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Comparing Narrative and Narrator in Oroonoko and Douglass’s Narrative

Literature can influence how readers reflect on their history and culture and place
extreme importance on their development through the portrayal f different past events. The
institution of slavery in literature has been developed through anti-slavery texts such as:
Oroonoko and the Life of Frederick Douglass narrative. The narrative of Oroonoko is one of the
earliest literature pieces that narrate the lives of slaves. In the narrative, Oroonoko narrates the
superiority maintained by the British colonialists and the mistreatment of slaves, especially
Oroonoko. Similarly, Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An
American slave narrates his story in the fight against slavery as he struggles to find his own
freedom in the slavery world. The two literary pieces present heroic individuals whose
experiences of slavery raises empathy in a reader and helps them understand racism and the
dynamics of slavery.

Oroonoko narrates the story of an African prince who was sold in South America during
the slavery period. He is faced with drastic changes and struggles as he tries to cope with the
new situation. Once he arrives at the Parham House, all the slaves, including Oroonoko are given
slave names. Oroonoko new name is Caesar. At such moment, he not only loses his freedom,
but also lost his identity. In the narrative, Behn explains that slaves needed to be assigned new
names since their native ones were barbaric and hard therefore the whites were unable to
pronounce them.’ The story is narrated in an empathic manner. The first experiences of
Oroonoko’s misfortune cause a feeling of empathy in the reader as they begin to empathize with
Oroonoko who has lost everything. The narrator uses first-hand description to help the reader
understand the setting in the novel.

In the initial setting, the Surinam setting is narrated. It is described as a ‘perfect’ place
where people live in peace and calmness. The social structure of the society is outdoor focused
and non-civilized (Behn 303). Going through the narrator’s description of the natives, the natives
are naïve and trust easily making it hard for them to even differentiate a sin. The narrator
comments on how the law and religion corrupted the individual as it would, ‘.. destroy the
tranquility they possess by ignorance and laws but would teach them to know offense, of which
they have no notion’ [ CITATION Aph \p 302 \l 1033 ] . As for their economy, they are described as
rich individuals who knew the importance of trade and have the advantage of possessing great
natural resources. The vivid description of the area is written from a first-hand eye witness and is
narrated to the reader through the use of flashbacks. As the story continues, the setting in
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Surinam is no longer innocent and pure as it turns into a corrupt and dark place. Slavery along
its hostility is narrated in Surinam II. In the setting, slaves undergo harsh treatment. Their
owners use a combination of brutal force and whips as a strategy to keep the slaves in order.
Oroonoko is exempted from such cruelty until he finds himself in the hands of his oppressors and
tries to run away with a group of fellow slaves. His plan does not succeed and is brutally
whipped as a punishment to teach him a lesson. Behn describes the attack and states, ‘ but they
laid hands on Caesar and Tuscan, faint with heat and toil, and surprising them bound them to two
several stakes, and whipped them in the most deplorable and inhumane manner, rending the
very flesh from their bones, especially Caesar’’ [ CITATION Aph \p 213 \l 1033 ] . The narrator
expresses Oroonoko’s first beating with magnitude to show the immense misfortune. The story
ends in tragedy as Oroonoko kills his wife to protect her from being raped and prevent her from
producing more slaves [ CITATION Ros04 \p 151 \l 1033 ] . He grieves the death of his wife and dies
a slow horrific death in the hands of the colonialists and his enemies divide pieces of his body
and send them to different parts of the colony.

The narrator condemns the act of violence witnessed in the test with realistic details in a
manner that it draws the attention of the reader to understand the trials faced by the hero. He
constructs the novel in a way to show the truths in reality. At first, the novel is set in a ‘perfect’
place but as the reader continues to read more about the setting, they begin to realize the reality
of the story and realize that there is no place that can remain perfect forever. Surinam I is a
faultless location which can be compared to biblical stories as well as utopian societies. Surinam
II however is a more realistic setting where there are barriers keeping the society from being the
perfect place [ CITATION Lip04 \p 169 \l 1033 ] . The manner in which Behn constructs the story is a
perfect way to express the representation of reality and truths to the readers. In our society,
although life might not be hostile and cruel as described in Surinam II, it gives us the sense that
we should not expect life to be constantly flawless. Reality is as unpredictable as there will
always be a barrier that come in our way and change the settings of the places we live in. Also,
it can be concluded that Behn split the narrative as a way to shine light on how different people
perceive life [ CITATION Bro77 \p 176 \l 1033 ] . There are events that occur in our life and can only
be narrated through an eyewitness’ account rather than the narration of a person who lives in the
society and always sees it as a perfect place.

