Preview

Comparative Essay Oroonoko

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
445 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Comparative Essay Oroonoko
In Aphra Behn's short novel Oroonoko, she tells the tragic love story about the grandson of an African king who falls in love with a girl named Imoinda, the daughter of the king's top general. Unfortunately, the king also falls in love with Imoinda who demands that she becomes his wife. Imoinda, who shares her feelings with Oroonoko spends time with him instead of the king, the king eventually discovers their love. Enraged, the king sells Imoinda as a slave while Oroonoko is taken by a brutal slave captain. Imoinda and Oroonoko are reunited in Surinam where they realize they will only be able to have free love for one another in the next life. Oroonoko kills Imoinda and then is killed by way of public dismemberment.

The story of Oroonoko had many themes common with the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Even though these two stories were written many years apart, they share the same classical structure of chivalry and romance. The tale of Sir Gawain tells of a knight in Arthurs kingdom who is given a quest to complete. Since the chivalric code of that time was to perform duties to ones King, Lady, and God, Gawain went through many obstacles and distractions to complete his journey for his king. Gawain traveled through forests, combated beasts, stayed at magical kingdoms, and was almost seduced by beautiful women, but because of his devotion to the chivalric code and his king, he defied all these distractions to complete his quests.

Even though there are no beasts or magical kingdoms in the story of Oroonoko there are many common themes. Once Oroonoko and Imoinda meet and fall in love, Oroonoko establishes his own chivalric code towards her because he knows he will do anything to be with her. He battles different obstacles such as brutal slave owners, military forces, and Byam; He organizes slave revolts and gets punished by whipping. By completing these acts, Oroonoko is by himself on a quest for his lady, which captures the classical aspect of the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story about King Arthur’s nephew, Gawain. The story is about a mighty green knight who comes to the round table wanting to play a game. A brave knight will strike the green knight with an axe once after a year the green knight gets to return the strike to whomever strike him. However the Knight must find him and as we learn in the story his boast about how easy it will be to find him is a lie. After searching and combating deadly foes,…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” have similar story lines. Beowulf is a poem about a long narrative that celebrates a hero’s deeds. The short story “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” deals with a legendary knight obeying a code of chivalry that represented a combination of Christian and military ideals. Beowulf and the Green Knight share, a common arrogance while Wiglaf and Sir Gawain endure a test in character.…

    • 358 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight written by the Pearl Poet, Sir Gawain is proven to be a true knight. The Pearl Poet proves Sir Gawain’s true knightmenship in many different ways. Sir Gawain succeeds in earning the title “true knight” by passing the Green Knight’s test and proving the valor of King Arthur’s knights, but he makes mistakes in the process because he is human, like everyone else.…

    • 526 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the forest, Gawain must abandon the codes of chivalry and admit that his animal nature requires him to seek physical comfort in order to survive. Once he prays for help, he is rewarded by the appearance of a castle. The inhabitants of Bertilak’s castle teach Gawain about a kind of chivalry that is more firmly based in truth and reality than that of Arthur’s court. These people are connected to nature, as their hunting and even the way the servants greet Gawain by kneeling on the “naked earth” symbolize (818). As opposed to the courtiers at Camelot, who celebrate in Part 1 with no understanding of how removed they are from the natural world, Bertilak’s courtiers joke self-consciously about how excessively lavish their feast is (889–890). The poem does not by any means suggest that the codes of chivalry be abandoned. Gawain’s adherence to them is what keeps him from sleeping with his host’s wife. The lesson Gawain learns as a result of the Green Knight’s challenge is that, at a basic level, he is just a physical being who is concerned above all else with his own life. Chivalry provides a valuable set of ideals toward which to strive, but a person must above all remain conscious of his or her own mortality and weakness. Gawain’s time in the wilderness, his flinching at the Green Knight’s axe, and his acceptance of the lady’s offering of the green girdle teach him that though he may be the…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Christianity is a major theme of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. It is evident throughout heroic Sir Gawain is hugely reliant upon his Christian faith. Gawain’s shield, one of the most distinguishing symbols of the knight had a pentangle which represented his virtues, most of which can be ascribed to Christianity. Spurring him on through challenges was a picture of the Virgin Mary on the inner portion of his shield. The tale of Sir Gawain can even be seen as an allegory of the Biblical story of Adam and Eve and the subsequent fall of man. Manifestations in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight consisting of Adam, Eve, the forbidden fruit, Eden, and the loss of innocence all point to this epic poem being an allegory of the Biblical account of human creation…

    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is without doubt one of the best known works of medieval English literature. Medieval England poetry was best known for its medieval romance, religious views, alliterative form and its chivalry nature. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the best works of medieval poetry because it criticizes the fact that chivalric courtesy often displaces true Christian ethics. Sir Gawain a character in the poem was known for his chivalry, honor, and Christian faith. Medieval romance tales deal with the quests and challenges of Arthur and his knights. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain as one of King Arthur’s knight’s gets sent on a quest to meet the Green Knight. Another characteristic…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There are some similarities of the two incerpts, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Holy Grail. I believe that both come to be Romances. In the first story Sir Gawain was sent on a dangerous quest that of which was to seek the Green Chapel of the Green Knight to hold true to his oath that he would receive what he done to him one year and one day later. He was tested of his honor and courage when he gave his word to the lord Bercilak to give him all he won in the castle at the end of the day and also he proved true to that by not having an affair with his wife. By that test it determined whether or not he got his head chopped off. In the end Sir Gawain returned home. The Holy Grail was a story on the line of being a romance, but by the way I interpreted the story I found it to be one. In that story Sir Galahad had a dangerous quest of riding to the King Mordrayns, then by reburying a person who had lain burning for a long time, and then by going to Corbenic to the Castle of the Maimed King, Pellam. His test of honor or courage was of his loyalty to Jesu when he did what He wanted and said he's even die for him. He never returned home physically, but I believe he returned to his home in heaven when he died making The Holy Grail to be a romance in that instance.…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    When we hear the word knight, we imagine Arthurian-tales of glorious battles between men and dragons, fierce jousting competitions, rivalries between kingdoms, and knightly chivalry. Several of these tales center on the bravery of knights against mighty foes or on their ability to resist earthly temptations. Sir Gawain is the nephew of King Arthur and is a knight of the round table. He appears in more Arthurian-tales than any other knight and is known as the ideal that all knights should strive for. (Joe) In the Arthurian-Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain faces many challenges and his decisions based on those challenges shape him into the Knight that many know now.…

