There's Omai, as painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, the most prominent British painter, bar none, of the later eighteenth century (in addition to painting the portrait of anybody who was anybody, he wrote several influential essays on art). How would you characterize Frances Burney's reaction to Omai? What kinds of details seem most important to her? What kinds of things seem most worthy of note? How does her reaction differ from Cowper's?
Offer your reflections here. Cite text to explain and support what you mean. Deadline: Wednesday (2/18), 10am.
2 comments:
Frances Burney details Omai's extremely polite behavior in her letter. She repeatedly mentions that he pays compliments with "great politeness...which he has found a method of doing without words." Burney seems fond of Omai and his proper manners and even seems surprised that he is a "noble savage." She describes his fine clothes and his countenance as being similar to those of a Frenchman, save for the color of his skin. Though he has adapted well to this new country, Burney also notes some of the difficulties he faces, including his pronunciations of certain words. Overall, Burney seems to have a great fascination with Omai and feels that he has made great strides in assimilated to their culture and society.
Frances Burney focuses mostly on the gentleman qualities of Omai, in relation to that of high class Europe. She notices the way he moves and behaves, and judges him by his ability to appear proper, "He makes remarkably good Bows- not for him, but for anybody." She is thoroughly impressed by him and the way he carries himself, "he is so polite, attentive, and easy." Still considering him to be a foreigner she values his treatment of her and his overall pleasant attitude.
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