Back in Equiano’s time, many authors used to hide their real identity by the names they choose. Some did not want to have recognition and others may have done so out of fear. I believe that this is what has happened with Mr. Olaudah Equiano; many don't know his real name but just know his story. He received this name in 1960 after his death. He thought this through really well, as he used his African name so that everyone knew he was from Africa. African names had much symbolism for enslaved Africans, they would never use them but would remember them.
Equiano had so many names, all at one time, trying to protect himself from being called out as a slave. His name in Britain was Gustavus Vassa, which had his name in newspapers and much more.
Olaudah Equiano, born in 1745, was a prominent member of the british movement for ending the slave trade and wrote an autobiography entitled, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano”. Equiano 's main purpose within writing this excerpt from chapter two of his autobiography was to convince his audience to support the anti-Slave Trade movement, this is evident in his tone switching by the paragraph, his switch of style from a narrative to rhetorical questioning, and his liberal use of phrases that would create sympathy.
Instead he decided to work hard and buy his own freedom which is what he ended up doing. He faced many hardships at sea, became a Christian, and educated himself. He even became a hair stylist at a time. Even though he went to the remotest spots on the world he was never able to come back to Africa. He died between the times of 1797 and
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.
Equiano is also quite a hypocrite. One who openly fights to end slavery, yet participates in the industry and happily fights wars for the government that he is fighting to stop. The biggest hypocritical aspect of Equiano would be that he assimilates into the culture that traded him as property. I see the natural greed that humans have within themselves that causes him to go against what he believes in and change his ways to try to make a living
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
The Life of Olaudah Equiano focuses on the various scenes to which Equiano or otherwise known as Gustavus Vassa was a witness too. Equiano’s story allows for an in depth perspective of slave trade and the way it functioned. Equiano takes the reader upon his journey as an African Slave beginning with his experiences in his native village, his numerous amounts of masters, cruelties and oppressions across the globe, and all the way to his success as a freeman. Equiano strongly focuses on the fact that almost every event in his life made an impression on his mind and influenced his conduct. Hence, making sense of the importance of his status and growth despite of his roots. Equiano always remained aware of his race and culture however he was in search of a freedom that no matter whom he was told to be his identity of obtaining this as well as soon gaining control of his own life always remained the same.
Throughout the story the protagonist is left nameless. This provides the reader with another question of identity. Without a name to attach to the character, we are left without an identity.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, is a personal autobiography of himself, Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, documenting the hardships of slavery throughout his lifetime. Equiano writes one of the best primary sources from a slave’s perspective and master’s perspective during slavery. Equiano does not hold back on the horrors of what traveling as a slave from West Indies to North America was really like. Olaudah Equiano shares his heart wrenching journey through the brutality of slavery experienced at such young age to him mastering economics and being able to free himself from slavery. Freedom and salvation are reoccurring parallel themes throughout this autobiography. Although Equiano’s story has been questioned
Olaudah Equiano’s “From the Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano” is written with the intent of ending the slave trade and aiding the abolitionists’ movement. His narrative tells his personal story of kidnapping, being sold into slavery and his experience in the middle passage. According to this account Olaudah Equiano grew up in Africa with a large family. He was captured and sold into slavery at age eleven. As an adult he became an opposing voice to slavery. This autobiography was published in Britain, with the help of abolitionists. This gives a purpose to Equiano’s writing and the purpose is shown throughout the text as Equiano tries to expose the evil of the slave trade.
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.
Equiano then travels to America and the West Indies with King Robert. The King allows his friend, Captain Thomas Farmer, to take Equiano as sailor on several of his voyages. On his voyage both King and Farmer accused Equiano of making plan to escape. With time King starts to see trustworthiness and loyalty in Equiano, and promises Equiano money towards his freedom. Equiano makes money by trading goods between ports on the sea. King
Equiano was sold to Michael Pascal, an officer in the Royal Navy, in the summer of 1754. He traveled to England, Holland, Scotland, Gibraltar, Nova Scotia, the Caribbean, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and South Carolina with the Royal Navy. His duty was
In “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano,” it discussed the life and hardship of Equiano throughout his life. Equiano was from a small province of Africa called Eboe where they were well mannered and traditional. He grew up in a wealthy and established family with his mother, father, and siblings. During the course of Equiano’s life he had some good and challenging time, but through it all he endured it to the end. Throughout his life Equiano experienced what he feels like to be free and to be a slave. In the memoir forced, cruel, and child labor was depicted. Slaves in Africa were treated exceptionally well were as slaves in America were treated if they were not human. .Equiano was treated as if he was a part of the family he was sold to until he was sold to a family that treated their slaves poorly. Religion and Equiano determination helped him gain freedom. Also his experience was astonishingly unique.
Of course, there were probably multiple times where he would rather be dead then to live like this, its amazing how he held his head high through all this! All the pain! All the suffering! You can tell he was a very brave and courageous man all together. Olaudah Equiano and only Olaudah Equiano will ever understand what he has been through! When he was free he worked to prove and show that he was a person of his own! He wrote an Autobiography explaining everything he could possibly feel comfortable sharing! In the year 1792 he married a woman by the name of Susanna Cullen, and had two children! On march 31 1797 Equiano died! In 1807 The United States and Britain abolished the slave trade! If only he were here to see this
History shows that both Africans and African Americans alike faced unique problems prior to and during the 1800's, particularly prior to 1865. One such problem is the issue of Diaspora and how culture and slavery has affected the choice of religion. It is the purpose of this paper to expose comparatively the extent to which individuals have been influenced by these issues. One such individual is Olaudah Equiano. By following and analyzing some of the key moments of faith in his life, this paper seeks to expose the extent to which the series of controversial dialectical incidents that happen throughout his early life, i.e., his cultural African religious traditions