Consequences Of Olaudah Equiano

Although Olaudah Equiano was not directly involved in American slavery, several aspects of The Life of Olaudah Equiano can be used to understand why the institution lasted so long. A major part of the novel was dedicated to counter one of the major propagating ideas of slavery: the widespread myth that Africans were either not fully human or were of a less developed branch of humanity so enslaving them was moral. Equiano spends the first section of the book

One example of a black individual who was a significant influence on the abolitionist movement was Olaudah Equiano (also known as Gustavus Vassa) a freed slave that spoke about his terrifying life story which helped contribute towards the end of the slave trade. Equiano was born in 1736 and bought his freedom as a slave in 1767. Equiano began his involvement in the abolitionist movement in the 1780’s when he published his best-selling book ‘The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African’ in 1789. At the time, many Britons thought Africans were illiterate but Equiano proved them wrong as he could ‘wield the English language well’ and learnt several skills whilst still a slave. Furthermore, his book

“Let us again face the winds and seas, and swear not, but trust to God, and [H]e will deliver us”. In The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, the narrator displayed himself as being spirituality devoted, though he struggled with his faith throughout his narrative of his journey into slavery, as a slave, and as a freed African. As a boy, Olaudah Equiano was kidnaped from his childhood home and forced into the transatlantic slave trade of the sixteenth century. With the influence of several upstanding Christians in Equiano’s life, he felt that Christianity was the appropriate life path to walk. Throughout his life as a slave and then a free man, Equiano frequently questioned himself and his fellow Christians about what it

"I believe there are few events in my life which have not happened to many; it is true the incidents of it are numerous, and, did I consider myself an European, I might say my sufferings were great; but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favorite of heaven, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life." Olaudah Equiano lived the life as a slave like many black people of the 18th century. He was born free but soon was forced into slavery which took him all around the world. From his accounts he has written down, he shows his life as a slave. Equiano had been bought and sold throughout the Americas and Europe; he showed the

The author, Olaudah Equiano, was born in African Providence of Eboe. Eboe was a small providence of the Kingdom of Benin. Up until 1756, Equiano had never encountered a white individual. In 1756 at the age of 11, Olaudah Equiano and his sister were kidnapped and taken to serve as slaves within Africa. After serving many years as a slave in Africa, he traveled across the continent to the African coast. He was packed into a large vessel with hundreds of other slaves and here his life changing journey out of Africa began.

Olaudah was born in West Africa, in 1745, in the village of the Igbo tribe, where his father was the chief. Recent scholars think that he might of been born in the New World instead of Africa (Foner, page 130 ). When he was 11 he was kidnapped by slave traders along with some of his family. At that point, he was forced into the Atlantic Slave Trade and was considered a slave. He was then sent to Barbados. Still traveling in the slave trade system, he went to Virginia (the English colony where most of the tobacco was grown). From Virginia, Olaudah was sold to a British sea captain. The British sea captain changed his name from Olaudah Equiano, to Gustavus Vassa (one of the many names people gave him in his life). While “Gustavus” was with the sea captain, he was enrolled in an English school where he learned how to read and write, which he used greatly later on is his life. Also, with the sea captain, he started to travel the world.

Olaudah Equiano, the author of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano was captured in Africa and sold into slavery. Later in life, he purchased his freedom and wrote his autobiography in 1789. Equiano experienced hardships beyond imaging in his years as a slave and oftentimes witnessed extensive cruelty by whites towards Africans. Equiano 's experience of the Atlantic slave trade and middle passage as we understand it today was typical of a regular captive. The Atlantic slave trade, more specifically the experience that Equiano had was horrific. The Atlantic slave trade stands as one of the greatest mistreatments towards other humans to have ever happened, for nearly 400 years this occurred. Equiano 's experience however

Another detail that Equiano incorporated within his writing, is the meaning of his name. As he says in the text “I was named Olaudah, which, in our language, signifies vicissitude or fortune also, one favoured, and having a loud voice and well spoken” (Gates Jr. & Smith 121). Equiano was a man who was the youngest born son to village leaders who owned slaves, became a captive of slavery himself, briefly worked in the fields as a slave before following his master overseas and ultimately buying his own freedom. What’s most profound throughout that, is the fact that he used his voice to help others who are stuck where he was able to break free. PBS has an article where

