Olaudah Equiano Analysis

“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 narrative of Olaudah Equiano is truly a magnificent one. Not only does the reader get to see the world through Equiano's own personal experiences, we get to read a major autobiography that combined the form of a slave narrative with that of a spiritual conversion autobiography. Religion may be viewed as at the heart of the matter in Equiano's long, remarkable journey. Through Equiano's own experiences, the reader uncovers just how massive a role religion played in the part of his Narrative and in that of his own life. More specifically, we learn of how his religious conversion meant a type of freedom as momentous as his own independence from slavery. As one reads

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.

If it were not for the stories past down from generation to generation or the documentations in historical books, the history of the twelve million African slaves that traveled the “Middle Passage” in miserable conditions would not exist. Olaudah Equiano contributes to this horrid history with The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Through this narrative, the appalling personal experience of each slave is depicted. He accomplishes his rhetorical purpose of informing the world of the slave experience in this narrative. His use of unique style and rhetorical devices in this conveying narrative portray his imperative rhetorical purpose.

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

In Olaudah Equiano narrative discusses the many obstacles, struggles which he has to overcome for his path to freedom. Equiano had many difficult problems in his life which many people have taken a special role in. I will discuss about the countless people that had both positive and negative impact in Equiano’s life. Equiano’s life was not an easy one, I will argue despite the many obstacles that came across his life he always remained strong which is why he was able to gain his freedom. I will discuss the major transitions that were made in in his. The unexpected journeys that came in his life and changed it entirely.

In the Bible, the book of Hebrews states, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” (King James Bible, Hebrews. 11.1).The spiritual tones of “things hoped for”, plays a significant role throughout Olaudah Equiano autobiography, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano OR, Gustavus Vassa, The African”. His narrative was originally published in 1789 and went through a series of revisions throughout his lifetime, finally becoming a bestseller. Equiano’s treasured writings, depicts his personal accounts from childhood, holding the status of an African aristocrat in Benin West Africa, to being kidnapped and forced into slavery in the infamous Middle Passage slave trade. While slavery attempts to divest Equiano of his hope for freedom, his narrative asserts that spirituality and literary works produce its own liberty and identity in the world.

Equiano’s luck soon shifted when he was once again kidnapped and sold as a slave, this time he would have to endure the notoriously dreadful journey across the sea to America. Knowing that this was a pivotal point in his life and that he would become a gudgeon to the harshness of slavery, Equiano attempted to prepare himself for what lay ahead. However, the sight of the inhumane acts he witnessed on the African coast, while being transported, were new to Equiano and instilled fear into his consciousness.

When looking at a full version of Olaudah Equiano’s Narrative, the reader is immediately presented with an image of Equiano holding a Bible open to Acts. Equiano later explains his religious beliefs in chapter 10 of the Narrative. This has often been interpreted as a plot for Equiano to gain the trust of readers, who at this point in time placed high value in religion, however Professor Eileen Elrod views this as interpretation as dismissal of Equiano’s Christianity as a result of assimilation to the Western world. Elrod notes, “if we take the facile view that he is simply using religion to manipulate readers, or we see him as simply

Olaudah Equiano was a righteous man who was stolen from his home as a child, and made into a slave. Through Equiano’s time as a slave he endured many hardships and made many friends who he would never see again due to death, or the slave trade. Equiano made a memoir to show readers what it was like to be a slave, and to show his hardship through his own eyes without showing himself as someone who is looking for compassion or compensation of any kind. I believe Equiano just had a story to tell to let out all of the misery, and chaos he had held in for many years. This reading response is focused on Equiano’s transition from having a normal life to becoming a slave.

Like Douglass, another famous slave narrator is Olaudah Equiano. He is often considered the second most important narrator after Douglass (Baym 687). Equiano too learned to read and write on his own, and bought his freedom. His narrative helps people to understand the extreme brutality of slavery in the past. While talking about his sister, Equiano once states, “I commit the care of your innocence and virtues, if they have not . . . fallen victims to the violence of the African trader, the pestilential stench of a Guinea ship, the seasoning in the European colonies, or the lash and lust of a brutal and unrelenting overseer” (Equiano 693). This statement gives us an idea about the issues of sex trafficking during Equiano’s period. Equiano mentions

It is recognized in history that Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, was a well-known African slave who was freed and who eventually supported the British movement to end the slave trade. He wrote an autobiography explaining his experiences as an African slave in the hopes that it may help others understand the trials and tribulations slaves constantly underwent. This autobiography allowed the readers and listeners to see slavery through the eyes of a former enslaved African. In 1789, when The Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African was published, Equiano was aware that one of the most powerful arguments he could make against slavery was his own story. So he published it, and his newly found faith in God allowed him to continue fighting through slavery and eventually for the abolition. People who read his book or heard him speak were able to see slavery through the eyes of a former enslaved African. This story made a major impact in the campaign against slavery.

Slave narratives, written by slaves, reveal the harsh treatment slaves experienced, in order to, persuade the end of slavery. My favorite slave narrative and writer is, Olaudah Equiano because his narrative provides an analysis of the treatment slaves experience and witness. Reading From The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, describes a typical slave who faces challenges while being separated from his family, but also has an opportunity most slaves don`t have which is, the ability to purchase his freedom. Equiano embodies the self of a slave, who doesn't have the freedom to create his own identity. Equiano also embodies the belief, that God will determine whether he will retrieve his freedom. I will first begin with Equiano, and then incorporate two other authors that support these topics.

The interesting narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano depicts African slaves as being treated as property but in his case, he gained experience from his time as a slave. Despite the horrible experience of slavery Equiano was able to gain something positive from being a slave, which might be completely overshadowed by all the negative parts of slavery. He had the opportunity to learn European customs, to travel to Europe and see the development of the culture and economics behind slavery, and to bridge the gap between societies between Christianity and other ideas popular at the time. He was able to learn from the Europeans around him, which has shaped Equiano into the person he became.