I have to discuss the role of the narrator in this extract from Oroonoko (1688).
I have to draw on other primary quotations from elsewhere in Oroonoko, and/or refer to secondary criticism and historical context to aid your analysis.
The extract is the following:
“I was as impatient to make these Lovers a Visit, having already made a Friendship with Caesar; and from his own Mouth learn’d what I have related, which was confirm’d by his French-man, who was set on Shore to seek his Fortunes; and of whom they cou’d not make a Slave, because a Christian; and he came daily to Parham Hill to see and pay his Respects to his Pupil Prince: So that concerning and intresting my self, in all that related to Caesar, whom I had assur’d of Liberty, as soon as the Governor arriv’d, I hasted presently to the Place where the Lovers were, and was infinitely glad to find this Beautiful young Slave (who had already gain’d all our Esteems, for her Modesty and her extraordinary Prettyness) to be the same I had heard Caesar speak so much of. One may imagine then, we paid her a treble Respect; and though from her being carv’d in fine Flowers and Birds all over her Body, we took her to be of Quality before, yet, when we knew Clemene was Imoinda, we cou’d not enough admire her.
I had forgot to tell you, that those who are Nobly born of that Country, are so delicately Cut and Rac’d all over the fore-part of the Trunk of their Bodies, that it looks as if it were Japan’d; the Works being raised like high Poynt round the Edges of the Flowers: Some are only Carv’d with a little Flower, or Bird, at the Sides of the Temples, as was Caesar; and those are so Carv’d over the Body, resemble our Ancient Picts, that are figur’d in the Chronicles, but these Carvings are more delicate.”
Aphra Behn, Oroonoko ed. Joanna Lipking (Norton Critical Edition: 1997) p.40.
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