University of Basrah

College of Arts
MA\dept of English

Mayameen Kadhim
Assignment-1-
{The Beginnings of the English Novel: Aphra Behn, Delarivier
Manley and other 17th century writers: Oroonoko}

Introduc on:
How intriguing it is to explore the origins of the English novel! With a
rich history spanning centuries, this literary form can be traced back to
the 18th century. During the Enlightenment, a me of great change in
England, the novel emerged as a response to the newfound emphasis on
reason, individualism, and the explora on of human experiences. An
in uen al early novel in English literature is "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel
Defoe, published in 1719. This gripping tale of a castaway's survival on a
deserted island revolu onized the genre with its realis c and detailed
narra ve. Samuel Richardson made his mark on the early history of the
English novel with his novel "Pamela," published in 1740. Using le ers as
a narra ve style, it tells the story of a young woman's struggle against
advances from her employer, establishing the epistolary novel. Henry
Fielding is another notable gure in the beginnings of the English novels,
with his work "Tom Jones," published in 1749. Infused with comedy and
sa re, it explores themes of morality and social class, contribu ng
signi cantly to the genre's development. These early novels paved the
way for countless English novelists, including Jane Austen, Charles
Dickens, and Virginia Woolf, each bringing their unique perspec ves,
styles, and themes to contribute to the genre's evolu on and popularity.
The 17th century was a transforma ve period in the development of
English literature, witnessing the emergence of the novel as a dis nct
literary form. It is worth no ng that this era witnessed the pioneering
e orts of female writers, such as Aphra Behn and Delarivier Manley, who
made signi cant contribu ons to this emerging genre. This ar cle delves
into the achievements of these early English women novelists and
explores Aphra Behn's pioneering work, Oroonoko. By examining the
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 historical context, themes, and narra ve techniques used in Oroonoko,
we gain valuable insights into the origins of the English novel.

The first female English Novelist:

The story talks about how being a playwright was solely a man's
profession in the 17th century. But something happened in the
mid-1600s. Aphra Behn became the rst woman to earn a living from
being a playwright. She is not the rst woman to publish a play, but she
was able to live solely o wri ng and is es mated to have wri en around
19 plays. She also wrote poetry as well. Many women looked up to her,
even Virginia Woolf who once said: “All women together ought to let
owers fall on the tomb of Aphra Behn. For it was she who earned them
the right to speak their minds.” Aphra Behn addressed topics such as
male impotence, female orgasms, bisexuality, and the bias of gender in
her work. She mocked the expecta ons placed upon women for
motherhood and marriage. It was safe to say that she was a rule breaker.
Just to jus fy that, before she was a writer, she was also a royalist spy
working for Charles II. Her job was to seduce William Scot and turn him
into a Double Agent in the Netherlands. However, Charles didn't pay her
well or fast enough, and she landed in debt, spending some me in
debtor prison. Fortunately, she was able to get out of it thanks to her
wri ng. Uncertainty surrounds the details of Mrs. Behn's birthplace and
maiden name. There is also doubt regarding her alleged journey to
Surinam, where her father was said to have been appointed Governor-
General. However, no evidence exists to support these claims. It is now
believed that Mrs. Behn gathered informa on for her novel Oroonoko
from sources in London, rather than through personal experience. In
1664, she married a Dutch merchant who died two years later, possibly
due to the Plague. Charles II, whom she was said to be a favorite, sent
her as a secret agent to the Netherlands during the Dutch War in 1666.
However, her report of De Wi 's plans to invade the Thames was not
taken seriously. Upon her return to England, she was imprisoned for
debt, with the king refusing to pay her expenses. A er a brief
con nement, she turned to playwri ng as a means of income. Her rst
play, The Forced Marriage, was performed in 1670 and she went on to
achieve success as a writer of wi y comedies, with The Rover (1677)
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 being a notable example. She also contributed to the vili ca on of the
Puritans in her play The Roundheads (1682). Towards the end of her life,
Mrs. Behn became the subject of scandal. Only recently have cri cs
begun to examine her work impar ally. It is worth no ng that she was
the rst woman to earn a living as a writer.

