Oroonoko Oroonoko is a classic literary novel by Aphra Behn, one of the first professional female writers in English. This edition by Penguin Classics offers an authentic text from 1688, with an introduction written by Janet Todd. The work shows Behn’s sharp insight into slavery and colonization, based on her experiences in Surinam.
Description
Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko tells the story of a prince who, together with his beloved Imoinda, is enslaved and taken to Surinam. His noble bearing earns respect, but also leads to a tragic end. The novel offers a nuanced view of African slavery in the seventeenth century, with Behn on the one hand examining the practice as part of English power and on the other exposing its brutality.
This edition includes a chronology, notes, and further reading material. Janet Todd discusses Behn’s position as a pioneer among professional female writers and her vision on political and social issues.
Product specifications
- Author: Aphra Behn
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
- Imprint: Penguin Classics
- Binding type: B-format paperback
- Publication date: 30 October 2003
- Number of pages: 144
- ISBN: 9780140439885
- Theme: Classic fiction: literary and general
- BISAC: FICTION / Classics
About the author
Aphra Behn is regarded as the first professional female writer in English. Born around 1640 in Kent, she may have visited Surinam in the early 1660s. Behn produced numerous plays, short stories, and political works for the Tory party.
Janet Todd is Professor of English literature at the University of Glasgow and a biographer of Aphra Behn.