When Prince Oroonoko's passion for the virtuous Imoinda arouses the jealousy of his grandfather, the lovers are cast into slavery and transported from Africa to the colony of Suriname. Oroonoko's noble bearing soon wins the respect of his English captors, but his struggle for freedom brings about his destruction. One of the most influential English novels in history, Aphra Behn's Oroonoko was the first book to express sympathy for African slaves. Renowned for the respect and tenderness Behn gave each of her characters, this is the best-remembered work by the author.