In Oroonoko, Behn establishes her authority within the opening lines and consistently reminds her audience of her position as narrator by mentioning her personal role in the story. In the second paragraph, Behn establishes this authority by saying, “I was myself an eyewitness to a great part of what you will find here set down, and what I could not be witness of, I received from the mouth of the chief actor in this history, …showed first 75 words of 624 total…

…showed last 75 words of 624 total…point about her position of authority. Had she not been able to represent, in herself, a position of authority, she would not have taken such a stance. Finally, in the closing lines of her story, Behn acknowledges that she, "by the reputation of her pen" has the authority to convey such a story. In those innocent six words, Behn not only acknowledges her authority of Oroonoko's story, but her own greatness as author as well.