Show and Tell: The manipulation of the minor character of the king in Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko the Royal Slave, to highlight the main character’s nobility
1
18th Centurey Novel
Show and Tell: The manipulation of the minor character of the king in Aphra Behn’s
Oroonoko the Royal Slave, to highlight the main character’s nobility.
A common literary technique, especially within the novel where a writer has more space and scope, is in trying to “show” and not “tell”. How does one show
Oroonoko’s noble or king like qualities without merely running them of as a list: bravery, strength, compassion or by simply telling the reader in a series of events where these qualities might come into play? This literary dilemma could have easily crossed Aphra Behn’s mind, hence the creation of the minor character of the king, who though a king, lacks the very king like credentials that Oroonoko possess in abundance. Aphra Behn tackles this issue early on in the novel by skillfully constructing a compare and contrast situation between Oroonoko and the king so as to let the reader “see” for him/herself which of the two is really more regal and majestic.
Aphra Behn embarks by first delving into a physical description of both characters. “The King of Coramantien was himself a man of a hundred and odd years old.” Not only is Aphra Behn offering hints of a preceding order that requires to be abolished but she has also set up a platform to display Oroonoko’s physical attributes, which are vastly more appealing. “[Oroonoko] was adorned with a native beauty, so transcending all those of his gloomy race that he struck an awe and reverence even into those that knew not his quality.” By this description alone, though there are others, the reader can sense a changing of the guard and if read more closely, the reader can “see” how Aphra Behn is manipulating the minor character of the king to highlight the majestic qualities of Oroonoko. Aphra Behn even goes a step further, for
2 never does Aphra Behn ever show the reader that in his youth the king was once a brave warrior. In fact, she does the opposite by insinuating the
18th Centurey Novel
Show and Tell: The manipulation of the minor character of the king in Aphra Behn’s
Oroonoko the Royal Slave, to highlight the main character’s nobility.
A common literary technique, especially within the novel where a writer has more space and scope, is in trying to “show” and not “tell”. How does one show
Oroonoko’s noble or king like qualities without merely running them of as a list: bravery, strength, compassion or by simply telling the reader in a series of events where these qualities might come into play? This literary dilemma could have easily crossed Aphra Behn’s mind, hence the creation of the minor character of the king, who though a king, lacks the very king like credentials that Oroonoko possess in abundance. Aphra Behn tackles this issue early on in the novel by skillfully constructing a compare and contrast situation between Oroonoko and the king so as to let the reader “see” for him/herself which of the two is really more regal and majestic.
Aphra Behn embarks by first delving into a physical description of both characters. “The King of Coramantien was himself a man of a hundred and odd years old.” Not only is Aphra Behn offering hints of a preceding order that requires to be abolished but she has also set up a platform to display Oroonoko’s physical attributes, which are vastly more appealing. “[Oroonoko] was adorned with a native beauty, so transcending all those of his gloomy race that he struck an awe and reverence even into those that knew not his quality.” By this description alone, though there are others, the reader can sense a changing of the guard and if read more closely, the reader can “see” how Aphra Behn is manipulating the minor character of the king to highlight the majestic qualities of Oroonoko. Aphra Behn even goes a step further, for
2 never does Aphra Behn ever show the reader that in his youth the king was once a brave warrior. In fact, she does the opposite by insinuating the