A deputy governor in Suriname, Byam is not afraid to use low and dishonorable tactics to keep things running smoothly on the sugar plantations. He is not well regarded amongst the colonists, who all love Caesar (Oroonoko) more and dislike the governor’s manipulation of him. Byam initially pretends to be a great friend to Caesar, and promises him that he will one day be free, along with his wife and child, but in actuality Byam never intends to liberate them. He even lies to Caesar during the standoff in the forest, promising Caesar his freedom, but later breaks the contract they sign. Before this betrayal, however, Imoinda wounds Byam in the shoulder with a poisoned arrow.
Governor Byam Quotes in Oroonoko
The Oroonoko quotes below are all either spoken by Governor Byam or refer to Governor Byam. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
4. Oroonoko’s Revolt
Quotes
But Caesar told him there was no faith in the white men, or the gods they adored; who instructed them in principles so false that honest men could not live amongst them; though no people professed so much, none performed so little.
Related Characters:
Prince Oroonoko (speaker), Governor Byam
Related Themes:
Get the entire Oroonoko LitChart as a printable PDF.
Governor Byam Quotes in Oroonoko
The Oroonoko quotes below are all either spoken by Governor Byam or refer to Governor Byam. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
4. Oroonoko’s Revolt
Quotes
But Caesar told him there was no faith in the white men, or the gods they adored; who instructed them in principles so false that honest men could not live amongst them; though no people professed so much, none performed so little.
Related Characters:
Prince Oroonoko (speaker), Governor Byam
Related Themes:
