Oroonoko

The narrator focuses on all the works that Aphra Behn produces. As she was born during the time of Marlowe and Shakespeare, she was creating her own writing career. She created drama plays, prose, and poetry. The narrator admired her ability to diversified, while also not hiding behind a men’s name. During those times, the 17th century, many women writers would use a men’s name instead because then people would actually read the book. Women used a pen name because it was easier to sell their books that way. Behn, on the other hand, did not hide because she wanted to justice to her profession. Since her material was on controversial/underrepresented topics like slavery and women, she did not expect them to believe it was a man writing it anyways. The narrator touches on Behn being considered one of the first women to write a novel, showing how revolutionary Behn was. The topics she covered made her seem as if she was in modern times, as if part of the #MeToo movement as well. The narrator emphasizes Behn’s ability to bring life to her characters. She focuses on the female characters, for example a nun who has sexual desires, and a prostitute wanting a family. The narrator contrasts it to male authors at the time who focuses on the Madonna-whore dichotomy. The narrator suggest the reason why Behn wrote Oroonoko was because of her background. There was evidence that Behn was a spy for King Charles II and her father was a general in Suriname. This biography shows how shes a privileged English woman that observed the slaves in the plantation. The narrator also brings up criticism that others said of Behn. That she did not make a clear statement on her stance against slavery. Although there is criticism, many female authors should be inspired by Behn’s writing and the ability to speak their mind.