wants, he killed his lover to prevent her from being raped by the victors. He loved Imoinda, but he had to kill her by himself. What a sad story, what a human tragedy!