A similar narrative technique is realized in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick

Douglass, An American Slave. The story is narrated from the first-person narrative by Frederick
Douglass as he tells the challenges he encountered as he worked in the plantations for the whites.
Douglass was born as a slave, by his mother who was also a slave and the two hardly spent too
much time together before getting separated. It was not clear who his father was, although there
were rumors that he was the master’s son. Through such rumors, it becomes clear that women
and young African slaves faced sexual exploitation in the hands of their masters. Throughout
the book, Douglass narrates that the hardships encountered by slaves are indescribable. When he
was still young, he witnessed the whites whip his aunt. Often, white masters would whip their
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slaves as a disciplinary measure taken for both young and old slaves who failed to obey the
commands of their masters or declined their demands [ CITATION Fre19 \p 51 \l 1033 ] . He was
taken to a plantation in Baltimore where the master’s wife developed an interest to educate him.
However, when his master realized, the teachings were stopped and he was sent to another
master, Convey, who was popular for breaking slaves.

Through the narrative, Douglass explains the horrors associated with slavery. The slaves
hardly knew their birthdays or anything about their past. Some of them did not know their
families as they were separated from them without a warning. They would go for days without
enough food, sleep and lacked proper clothes. Moreover, they were mercilessly beaten by their
masters even when they had not committed any offence. Some girls were sexually exploited and
even forced to bear more slaves for their masters. Some slaves would be maimed or killed and
were forbidden from acquiring any form of education. Douglass’s grandmother for instance was
left to die alone in the forest [ CITATION Sto73 \p 193 \l 1033 ] . Since the slaves did not have any
rights, they could not prosecute anyone who molested them or killed any of them.

Douglass uses irony, metaphors and pathos among other literary techniques in his
narrative. He uses a placid tone as he narrates the horrifying experiences in a straight-forward
manner. There are times when a melodrama note slips in through the text, but in the most part of
the narrative, he is a cool intellectual individual [ CITATION Bur05 \p 84 \l 1033 ] . He mixes his
past and present and relates some personal stories to the life of the slaves. Very little dialogue is
realized in the narrative that helps elevate the story from a personal narrative to a historical
piece (103). It is also important to note his excellent command of language. Although slaves
were not allowed to have any form of education, Douglass beats all the odds. His desire to learn
makes him form pacts with white children where they would teach him and he would give them
bread. Through his efforts, he managed to receive a copy of the The Columbian Orator that
inspires him through the anti-slavery tales. When his master’s family was not around, he would
study letters at the shipyard and he learned how to write. His literacy skills gave him autonomy
and the desire to become free. It also gave him the ability to establish relationships with the
fellow slaves. He offered lessons to fellow slaves at the Freeland’s farm that immeasurably
improved their lives.

One difference that can be realized between the two narratives is that, Aphra Behn, was
not a slave but Frederick Douglass was a slave. Douglass believes that individuals who have not
experienced slavery can never fully understand slavery. It is there possible to believe that,
Douglass would not believe in the story of The Royal Slave as it was not narrated by a slave.
Also, in his narrative, Douglass is not afraid to mention the evils associated with slavery. His
narrative was published with the hope of exposing the truth and seek justice for the slaves
[ CITATION Sta05 \p 114 \l 1033 ]. Douglass is therefore able to prove his reliability as a narrator
by being able to speak freely about the misery and pain he experienced as a slave.
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In conclusion, both Oroonoko and the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An
American Slave are literature works that narrates, the predicaments experienced by slaves. Each
of the narratives vividly describes the hardships in different times of slavery. Narrators in the
stories have provided an insight to the complexity of the slavery institution, leaving the readers
with a better understanding of the characters involved in the story. However, there consistency in
the narrator separates the two narratives. Although Behn criticizes the treatment of the slaves,
she does not question the ethics of slavery. On the other hand, Douglass effectively delivers the
narrative with honesty to the readers, by questioning the mistreatment of slaves and questioning
the ethics of slavery.

Work Cited

Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko: or, The Royal Slave, A True Story. Melville House, 2014.

Brownley, Martine Watson. "The Narrator in Oroonoko." Essays in Literature (1977): 174-81.

Burns, Mark K. "A Slave in Form but Not in Fact": Subversive Humor and the Rhetoric of Irony
in" Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass." Studies in American Humor (2005): 83-
96.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave.

LULU.com, 2019.

Lipking, Joanna. "“Others’, slaves, and colonists." The Cambridge Companion to Aphra Behn
(2004).

Rosenthal, Laura J. "Oroonoko: reception, ideology, and narrative strategy." The Cambridge
Companion to Aphra Behn 162 (2004).

Stauffer, John. "Frederick Douglass and the aesthetics of freedom." Raritan (2005).

Stone, Albert E. "Identity and Art in Frederick Douglass's " Narrative"." CLA Journal 17 (1973):
192-213.