Oroonoko: or, The Royal Slave has earned acclaim from both literary critics and historians. When it was originally published in 1688, less than a year before author Aphra Behn died, Oroonoko: or, The Royal Slave did not receive immediate attention. However, Behn’s work did gain popularity after a stage version of the novel was released in 1695. While the accuracy of the novel’s plot has been questioned and debated by historians, Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave has earned cultural and historical significance by being claimed as one of the first novels written in English. Along with its prolific and innovative writer, the novel has earned significance that is still admirable today.
Now redesigned with an eye-catching cover and reprinted in a modern font, Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave by Aphra Behn is accessible for a modern audience.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was one of the first Englishwomen to earn a living from writing. She was a playwright, poet, translator, and fiction writer during the Restoration era. Behn’s plays and writing were well-received by the public, but she often found herself in legal trouble or being judged harshly because critics did not like that she was a successful woman. Behn remained a strong advocate for herself, and argued that women should have the same education opportunities as men, paving the way for more women to become writers.