Analyzing Gallagher’s Oroonoko’s Blackness Essay -- Oroonoko’s Blackne

Analyzing Gallaghers Oroonokos Blackness Oroonoko is a fascinating text overflowing with descriptions of complex relations between and within the different races. The attitudes and actions of the Aphra Behn and her characters would make for a rich analysis from any number of behavioral approaches, but there argon many more layers to this story than the dominant racial themes. In fact, in Oroonokos Blackness Catherine Gallagher argues that the main characters unusually dark skin color actually represents kingship, commodification, and the degree to which he and the author are corporal in the work. though Gallagher recognizes the significance of Oroonokos ethnicity in the conflict between the African and European groups, she writes that it is displaced by these three ideas when examined from other perspectives. At times her arguments for this are difficult to decipher and appear contradictory, especially in the explanations on textuality, embodiment and transcendence, but, overall, the claims of the criticism are strong and convincing. In this essay the author makes a credible argument for her theories of kingship and commodification. These ideas are interrelated and dependent upon Oroonokos blackness symbolizing worth when it usually implies the opposite. Gallagher mentions the question of why Oroonokos skin is so oftentimes darker than the rest of his people when blackness is almost always associated with moral degeneracy and light colored complexion with nobleness. Her answer is that it actually improves his status as a hero. She explains that his accomplishments, which are comparable to the most famous Europeans, distinguishes him as a leader, but it is in his blackness that his heroism partakes of t... ...works, it seems pointless to mention a view of The regrettable Bride that is contrary to the work she is critiquing without explaining the cause for the difference. By first connecting authorial obscurity to Mooria, the reader assumes that it will a gain be related to The Royal Slave. But the wind occurs and causes confusion. If Gallagher does not know the reason for the difference, then she should stay with the original text and not refer to any outside sources that do not agree with her argument. Though Gallaghers critique may be somewhat lacking, there is no doubt of her superior understanding of Oroonoko and its implications. Her claims are original and calls the audiences perplexity to subtle themes. The criticism may require several readings to capture all of its meanings, but its interpretation creates enough interest to make it worthwhile.