Everyone has traits that enables them to overcome adversity and prevail against all odds, whether it be strength, passion, intelligence or perseverance we all have the capability to achieve and survive the unthinkable. Olaudah Equiano possessed many of these personality traits and much more when it came down to his survival during his enslavement. Not only was he able to survive the harsh and dreadful life as a slave but he was able to achieve great accomplishments as a free black man. Even though Olaudah Equiano believed life for a free black was harder than the life of a slave he used his characteristic traits such as obedience, diligence, honesty, and his businessman mindset to help him navigate and get through such times whereas others did not or could not survive. Equiano used his positive personality traits to his advantage in some ways but most importantly he was genuine in his will to survive and become free.

Throughout the book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Equiano tries to say that he is just an ordinary person, but this cannot be the case. He survives several ship wrecks, learns to read and write, and is able to buy his freedom. This is far from ordinary and borderlines with extraordinary. As he describes his adventures he starts by telling you a depressing story of how his sister got separated from him. This sets up the reader to know that there is plenty more tragedy to come. This is when he gets thrown into a life of slavery. From there he tries to wiggle his way out from the life of a slave and to create his own. Equiano uses anecdotes that he has experienced to prove to his readers that slavery is cruel and unforgiving, such as the time when he was being transported, to the treatment under his masters, and finally even when he was a free man.

The slave trade, yet horrific in it’s inhumanity, became an important aspect of the world’s economy during the eighteenth century. During a time when thousands of Africans were being traded for currency, Olaudah Equiano became one of countless children kidnapped and sold on the black market as a slave. Slavery existed centuries before the birth of Equiano (1745), but strengthened drastically due to an increasing demand for labor in the developing western hemisphere, especially in the Caribbean and Carolinas. Through illogical justification, slave trading became a powerful facet of commerce, regardless of its deliberate mistreatment of human beings by other human beings. Olaudah Equiano was able to overcome this intense

In 1745, Olaudah Equiano was born in Eboe, which is now Nigeria. When he was about eleven years old, he was kidnapped and sold to slave traders heading to the West Indies. Though he spent a short time in the state of Virginia, much of his time in slavery was spent serving the captains of slave ships and British navy vessels. One of his masters, Henry Pascal, the captain of a British trading vessel, gave him the name Gustavas Vassa, which he hardly used throughout his life. Paul Lovejoy, Canada Research Chair in African Diaspora History stated:

Scholars who study The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano; or Gustavus Vassa, the African have long held the debate of which name they should refer to him. As Equiano invokes two names for himself throughout his life in his writings. In the majority of his publications, he refers to himself as Gustavus Vassa, the African or the Ethiopian. However, there were a few pieces in which he referred to himself as Olaudah Equiano, such as his autobiography, and Paul E. Lovejoy attempts to determine which name scholars should use to identify him, why they should use it, and why it matters. He discusses the several other names that were used to refer to Equiano throughout his life as a slave, as his name changed as often as his masters

The narrative by Olaudah Equiano gives an interesting perspective of slavery both within and outside of Africa in the eighteenth century. From these writings we can gain insight into the religion and customs of an African culture. We can also see how developed the system of trade was within Africa, and worldwide by this time. Finally, we hear an insider's view on being enslaved, how slaves were treated in Africa, and what the treatment of African slaves was like at the hands of the Europeans.

In The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings by Olaudah Equiano, Equiano gave interesting descriptions of his and others experience as a slave. He begins his novel by first explaining the place where he grew up, Nigeria, Africa. This part of Africa during that time was very fruitful and rich. Given this location, it can be understood that Equiano came from a family of wealth and power. He was the youngest and most favored of his siblings. Equiano explained the different African traditions and practices, i.e. honoring the dead, arranged marriages, dance ceremonies. Equiano loved Africa and his family but sadly one horrific day, he and his older sister were stolen from their home and later separated from each other. Not only was he