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Hyperbole
Definition of Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other... read full definition
1. Oroonoko in Coramantien
Explanation and Analysis—Imoinda as Treasure:
In chivalric romances, like that of Oroonoko and Imoinda, authors often choose to describe women using the language of possession. As such, metaphors likening beautiful female love interests to physical objects are commonplace, and Imoinda is no exception. The narrator of Oroonoko uses one such metaphor to elucidate the king's perception of Imoinda:
[The king] was troubled for having been forced by an irresistible passion to rob his son of a treasure he knew could not but be extremely dear to him, since [Imoinda] was the most beautiful that had ever been seen.
Though Behn, in her role as narrator, is the one describing Imoinda, the phrasing of this passage suggests that it is the king, rather than the narrator, who views Imoinda as an object—a piece of physical treasure which can be bought, possessed, stolen, and fought over. Imoinda herself has no autonomy in this arrangement. The king commands her to join him as his consort, and join him she must.
While it was common to see women of every race, ethnicity, and social standing treated as property during this time period, the role of "treasure" was typically reserved for those women deemed "pure" and "virginal," who were white, wealthy, and of noble birth. Placing a Black woman in this role runs counter to what would have been common in epic romances written by Westerners during this time period.
Related Themes:
