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Oroonoko

By Aphra Behn

(25)

| eBook | 9780141915982

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Book Description

Aphra Behn, the poet, playwright, novelist and political satirist was the first truly professional woman writer in English. This selection, edited and introduced by Professor Janet Todd, demonstrates the full sophistication and vitality of Aphra Behn's genius. It contains the plays The Rover and TheContinue

1 Review

This fascinating 17th century novella is written by the first female proffessional writer, and its hero- Oroonoko- is the first black hero in an English prose work. Encased within the quite rigid structure of the romance, it also contains an account of contemporary slavery and comments on white raci ... (continue)

This fascinating 17th century novella is written by the first female proffessional writer, and its hero- Oroonoko- is the first black hero in an English prose work. Encased within the quite rigid structure of the romance, it also contains an account of contemporary slavery and comments on white racism. What I found most interesting, however, were the autobiographical descriptions of Behn's brief experience in colonised Africa. In particular, the ways she modifies English plant and animal words to attempt to describe the exoticism and overwhelming beauty of Africa to an English reader- this provoked me to consider the perhaps finite capacities of the english language.

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Rose Kolarich said on Oct 7, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback