Previous
The Captain
Trefry is a young Cornish gentleman in Suriname. He is skilled in math and linguistics, and manages Governor Byam’s affairs. He also speaks French and Spanish. Trefry buys Oroonoko from the Captain and, after getting to know Oroonoko’s story, feels great sympathy for his plight. He gives Oroonoko the name Caesar and promises to help him back to his homeland. They become great friends, and Trefry always tries to look out for Oroonoko, though Oroonoko often gets frustrated by the lack of progress toward achieving his liberty. Trefry introduces Oroonoko to a beautiful slave he knows as Clemene, but whom Oroonoko realizes is actually Imoinda. After Oroonoko is killed, Trefry begins to record his biography, but dies before he can finish it.
Trefry Quotes in Oroonoko
The Oroonoko quotes below are all either spoken by Trefry or refer to Trefry. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
3. Slavery in Suriname
Quotes
He saw an honesty in his eyes, and he found him wise and witty enough to understand honor: for it was one of his maxims, A man of wit could not be a knave or villain.
Related Characters:
Narrator (Aphra Behn) (speaker), Prince Oroonoko, Trefry
Related Themes:
He begged Trefry to give him something more befitting a slave, which he did, and took off his robes: nevertheless he shone through all, and his osenbrigs…could not conceal the graces of his looks and mien; and he had no less admirers …the royal youth appeared in spite of the slave, and people could not help treating him after a different manner, without designing it.
Related Characters:
Narrator (Aphra Behn) (speaker), Prince Oroonoko, Trefry
Related Themes:
Get the entire Oroonoko LitChart as a printable PDF.
Trefry Quotes in Oroonoko
The Oroonoko quotes below are all either spoken by Trefry or refer to Trefry. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
3. Slavery in Suriname
Quotes
He saw an honesty in his eyes, and he found him wise and witty enough to understand honor: for it was one of his maxims, A man of wit could not be a knave or villain.
Related Characters:
Narrator (Aphra Behn) (speaker), Prince Oroonoko, Trefry
Related Themes:
He begged Trefry to give him something more befitting a slave, which he did, and took off his robes: nevertheless he shone through all, and his osenbrigs…could not conceal the graces of his looks and mien; and he had no less admirers …the royal youth appeared in spite of the slave, and people could not help treating him after a different manner, without designing it.
Related Characters:
Narrator (Aphra Behn) (speaker), Prince Oroonoko, Trefry
Related Themes:
