with the prince, Oroonoko. Their love is pure and true. But many troubles come to her life. She is taken to the king’s harem and then sold as a slave. Still, she keeps her love, honour, and courage. Her character shows beauty, duty, and sacrifice.

Beauty and Grace: Imoinda is very beautiful. The narrator calls her the “black Venus.” Her such beauty is apparent in this quote:

“To describe her truly, one need say only, she was female to the noble male; the beautiful black Venus to our young Mars;”

Imoinda has soft manners and sweet words. Everyone in Coramantien praises her charm. Oroonoko sees her and falls in love at once. Imoinda is graceful in her actions and speech. Even the king wants her in his harem. Trefry also praises her beauty when she comes to Suriname. 

Pure Love: Imoinda’s love for Oroonoko is deep and true. She agrees to marry him and promises to stay faithful. About this, Oroonoko says,

“Imoinda is as irrecoverably lost to me as if she were snatched by the cold arms of death…”

Imoinda refuses to be with the king, though he has great power. When Oroonoko comes to the harem, she is very happy to see him. They spend a night together in love. Even when they are sent far away, she waits for him. When they meet again in Suriname, their love becomes strong again. She becomes pregnant and shares a happy time with Oroonoko.

Modest and Noble: Imoinda is not only loving but also modest. She always acts with honor and care. In Suriname, she is called Clemene. Though she is a slave, she behaves like a noble lady. She does not agree to love anyone else. Trefry tries to love her, but she says no with tears. Even the narrator treats her like a British lady. She learns embroidery and talks politely. Her soft manners and pure heart win everyone’s respect. 

Brave and Loyal: Imoinda is also very brave. When the slaves run away, she goes with them. She carries a bow and arrow. She even shoots Byam and wounds him. She stands by Oroonoko till the end. When Oroonoko tells her he must kill her to save her honour, she agrees. She thanks him for giving her a noble death. 

Tragic End: Imoinda’s life ends in pain. She dies at the hands of her husband. The following lines show the tragic slaughter scene of Imoinda by her husband.

“And however bent he was on his intended slaughter, he had not power to stir form the sight of this dear object, now more Belov’d, and more Ador’d than ever.”

Imoinda accepts this death with peace. She does not want to live as a slave anymore. She knows the white men may hurt her later. So she chooses death to keep her honour. This choice makes her a great and noble woman. 

In conclusion, Imoinda is one of the best female characters in English stories. She is beautiful, noble, brave, and loyal. She keeps her love strong till the end. She does not give up even when life gets hard. She shows great honor and courage. She is ready to die to save her pride. Behn shows her as a perfect wife and a true woman.