A noble savage is someone with the goodness of humanity that is free from the corrupting influence of civilization. Someone so innocent from the destruction of society that they carry the true goodness within them. A perfect example of this is the main character from the novel “Oroonoko, or The Royal Slave” by Aphra Behn written in 1688. Oroonoko is one of the finest examples of a noble savage. He is a noble and courageous man who must face many difficulties without giving up his hope of achieving what he wants. Oroonoko shows his nobility when he’s able to forgive others, he shows how the slaves can also be noble without being free, and Oroonoko also gains his respect and honor from others by being brave and fighting for what he wants. Oroonoko is very noble but that doesn’t mean he is perfect, throughout the story we see where he shows his savageness as well. Oroonoko shows a big part of his nobility in the way that he’s able to forgive others. He had a good heart with good intentions. A good example of this would be when he was captured by the …show more content…
The slaves and Trefry the overseer of Parham Plantation give him a great welcome. Trefry admires Oroonoko from the first time they met and they soon become very close friends. Trefry noticed that Oroonoko was way too different than the other slaves and that he didn’t deserve to be treated like one of them. Aphra Behn says “Trefry soon found he was yet something greater than he confessed” (Behn). The slaves have the same kind of reaction when it comes to Oroonoko. Most of the slaves on the plantation were ones who he once captured and sold into slavery. But the slaves reacted in a good way in fact they saw him as a king and would yell, “Live, O King! Long live, O king! And kissing his feet, paid him even divine homage” (Behn). This shows that the slaves valued and admired Oroonoko for his knowledge and