Shreya Shirodkar Akshitha Ajayan Victoria Tang Raziq Mohideen Roland Fong The Life and Times of Aphra Behn Details of biography uncertain Mysterious early life Birth date traditionally 1640 ID: 208128
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Slide1
Aphra Behn - Oroonoko
Shreya Shirodkar Akshitha Ajayan
Victoria Tang Raziq Mohideen
Roland FongSlide2
The Life and Times of Aphra Behn
Details of biography uncertain
Mysterious early life
Birth date traditionally 1640Real name unknown (Amis, Wye, Cooper, Johnson?)Traveled to Suriname (South America)Married to Dutch merchant who soon died in 1665Briefly served in Holland as spy under English CrownCould not manage financiallyThrown into debtor's prisonSlide3
The Life and Times of Aphra Behn
Turned to writing (first woman to do so)
Known for her wit
Made friends with John DrydenFaced some backlash from literary community for being femaleDied April 16th, 1689Suffered from rheumatoid arthritis in later yearsBuried at Westminster AbbeySlide4
Works of Aphra Behn
Versatile and prolific writer
More classical than metaphysical
Many plays, including:1670 - The Forc'd Marriage1671 - The Amorous Prince1673 - The Dutch LoverShort stories, poemsNovels
Oroonoko, or the History of the Royal Slave
published 1688
The first English novel?Slide5
Critical Opinion
Major playwright and figure in Restoration theatre
Literary role model for women
Pioneered use of female voicesRole in development of the modern novelOften controversialThemes of desire, sexuality, homosexualityClaimed she would not be criticized if she were male Virginia Woolf:"All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn which is, most scandalously but rather appropriately, in Westminster Abbey, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds."Slide6
Oroonoko
- Summary
Oroonoko, grandson of African King, separated from his love Imoinda
Both sold into slavery separately, but reunite in SurinamLife as a slaveTreated well by plantation caretakerIncites slave rebellionAsked to surrender through promise of freedomNot freed -> torturedDeath
Kills Imoinda to give her "honorable death"
Hacked into pieces Slide7
Oroonoko - Significance
Considered Behn's most popular work
Role in development of literary structure
More personal narrative styleFirst English novel?The "first abolitionist novel"Important in changing English opinion on slave tradeOther firstsRecognizably female narrator
Plot in the New WorldSlide8
Excerpt Reading
From
OroonokoSlide9
Literary Term - Characterization
Use of literary techniques to create a character
Critics of Aphra Behn question the roundness of her characters and their inconsistencies
Narrator technique was not developed at the timeThree techniques: Direct Description - narrator or other character describes
Oroonoko a slave described as having European features
Representation of Internal States - reveal private thoughts and emotions
Female narrator explains that she is an influential person in the town (implying that she too approves of slavery) but she also speaks highly of Oroonoko
Portrayal of Behavior - actions or speech allow reader to draw conclusions
Yet she remains powerless to save him even though she claims she has the power toSlide10
Activity Time!
Create a character!
Use only visual descriptions/drawings
Swap characters with someone else in classWrite a brief excerpt of a story with your new character. Include:Direct DescriptionsPortrayal of BehaviorRepresentations of Internal StatesTrade back papers and read each other's stories!Slide11
Bibliography
"Aphra Behn: The First Lady of English Literature."
University of Arkansas, Library Resources.
University of Arkansas, n.d. Web. Mar. 2015. <http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/lbrothe/shoup1.html>." Credibility and Realism in Defoe and Behn."
Credibility and Realism in Defoe and Behn.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
Jokinen, Anniina. "The Life of Aphra Behn (1640-1689)."
Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature. Poetry
Magazine, 2006. Web. Mar. 2015. <http://www.luminarium.org/eightlit/behn/behnbio.htm>.
Partnow, Elaine T. "Behn, Aphra." The Female Dramatist: Profiles of Women Playwrights from the Middle Ages to Contemporary Times.
New York: Facts On File,
Inc., 1998. Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 11 Mar. 2015 <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&WID=17319&SID=5&iPin=fdram0014&SingleRecord=True>.
Stiebel, Arlene. "Biography of Aphra Behn."
Poetry Foundation
. Poetry Magazine, n.d. Web. Mar. 2015. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/aphra-behn>.
"The Aphra Behn Page."
The Aphra Behn Page
. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015