S/LI/143. Should Aphra Behn's Oroonoko be considered an anti-slavery work? Why or why not?

The expatriation of Oroonoko from West Africa to Surinam, his enslavement, and his torture and death illustrates the brutality of slavery. However, Behn cannot escape her own assumptions regarding the legitimacy of European mercantilism which exploited black Africa AND the Carribean natives in support of the 'triangular trade' between Europe, Africa and the West Indies/South America. Indeed, Behn's overly romantic account, and her 'ownership' of Oroonoko, betray her assumptions about white supremacy. Indeed, it is argued, her own struggle for influence within the white trading hegemony is revealed by the allegiances she makes with fellow whites.