Week 7 Discussion
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Karachi School for Business & Leadership *
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2470
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History
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Nov 24, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by HighnessFang11537
When compared to the American concept of slavery that prevailed in the 17th and 18th centuries,
"Oroonoko" by Aphra Behn gives a perspective on slavery that is strikingly unlike. "Oroonoko"
offers a fresh African point of view on the institution of slavery, in contrast to the American slave
tales that, as James Olney explains, often portrayed the atrocities of slavery from the point of
view of African Americans who were held as slaves in the United States. In the tale, British
colonists kidnap Prince Oroonoko of the African kingdom of Coramantien and sell him into
slavery. The prince's name is also Oroonoko. Behn's work is on the viewpoint of an African
prince and his sad journey into the transatlantic slave trade. This is in contrast to the conventional
American slave narrative, in which the focus is on the experiences of enslaved persons in
America. Instead, the focus of Behn's work is on the perspective of an African prince.
Oroonoko's virtuous personality and his position as a prince in his own kingdom are two aspects
of "Oroonoko" that serve as illustrations of this alternative point of view. Oroonoko is presented
as a guy who has a high level of education and culture, as well as a profound affection for his
people and the place he calls home. The transatlantic slave trade was a practice that resulted in
the loss of human dignity, freedom, and a person's cultural identity. His narrative illustrates this
loss. This is in contrast to the tales of American slaves, which generally highlight the struggles
and resistance of enslaved people against the horrible circumstances they experienced in the
American South. These conditions were prevalent in the American South. The American idea of
slavery, which justified the enslavement of individuals based on race, is called into question in
the novel "Oroonoko," in which slavery is presented as an alien and unfair system that was
forced on an African ruler.
In the instance of Ignatius Sancho's "Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, an African," this work
exemplifies a number of the traits that are indicative of the slave story genre, most notably trait
number four, which states that the subject of the narrative was a slave. "An account of one
extraordinarily strong, hardworking slave--often 'pure African'--who, because there is no reason
for it, refuses to be whipped." In his correspondence, Sancho, a person of African descent who
was held as a slave in British colonial territories, portrays himself as an individual who opposes
the standard degrading punishment that is inflicted upon those who are held as slaves. His
writings exhibit a sense of dignity, intellect, and fortitude all at the same time. The topic of
defiance and asserting one's humanity is prevalent in American slave tales, and Sancho's capacity
to do so via his writing is illustrative of this. Sancho refused to accept the brutal treatment he was
subjected to and was able to do so. The story of Sancho fits well with the larger history of slave
narratives because it illustrates the tenacity and will of enslaved people to affirm their humanity
and struggle against injustice. This fortitude and drive is a common theme in slave narratives.
Reference
https://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/narrativelist.htm
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