    • 1227 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Medieval times were a time when honor was valued above all other qualities. All knights, the highest models of medieval manhood, adhered to a code of chivalry. When properly followed, this code allowed men to be truly honorable. Among the qualities most highly esteemed were integrity, loyalty, and courage. The clearest examples of chivalry were King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Pearl Poet vividly illustrates the concepts of chivalry in his epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where Sir Gawain is characterized as a very honorable, chivalrous knight. Throughout the poem, Gawain’s unceasing commitment to his code of chivalry provides a protection against, thus proving the value and necessity of chivalry.…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Comparative Essay

    • 1396 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In “The Birth Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Jamaica Kincaid “Girl”, the theme gives a sense of meaning and importance in the two short stories. The theme of striving for perfection is what shapes the characters and makes them act in different ways. In “The Birth Mark”, Aylmer, being the main character, wants his wife, Georgiana, to be viewed as flawless so he does everything in his power to remove the birth mark that she is possessed with. In “Girl” , the mother is teaching her daughter how to be the perfect women in society. In order to fully understand how both short stories incorporate the same theme, female stereotypes, persuasion and visual imagery must first be examined. Once this has been done, it will be clear that perfection is the main theme in the stories.…

    • 1396 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As one goes through life they are both outwardly and inwardly affected by their religious beliefs and code of conduct. The code of chivalry and courtly love was based on ones honor, and the keeping of it. This can be done by three ways, being chivalrous to your king, being chivalrous to god, or being chivalrous to women. These three things are also a general fit to Christianity. These beliefs and way of keeping oneself affects Gawain and his journey through out the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Specifically Christianity affects Gawain's view of himself and how he should be, adding to the pressure of succeeding and the keeping of his honor.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Humanity has always had an ideal figure to look up to or pursue, whether it be for selfish reasons or for the good of all. During medieval times, the Code of Chivalry was followed - a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of virtuous conduct. It represents qualities in knighthood such as bravery, courtesy, and honor, setting an example of the ideal character. The two texts Sir Gawain and the Green knight and Beowulf, medieval and Anglo-Saxon respectively, serve as a demonstration of what these values are. The valiant actions of two heroes boast the chivalric qualities they possess and gain on their journey’s. The medieval text describes Sir Gawain’s decisions and struggles which deeply affect his fate and his view of moral standards, while the Anglo-Saxon text delves into the heroic feats performed by Beowulf. Sir Gawain and Beowulf are chivalrous, but Beowulf is more chivalric as he fights for the welfare of others, eschews unfairness and deceit, and never fails to tell the truth.…

    • 2004 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain and Beowulf are some of the most memorable characters from medieval literature. The title characters from Sir Gawain And The Green Knight and Beowulf both share many similarities in their characteristics. They share beliefs in allegiance and honour to their Kings, they are both incredibly valiant, and have similar beliefs in fate and faith. Beowulf and Gawain seem to be very alike in their actions as well in that they both commence their dangerous journeys alone yet they ask of their Kings permission before their departures into battle to respect his honour. However, there is a massive difference in the outcome of Beowulf and Gawain's actions granted that Gawain learns a valuable lesson and Beowulf continues to act foolishly and risk his life. Immediately, the title characters of these poems are both extremely loyal and respectful to their Monarchs.…

    • 894 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    He also has love for the men he leads in the military, and, in return, his men love him back. This mutual respect and love is most evident is the scene where Oroonoko and his army were taken captive on a boat, on their way to be sold into slavery. Oroonoko was so infuriated by the Frenchman’s betrayal and because of his depression about losing Imoinda that he, “resolved to perish for want of food; and pleased at last with that thought, and toiled and tired by rage and indignation, he laid himself down, and sullenly resolved upon dying…”(140). Because he still thought Imoinda was dead, he would have rather died than be sold into slavery, thus proving love’s dominating power. In addition, his army had refused all manner of sustenance, in order to ensure their prince’s safety. Although Oroonoko would rather die so that he could be with his beloved Imoinda, he agreed to see his men because he did not want them to starve themselves because him. Once the men saw him, they “were transported with excess joy at the sight of their darling prince; falling at his feet, and kissing and embracing him”(148). In response, his army “assured him, they could not suffer enough, when it was for his repose and safety. After this, they no longer refused to eat, but took what was brought ‘em, and were pleased with their captivity, since by it they hoped to redeem the prince”(148). His army became accepting of their fate because of their love and…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The story hit a lot of issues and situations. Oroonoko gives readers an opportunity to hear an epic story through the eyes of a woman, which was very odd back then. The story showed a European and native superiority, anti-colonialism, slavery, and the female narrative voice. Overall Oroonoko story was great and the main test of his endurance was when Oroonoko lost his wife to the…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays