Olauda Equiano Research Paper

In conclusion, Olaudah Equiano’s experiences of as a slave in the New World and knowledge of slavery in Africa proved that the institution varied depending on the people. In fact, the origins, development and facilitation of slave trade was of great economic benefit to the parties involved but inhumane acts such as slave trade led to their decline and finally their

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano was written by Olaudah Equiano in 1789, twenty three years after he was allowed to buy his freedom. This document, as a primary source, autobiography and persuasive piece, is able to reveal that slavery rips children from their families and tears families apart. Equiano tells about his life before slavery, and he also reveals that life as a slave was full of unpredicted turns. This is important piece of trying to understand slavery because it tells us about how straining it is to have to live without knowing what the future holds.

After surviving their horrendous voyage across the Atlantic, both Equiano and Cuguano experience what it was to sold in a Salve market. Oladuah Equiano arrive in Barbados, after several days they were corral into a yard were at the beat of the drum saw a rush of buyers come to inspect them. He was then sent to Virginia were his name was change to Joseph, and one of his first task was to fan his new master while slept. At his master house’s he was notice by a Lieutenant of the Royal Navy named Michael Henry Pascal and he purchase him for at least thirty pounds. His new name became Gustavus Vassa. He was treated fairly by his new master. He learned how to be a sailor and travel all over the world even Antarctica. Pascal sent his to attend to

Olaudah Equiano’s journey, although seemingly terrible, may have changed his life for the better. He is sold as a slave at a young age, and remains a slave for several years, until he is able to purchasing his freedom. His experiences shape him into the man he is, and give him credibility when speaking about slavery.

“ The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” is a slave narrative that describes the experiences of one African slave’s capture and enslavement. In this story Olaudah is a young African boy who is captured and put on a slave ship to be traded in another country. This story reveals multiple human traits, some are good and some are bad. The human traits that were most displayable in the story is fear, disgust ,and cruelty.

Olaudah Equiano, known by many other names such as, Gustavas Vassa, Jacob, and Michael was kidnapped from his family, home, and childhood at an early age and was sold into slavery. Equiano never knew what to expect from day to day, as his circumstances were always changing. During his captivity and slavery there were times he longed for death to come for him and thought of being in Heaven as a comfort. However, his captivity was not all bad, as he learned how to speak English, read and write, and how to become a successful merchant. Equiano later chose to write about his ordeal in his work titled, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, written by Himself”.

This introduction belongs to the most influential works of Britain’s Abolitionist movement: The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano. This autobiography brought the atrocities of the slave trade to life as Equiano described his kidnapping, service in the Royal Navy as a slave, the abuses and violence he witnessed and experienced in the Caribbean, and finally his coming to Christianity and freedom. This brief biography examines Equiano’s life to discern fact from fiction and probes his significance in the British Abolitionist movement.

As the most influential black American author of his time, in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, Olaudah Equiano illuminated for the masses many of the inhumanities and atrocities associated with the slave trade that previously had been known only to those more intimately involved with it and began an entire new genre known as the slave narrative. Part of the success of Equiano’s narrative must be ascribed to the familiar themes of capture, captivity, and restoration that he experienced and many had read in one of the many “captivity narratives” that were so popular in early Colonial times. One such captivity narrative that has many similarities to Equiano’s slave

Equiano was around 12 when he initially touched base in England. For part of that time he remained at Blackheath in London with the Guerin family. It is here that Equiano learnt how to read and write and to do arigmetrics. The book started with an appeal addressed to Parliament, expressing that the reason for his book is to incite sentiments of empathy for his comrades who have been whipped by the abhorrence’s of the slave exchange. While Equiano excessively endured, he now is appreciative, making it impossible to have picked up information of Christianity and of the country of Britain, which nevertheless finished with his abolitionist letter to the Queen. The a huge number of individuals who read Equiano's book, or heard him talk, began to see subjection through the eyes of a previous subjugated African. It was a critical book that made a crucial commitment to the abolitionists' motivation. Since the book's story was valid, it sparked readers' sympathy more than an address in government would have done. Numerous other individuals, however, endeavored to give occasion to feel qualms about Equiano's character, contending that he was conceived in the West Indies, not in

