@lakingsif: Kudos for making a page for a classical work, but you might rethink your style.
Blurb-like superlatives like "first novel ever written in the English language", "first novel written by a woman", and "probably the first novel, period" (!) are mostly meaningless, because these depend on which definition of 'novel' you apply, of which there is a wide variety to chose from. For the record, there are people who regard The Tale of Genji (Japan, 11th century), as the "first novel"; which coincidentally was probably written by a woman (of course it's not the "first novel" either, because there are Ancient Greek, Roman and Indian novels).
There's also nothing very unusual about a work written (as you mention three times) in 1688 dealing with gender inequality or taking female perspectives. You can find medieval or ancient works which do that. It seems the real novelty of Oroonoko is its treatment of slavery.
Did we mention how it's all about polygamy, too? And published in 1688?
No you didn't, as you know well enough. And this is certainly not the first work involving polygamy, a love triangle, or a richer or more powerful suitor force-marrying a woman who really loves a younger suitor.
@lakingsif: Kudos for making a page for a classical work, but you might rethink your style.
Blurb-like superlatives like "first novel ever written in the English language", "first novel written by a woman", and "probably the first novel, period" (!) are mostly meaningless, because these depend on which definition of 'novel' you apply, of which there is a wide variety to chose from. For the record, there are people who regard The Tale of Genji (Japan, 11th century), as the "first novel"; which coincidentally was probably written by a woman (of course it's not the "first novel" either, because there are Ancient Greek, Roman and Indian novels).
There's also nothing very unusual about a work written (as you mention three times) in 1688 dealing with gender inequality or taking female perspectives. You can find medieval or ancient works which do that. It seems the real novelty of Oroonoko is its treatment of slavery.
No you didn't, as you know well enough. And this is certainly not the first work involving polygamy, a love triangle, or a richer or more powerful suitor force-marrying a woman who really loves a younger suitor.
Let's just say and leave it at that.