Take a photo of a barcode or cover
I think this book needs to be considered within its racist historical context, otherwise you’ll judge it on a modern standard and lexicon [which naturally is a thoroughly acceptable thing to do when considering the text or warning people not to read it now as it’s potentially triggering].
It definitely is within the confines of the “west is best” empire-centric era of writing. Where European beauty ideals were valued over all else (which sadly is currently still the case in some arenas). It shows that this beauty standard and it’s associated structural oppression has reigned for hundreds of years.
It skirts around the deplorable conditions of slavery imposed by the west. At its core it does feel an anti-slavery book. But the discourse appears to be on a purely economic or “royal” basis, that princes should not be enslaved. In that regard, it is not really anti-slavery at all - especially given the prince (and his grandfather) themselves were complicit in selling those who they defeated in war/ their enemies to slavers.
It also reads quite anti Dutch.
At its soul this is a tragedy, and quite a well written one. It’s punchy and with its short length can be read in a few hours.
The important historical context of this book, and as I see, the only use of this prose being widely available or sold as a classic is:
1) it illustrates racism in the 17th Century. It provides a depiction of slavery from the perspective of a slave, surely must be one of the first of such stories to be published (albeit the character is an African royal, and it should be noted that slaves were denied the right or opportunity to publish their own stories in their own voices)
2) it is one of the earliest examples of a novel (this is up for debate as to whether it is a novel or some other literary form).
3) one of the earliest published pieces of prose by a female.
4) I think there is something to be said for the authors morality imposed onto the royal characters. This may have been criticising or providing commentary of Britain’s own royals of the time - as it was near the era of parliamentary unrest.
I’m not certain it’s one of the greats and it certainly provides the reader with a lot to sit and reflect on for hours and hours beyond the few spent reading the book.
It definitely is within the confines of the “west is best” empire-centric era of writing. Where European beauty ideals were valued over all else (which sadly is currently still the case in some arenas). It shows that this beauty standard and it’s associated structural oppression has reigned for hundreds of years.
It skirts around the deplorable conditions of slavery imposed by the west. At its core it does feel an anti-slavery book. But the discourse appears to be on a purely economic or “royal” basis, that princes should not be enslaved. In that regard, it is not really anti-slavery at all - especially given the prince (and his grandfather) themselves were complicit in selling those who they defeated in war/ their enemies to slavers.
It also reads quite anti Dutch.
At its soul this is a tragedy, and quite a well written one. It’s punchy and with its short length can be read in a few hours.
The important historical context of this book, and as I see, the only use of this prose being widely available or sold as a classic is:
1) it illustrates racism in the 17th Century. It provides a depiction of slavery from the perspective of a slave, surely must be one of the first of such stories to be published (albeit the character is an African royal, and it should be noted that slaves were denied the right or opportunity to publish their own stories in their own voices)
2) it is one of the earliest examples of a novel (this is up for debate as to whether it is a novel or some other literary form).
3) one of the earliest published pieces of prose by a female.
4) I think there is something to be said for the authors morality imposed onto the royal characters. This may have been criticising or providing commentary of Britain’s own royals of the time - as it was near the era of parliamentary unrest.
I’m not certain it’s one of the greats and it certainly provides the reader with a lot to sit and reflect on for hours and hours beyond the few spent reading the book.