Self & Society: British Lit @Hood College

The ending of Oroonoko almost accomplished a feeling of "at least the bad guys didn't completely win" until our great hero was quartered and mailed. I truly do not understand why he did not spite-suicide himself like he convinced Imoinda to. He still had the physical energy to kill the first soldier to approach him, so why not use that energy on self sacrifice? Perhaps he could have used his body to communicate a message if not with words with symbolism. My theory is that the author couldn't let the underdogs win entirely (or the sympathy would be lost? or the roused anger at real world injustices would have been hampered), and thus the descriptive and upsetting defeat of the favored character.

"Oroonoko kills Imoinda" from the program of a 1776 performance of the stage adaptation by Thomas Southerne. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_savage       It is interesting to not that Trefry only takes serious interest in Oroonoko after learning he spoke English and noted his physical appearance (already summarized as "only issue is his color"). Only when he learns of Oroonoko's status as royalty does Trefry express genuine sympathy and indignation at Oroonoko's enslavement (page 2204).      As good as the intention behind the writing is, this means of generating sympathy is problematic. It places the emphasis of value on ways an individual is "more like a white person" rather than emphasizing the humanity of Africans as a whole. It is easy to see the progression from "this individual who has learned European languages and has facial features that do not look like the stereotype is worthy" to the situation which caused the horror...

For Hot, Cold, Moist, and Dry, four champions fierce Strive here for mast'ry and to battle bring Their embryon atoms. (line 897-900)

"Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge Accursed, and in a cursed hour, he hies.' (Book II Lines 1054-1055)

"So he with difficulty, and labour hard Moved on; with difficulty and labour he: But he once pass'd, soon after, when man fell, Strange alteration; Sin, and Death, amain, Following his tract (such was the will of heaven) Pav'd after him a broad and beaten way Over the dark abyss, whose boiling gulf Tamely endur'd a bridge of wondrous length, From hell contained, reaching th'utmost orb Of this frail world; by which the spirits perverse With easy intercourse pass to and fro, To tempt or punish mortals, except whom God and good angels guard by special grace." (Lines 1021-1033)

"...Out of thy head I sprung! Amazement seized All th' host of Heav'n. Back they recoiled afraid At first and called me "Sin" and for a sign Portentous held me. But familiar grown I pleased and with attractive graces won The most averse (thee chiefly) who full oft Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing Becam'st enamoured and such joy thou took'st With me in secret that my womb conceived A growing burden." (Book 2, Lines 758-767) "...and swifter far Me overtook, his mother, all dismayed, And embraces forcible and foul Engend'ring with me of that rape begot These yelling monsters that with ceaseless cry Surround me as thou saw'st, hourly conceived And hourly born as sorrow infinite To me." (Book 2, Lines 791-798) And then these hell-hound children of hers crawl back into her womb and chew on her insides? What the fucking shit, Milton? (Image from Meme Generator - https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/400x/2...

Book 2 opens up with Satan debating on whether he and his demons should try and fight God again to overthrow his power. I don't understand why they are still trying because they failed once already. Do they not understand that they cannot be greater than God? This section gives the arguments of the four demons on what they think they should do. Satan asks his demons what they think their best option would be: go to war or give it up. Why doesn't Satan just come up with the plan himself? Beelzebub says, "...seduce them to our party that their God may prove their foe and with repenting hand abolish His own works" (2.368-370). He believes that he can get God's people to follow them and leave their ruler. What are they thinking? https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjK7Pf2o7_XAhXH7BQKHUxhBfMQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvriley.edublogs.org%2Ftag%2Fparadise-lost%2F&psig=AOvVaw0iWeZ9N6g5F9DfRA-h2JeN...