Aphra Behn's "Oroonoko,":

Aphra Behn's Oroonoko in par cular, with its historical context, themes,
and narra ve techniques, stands as a testament to the power of the
novel to deal with complex issues and provoke thought. Through
Oroonoko's lens, readers are transported to a me when the novel was
s ll nding its voice but was already able to address pressing social and
moral concerns. Behn's legacy, along with that of her contemporaries,
con nues to shape the course of the English novel, inspiring future
genera ons of writers to explore the human experience through the
medium of c on.

•: Historical context and significant:

Oroonoko is the prince of Coraman en, who is sold into slavery in
Surinam by European slave traders. Oroonoko is the grandson of an
African king who was in love with Imoinda, the daughter of that king's
military leader. The king ordered Imoinda to be included in the ranks of
his harem or concubines. When he learned about her love for his
grandson. Arranging things so that they can be sold into slavery. At the
me when Oroonoko was arrested by an English slave trader, Oroonoko
encouraged his fellow slaves to escape. But they surrender on the
promise of pardon Oroonko is brutally ogged, and when he realizes that
the place is hopeless and that there is no hope of mee ng his beloved,
Oroonoko kills Imoinda so that he will not live at the hands of the
ins nc ve white man, and then he killed himself. But because of that,
they arrested him and put him in prison. Then he was brutally executed.

• Themes and characterization:

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 The depic on of slavery in Oroonoko by Behn is a powerful
condemna on of the slave trade, revealing its brutality and
dehumanizing e ects on both the enslaved and the enslavers. Oroonoko
is subjected to harsh labor condi ons in the sugar elds, enduring
bea ngs, humilia on, and the denial of his freedom. Not only is he
tragically separated from his enslaved wife, Imoinda, but his
enslavement itself serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of slavery.
Racism is also explored in the novel, as Behn portrays how it can lead to
violence and injus ce. Furthermore, she demonstrates how racism can
be internalized by both the oppressed and the oppressor. Despite
Oroonoko's royal status in West Africa and his remarkable quali es of
intelligence, handsomeness, and bravery, he is enslaved solely due to his
racial background. The white slave masters view him accordingly.

• Narrative technique:
Aphra Behn, one of the rst professional female writers in English
literature, is known for her bold and unique wri ng style. Her works,
mainly from the Restora on era, are marked by a uid narra ve and a
strong voice that o en challenges the societal norms of her me. Use of
Poe c language, despite wri ng in prose, Behn o en uses poe c
language, with rich imagery and metaphors. Strong character
development, Behn was known for crea ng well-rounded, complex
characters, par cularly her female characters, who were strong,
independent, and o en awed, just like real people. Behn's style of
wri ng is said to have paved the way for future female writers by
breaking barriers and challenging the status quo.

Conclusion:
Typically recognized as the rst professional female writer in English,
Aphra Behn is now regarded as a prominent gure of the Restora on
period. Throughout the 1670s and 1680s, she contributed more plays to
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 the stage than any other writer, while also greatly in uencing the novel
with her innova ve c on, notably Love-Le ers between a Noble-Man
and his Sister and Oroonoko, the pioneering English novel set in America.
Behn's work encompasses a wide range of genres, as she excelled not
only in drama and c on but also in poetry, and she also made
signi cant transla ons of French liber ne and scien c works.
Oroonoko" is a signi cant literary work that addresses the issue of
slavery and colonialism in the context of its me. It o ers a glimpse into
the early development of the novel as a literary form and raises
important ques ons about how race and gender were depicted in
literature during the 17th century.

Recourses:

h ps://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/
obo-9780199846719/obo-9780199846719-0190.xml

h ps://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/
london/ar cles/meet-aphra-behn-the- rst-professional-
woman-writer

h ps://study.com/learn/lesson/oroonoko-aphra-behn-
summary-analysis-themes.html

Novel Beginnings: Experiments in Eighteenth-Century English

Fiction. PATRICIA MEYER SPACKs
Quixotic Readers and Quixotic Writers: Cervantes’ Daughters in
British Narrative Fiction from Lennox to Austen
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Williams, Harold. Two Centuries Of The English Novel. London.
Waterloo Place, 1911

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/types-
of-narrative-styles