The Life of Olaudah Equiano, as any quintessential slave narrative does, features the life of an ex-slave and illustrates his road to freedom. Equiano, however, is unique in how it gives us insight into African culture as experienced by Equiano in his home country. Equiano displays, as the narrative develops, conflicting ideas about the culture he came from as opposed to that of the Europeans, which he eventually identifies with when he considers himself to be a British citizen. One may think this makes him a traitor to his race, and it is possible that, in reading the autobiography, one may observe what seems to be two different voices from Equiano.

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by himself was a greatly influential work during the romantic period with writers such as William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge sharing Olaudah’s abolitionist ideas, in the hope for freedom amongst all men despite race or creed, Equiano’s narrative was amongst particularly influential works written by Afro-Britons during this time period, his work being preceded by the likes of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw's A Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of...an African Prince, as Related by Himself ; Phillis Wheatley’s poems and John Marrant’s A Narrative of the Lord’s Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant, A Black. Although all

The issue of black slavery has been a thorny issue in the American society for so many years. The history of black slavery dates back to the time after the United States attained its independence and continued until just before the American civil war. Black slavery was made possible by the American constitution that made it legal for the white people to own black slaves. Slave trade ensured a constant supply of slaves from the African continent with the most affected part being West Africa. Hence, a great number of black people got to the United States of America to serve as slaves in farms owned by the white people. The whole process of black slavery has since caused a lot of things to happen in the United States of America (Koger 56). The desperate situations that the black slaves encountered have since been recorded by historians and writers. Many books have been written on the experiences of the black slaves in the United States of America. Some of the books shall be discussed in this paper. These ones reveal the fundamental dimensions of the issue of black slavery.

Slavery in Anglo-America, the British West Indies and the United States, endured for hundreds of years. However, as time progressed, economic, and social realities gradually decreased the feasibility of the institution. Examining Michael Craton’s book, Testing the Chains, and other resources, we are able to see that although outright rebellion and violence were sometimes used by slaves, religion, politics, and anti-slavery propaganda, also worked to slacken the chains, leading to complete emancipation. While it would be perverse to say that the slaves freed themselves without help, as there is no doubt that whites played a large role, it is true that the perseverance of the black spirit ultimately resulted in freedom. Therefore, it can be concluded that it is through unrelenting counter-hegemony that the slaves freed themselves.

In Olaudah Equiano’s narrative, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, he publishes it with a European name in the title. Before he begins his story he pens a message to readers and signs “My lords and gentlemen, your most obedient, and devoted servant, Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa.” This shows that although he received freedom from enslavement, Equiano still saw himself as a servant and signs his message with two names as if he had a spilt personality, the African man, and the Negropean servant-man. Unlike Albert, Equiano wrote his own narrative, and one theme he discusses in it is names (Equiano, 30). Equiano being captured from Africa, provides readers with accurate representations of his perspective of Africa. In his narrative he states “our children were named from some event, some circumstance, or fancied foreboding at the time of their birth. I was named Olaudah, which, in our language, signifies vicissitude or fortune also, one favoured, and having a loud voice and well spoken.” (pg. 30-31). In this quotation, Equiano is discussing the rich cultural practices in Africa, when it came to naming. Equiano’s narrative offers some great insight to Africa before his village was invaded, the journey through the middle passage, and the harsh realities of

“Where ever there was slavery, there was resistance” (University of the West Indies 86). Before the arrival of the first African slave ship, until the expansion of Maroon communities and the birth of Creolized Africans, slaves have resisted and resented the hostile confinements of slavery. The harsh realities of slavery left many enslaved persons feeling maladjusted to