Restoration and Early 18th Century: The Paradox of Liberty, Trade and Slavery

Question 1

Political Background
- 17th and early18th Century

Answer 1

• William of Orange landing at Torbay, 5th November 1688
• William III (William of Orange) recognises the Bill of Rights, 1689
  > King becomes part of the system, he accepts to be part of the system - a king under parliament
  > fundamental shift in history
• foundation of the Bank of England in 1694, by the parliament
  > founded to take the states debt, not the king
• Expiring of the Licensing Act in 1695

Question 2

Further context
- Triangular Trade

Answer 2

Triangular Trade
- Europe trades manufactured goods to Africa
- Enslaved Africans are sold to North America
- North America send raw material to Europe

Question 3

Aphra Behn

Answer 3

• Englands first professional female writer

Question 4

Oroonoko (Aphra Behn)
- bullet points

Answer 4

• The novel examines the cruelty and inhumanity of slavery.
• Oroonoko, an African prince, is portrayed as a morally and intellectually superior figure who nonetheless suffers the brutal realities of enslavement.
• Aphra Behn depicts the enslaved individuals as fully human, capable of deep emotions, intelligence, and nobility, contrasting them with the greed and brutality of the colonizers.

Question 5

Setting
- Oroonoko (Aphra Behn)

Answer 5

• 1663
• the scene of the last part of this adventure lies in a colony in America
• 1667 Treaty of Breda
• Text plays three years into the restoration of the monarchy

Question 6

A certain naivety in how slavery is reported
- Oronooko (Aphra Behn)

Answer 6

• being rename as an act of colonialism (.g. Caesar)
  > dehumanising to name people after greek and roman heros
• brutalities are happening to the enslaved
• Anti-slavery texts > pointed against the enslavers

Question 7

Protagonist
- Oronooko (Aphra Behn)

Answer 7

Oronooko
- the character shows extreme curiosity. real greatness of soul, absolute generosity, softness
- language and science, he had nothing of barbarity in his nature (showing of sympathy for Oronooko)
- Oronooko used to be a slave trader

Question 8

The issue of race and slavery

Answer 8

• describing him as if he wasn’t African, as close as possible to a European in attitude
• he is different because he is singled out, not singled out because he is different

Question 9

Robinson Crusoe
(Daniel Defoe)