Historical and literary elements have been present long throughout the long eighteenth century especially within eighteenth century literature. Through the lens of Aphra Behn’s Ooroonoko, WordsWorths The world is too with us, and Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, an overview of some of the historical and literary elements will be discussed.

The best part about eighteenth century literature is its connection with history. Aphra Behn gives us insight on what is occurring through this time period in which colonizers are going to different countries and attempting to fuel the slave trade but also give us the colonial perspective od a culture that is vastly different from their own. Aphra Behn states, “he had only left him for his successor one grandchild, son to one of these dead victors, who, as soon as he could bear a bow in his hand, and a quiver at his back, was sent into the field to be trained up by one of the oldest generals to war; where, from his natural inclination to arms, and the occasions given him, with the good conduct of the old general, he became, at the age of seventeen, one of the most expert captains and bravest soldiers that ever saw the field of Mars: so that he was adored as the wonder of all that world, and the darling of the soldiers.” This is important because Behn is giving an outside perspective on what would’ve been observed at that time using terminology such as ‘generals’ or ‘successors’ to a societies traditions to be able to make sense of what is going on but in reality this is only to help make sense to the readers that Behn is intending to reach in her work.

When looking at eighteen century literature we can see parallels from that previous age to occurences that are happening in our modern day world. Especially through Wordsworth work we can see and empathize with what he writes.Using Wordsworth’s work of The World is Too Much With Us, which is about how Wordsworth critiques the industrial revolutions at the time and its parallels with humanity and more. For example Wordsworth writes, “The world is too much with us; late and soon, / Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;  / Little we see in Nature that is ours; / We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon.” So the importance of this quote is that we feel that modern technology has detached humanity from nature. This is important because Wordworth wants that connection again with humanity and nature even so to take it a step forward and saying that humanity does not appreciate nature in any way shape or form. 

Jane Austen uses her fiction to display metafiction throughout her novel which is important because metafiction is when the author knowingly parodies or breaks the fourth wall to allude from normal novelistic conventions. Through Janes coming of age story Northanger Abbey which tells us a tale of a Young Woman named Catherine we see a lot of this metafiction take place and its importance to understanding how these subtle conventions help us understand the time period even further. Jane states, “The company began to disperse when the dancing was over… and now was the time for a heroine, who had not yet played a very distinguished part in the events of the evening, to be noticed and admired.” This piece is important because Jane is pointing out how Catherines personality is changing and transforming right in front of us by telling us what we would probably already know by the context of what is going on, which makes the reader focus not on the exact actions the character is taking in the event but the subtle conventions that are taking place and that the author wants the readers to notice. 

The world is too with us, and Jane Austens Northanger Abbey, an overview of some of the historical and literary elements that has been discussed.Historical and literary elements have been present long throughout the long eighteenth century especially within eighteenth century literature.

Aphra Bhen uses the literary element of setting to give us a sense of not just where we are but how the people in their settings correlate. This can be seen in the quote, “With these people, as I said, we live in perfect tranquillity and good understanding, as it behoves us to do; they knowing all the places where to seek the best food of the country, and the means of getting it; and for very small and unvaluable trifles, supply us with that ’tis impossible for us to get: for they do not only in the woods, and over the savannahs, in hunting, supply the parts of hounds, by swiftly scouring through those almost impassable places, and by the mere activity of their feet run down the nimblest deer and other eatable beasts; but in the water, one would think they were gods of the rivers, or fellow-citizens of the deep; so rare an art they have in swimming, diving, and almost living in water; by which they command the less swift inhabitants of the floods.” This is important because we see that the type of setting that their in is very desert like but also how this brings clarity to the reader in which the people in this setting survive off the setting and value this setting to a certain degree which gives a clear perspective to their way of life and the disconnect to the lives of the non natives that aphra bhens narrator and other colonists are.
While this could be confused with setting, in reality aphra bhen is using the literary element of point of view to give a perspective on the traditions of this said culture. This is stated as, “They have plurality of wives; which, when they grow old, serve those that succeed ’em, who are young, but with a servitude easy and respected; and unless they take slaves in war, they have no other attendants.” The literary element use of point of view is important because just like the use of setting, it gives a clear distinction of not just what the narrator finds surprising about the customs of this new culture but also because of the simple fact that what they find surprising speaks volumes of what the narrator’s own culture is like and how distinctly different their cultures are.
It is important how aphra behn uses the literary element of character to create an image of someone that through the lens of the value of a different culture, to seem very extravagant and over the type which could still seem somehow appealing to the audience in which she is attempting to reach by stating, “The King of Coramantien was himself a man of an hundred and odd years old, and had no son, though he had many beautiful black wives: for most certainly there are beauties that can charm of that color.” Seeing that this is a man that lived far longer than the expected age of that time as well as having a far more polygamist relationship compared to the narrators monogamist counterpart brings a sense of extravagance that the culture and lifestyle of the colonists potentially did not live by or have as often.
The literary technique used by aphra bhen in this piece is figure of speech in which she relays the difference in social standing and bravery. Aphra states, “He replied, he would not give himself the trouble- but wished ’em to choose the bravest man amongst ’em, let his quality or birth be what it would: “for, O my friends!” said he, “it is not titles make men brave or good; or birth that bestows courage and generosity, or makes the owner happy.” This is important because the figure of speech is expressing that titles do not dictate how brave or courageous a person is, rather than the actions taken by the person is what makes them so. Which is important because the colonists within the story view it as title means everything especially their titles as masters over other humans.
The literary technique of narration is heavily important throughout this novel because not just was it written by a woman but the author herself uses the narrator as a woman to not just express how she was in the forefront of the situation but using a voice that at the current time frame would not have normally have been heard or payed attention to. Aphra states,”This Jamoan afterwards became very dear to him, being a man very gallant, and of excellent graces, and fine parts; so that he never put him amongst the rank of captives, as they used to do, without distinction, for the common sale, or market, but kept him in his own court, where he retained nothing of the prisoner but the name, and returned no more into his own country; so great an affection he took for Oroonoko, and by a thousand tales and adventures of love and gallantry flattered his disease of melancholy and languishment: which I have often heard him say, had certainly killed him but for the conversation of this prince and Aboan, and the French governor he had from his childhood, of whom I have spoken before, and who was a man of admirable wit, great ingenuity, and learning; all which he had infused into his young pupil.” This is important because this i the narrator stating just how excellent the graces where, or how the melancholy and languishment of the specific moment was. The fact that she was there to describe that someone was a gallant in a way gives a far more impreshionable feelings to the reader compared to if it where said by a man in which it could be taken or seen or comprehended in any other way.

Joshua Mateo

Prof. Rumore

3/23/20

Archival Project

The first archival object is found in the Lehman College Library Database. The piece is a book titled,  The Negro and the nation : a history of American slavery and enfranchisement by George Merriam. The book was published in 1906 and was created to speak about the existing franchises made either towards or against the African American people and slaves as a whole. One portion of the article that is important is a point in which the author George Merriam states, “Its intense and irresistible plea is not against a class or a section, but against a system.”(pg.97) This is how George wishes to example how Americans viewed the slavery system during “1852”, after the release of the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The author Georgre also states, “The motive of Uncle Tom’s Cabin was an appeal to the heart of the American people. There was no reference to political action, far less any suggestion of servile insurrection, and there was no discussion of methods of emancipation.”(pg.98) This is important because while at first the idea that slaves go through many deprecating punishments, it does not give any way for americans to think of how they wish to help the situation or how the slaves that had currently been a problem should help themselves. Which was the problem with the writing of a slave tale by a white person. There is a sense of overt oppression going on because of what the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin cannot see due to their privilege. Compared to Behns Oronoko tale, where Behn states, “O, my friends! were she in walled cities, or confined from me in fortifications of the greatest strength; did enchantments or monsters detain her from me; I would venture through any hazard to free her.” This is relevant because while Aphra Behn also gives us an outlook how terrible things have been it definitely relates to how the slavery shown within The Negro and the nation : a history of American slavery and enfranchisement which shows how some of these thought processes want to only show how slaves could be free but not explain what slave owners or politicians should do to help and free the newest population of their country which shows just how much priviledge these writers also had in their own status.

  The Second archival object is also found in the Lehman College Library Database. The piece is called History of the Underground railroad as it was conducted by the Anti-slavery league including many thrilling encounters between those aiding the slaves to escape and those trying to recapture them by William Monroe Cockrum  which was published in 1915. This book is about a collection of stories about slaves and their encounters at the time of the underground railroad. Within one of the encounters the author states, “The gambler went down to the lower deck and selected the girl against whom he was to stake his money. Travell lost the girl and was going to put up another one against the one he had lost, when the captain of the boat, who was a friend of the Travell family interfered and took young Travell to his room to sober up.”(pg. 50) The reason that this is important is because it clearly depicts through the recollection of this story that slaveholders would see their slaves so much as property that they would use them as prizes to regular wagers held between each other. This is important because based off of The experiences show in the story of Ooronoko it is as if the situations are vastly different. The story states, “”he had intelligence brought him that Imoinda was most certainly mistress to the Prince Oroonoko. This gave him some chagrin: however, it gave him also an opportunity…”(pg.40) The importance of this is that while Behn is giving oronoko a sense of agency, the slaves depicted in these tales do not have that sense of agency and are evidently going through two very differently described diasporas. 

Work Cited:

Merriam, George Spring. The Negro and the nation : a history of American slavery and enfranchisement. New York, 1906. Slavery and Anti-Slavery. Gale. Main Account – CUNY. 23 Mar. 2020 

Cockrum, William Monroe. History of the Underground railroad as it was conducted by the Anti-slavery league : including many thrilling encounters between those aiding the slaves to escape and those trying to recapture them. Oakland City, Ind., [c1915]. Slavery and Anti-Slavery. Gale. Main Account – CUNY. 23 Mar. 2020 

Oroonoko is an interesting tale that was created by Aphra Behn. This book while created in 1688 has certain topics and themes that can still be relatable to present-day life here in New York. Aphra Behn is a cultural icon. Not just because she is a female play write but also because she wrote one of the first stories that depict the tale of a Slave Prince who in the tale Aphra Behn acts as a narrator. The narrator Behn does not just know the character but she states that she had also witnessed some of the moments the main character has experienced or has heard first hand from the Prince. This is made clear in the beginning especially when Aphra Behn states, “The scene of the last part of his adventures lies in a colony in America, called Surinam, in the West Indies.” This is important because it gives us a perspective of where the story is being told to us from. 

Oroonoko’s name is not mentioned until about thirteen pages into the book but so much about his past is revealed to us and its relativity to modern life is very clear as well. Aphra Behn states, “he had only left him for his successor one grandchild, son to one of these dead victors, who, as soon as he could bear a bow in his hand, and a quiver at his back, was sent into the field to be trained up by one of the oldest generals to war; where, from his natural inclination to arms, and the occasions given him, with the good conduct of the old general, he became, at the age of seventeen, one of the most expert captains and bravest soldiers that ever saw the field of Mars: so that he was adored as the wonder of all that world, and the darling of the soldiers.” It is relatable that Oroonoko is depicted in such a way because most people nowadays don’t see that level of ability within our youth the way his grandfather did and like his grandfather anytime people do see potential in their kids often time it’s for their own benefit. Here in New York, you have students who at the age of thirteen are not valued within school systems or even at home so they go out into the world to find this very same level of attention and discipline through gangs. Not to mention that many New York kids can understand what it’s like to have their lives controlled just like Oroonoko because in the story his own grandfather deprives him of his wife. In the tale, it states, “After a thousand assurances of his lasting flame, and her eternal empire over him, she condescended to receive him for her husband; or rather, received him as the greatest honor the gods could do her.” What Behn is trying to do here is not necessarily state that they were married because the culture that this takes place in didn’t necessarily believe in the same marital beliefs that we do in Christian based societies but still to give off that marriage kind of vibe meaning they are officially a couple. Unfortunately, Behn states, “he had intelligence brought him that Imoinda was most certainly mistress to the Prince Oroonoko. This gave him some chagrin: however, it gave him also an opportunity…” This means that the Grandfather found information on Oroonoko like any modern-day parent goes snooping through your personal life or text messages to find out about you without actually talking to you face to face. In turn of finding out about Oroonoko and his new wife Imoinda the Behn states,” He was therefore no sooner got to his apartment but he sent the royal veil to Imoinda; that is the ceremony of invitation: he sends the lady he has a mind to honor with his bed, a veil, with which she is covered, and secured for the king’s use; and ‘tis death to disobey; besides, held a most impious disobedience.” Basically, as the king, the grandfather uses his absolute power to take away what matters most to Oroonoko. In a fit of rage Oroonoko plots to take revenge or rebel against the king when he states, “And he would often cry, “O, my friends! were she in walled cities, or confined from me in fortifications of the greatest strength; did enchantments or monsters detain her from me; I would venture through any hazard to free her”. This is relatable because teenagers rebel against their parents all the time. Shakespeare wrote about it in Romeo and Juliet and it is a common occurrence to this day. It is important to respect the agency of young adults because their emotions could truly get the best of them and have them end up on a slave ship to South America in search of their love like Oroonoko himself. The link on the bottom leads to a video that acts as a visual modern representation of how Ooronoko must feel to have his life controlled by his own family.

Citations:

Behn, Aphra, 1640-1689. Oroonoko, Or, The Royal Slave. Boston :Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000.