Olaudah Research Paper

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

"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

Equiano’s rhetorical devices which include ethos, pathos, and logos abet to define and accomplish his rhetorical purpose. His ethos, or ethical assurance, is conveyed in his level of education portrayed by his sentence structure and high diction. Furthermore, as proven in historical documents, Equiano was a slave aboard one of the many slave ships. With this, the reader can accredit Equiano’s narrative to be a reliable and first-hand source to the journey of the “Middle Passage.”

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.

Within the 17th century time period, the many slaves that were captured and forced to succumb to the enduring and arduous labor in plantations, often times integrated into European culture. However, Olaudah Equiano not only adopted European lifestyles, but fully embraced himself in this new found culture, essentially abandoning his values that he inherited from his African origin. Equiano’s newly found passion for the European religion allowed Equiano to become a different man, one who accomplished the almost impossible for a slave, freedom. His motivation, God, allowed himself to strive to accomplish more with his life, but at what cost? Consequently, at times it seemed as if religion blinded Equiano from seeking justice for his fellow slaves. Although an effort was implemented, Equiano still failed to convince the Queen of abolishing the slave trade. Ultimately, Equiano’s journey through cultural assimilation lead him to overpower and drown out his roots and at times showed his hypocrisy, when partaking in the commerce of the slave trade.

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.

Equiano moved back to England where he played an important part in the movement to end slavery and the slave trade. Equiano worked with Granville Sharp which was known as a British abolitionist. Equiano tried to help a former slave named John Annis. John Annis had been taken back by his previous owner in 1773. Christianity became his religion. But the narrative version of his book completely dismisses this

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

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.

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 wanted to provide his readers with hope no matter how dark their situation by showing them through his eyes the despair he endured and overcame.

Life for Equiano was an emotional roller coaster. He was overwhelmed by turmoil and rejoice as he was separated and reunited with his family, anguish from constant voyages from master to master, satisfied regardless of his particular situation with regard to slavery, and most importantly determined to elucidate society as to what life as a slave was like. Equiano’s experience on African soil was filled with pleasantries and hardships while his experiences on American soil was Equiano’s opportunity for religion and education. Slave owners in Africa were far more accustomed to African ways of life in contrast to the slave owners in America, and although his voyage on the middle passage into European territories left him culture shocked and disgusted with European treatment of slaves, eventually he adjusted to European customs and way of life in America.

Equiano’s initial experience in travelling takes him as unwilling participant into the slave trade. Having grown to the age of 11 in one culture in a singular space, he was very secure in his identity; this first thrust into a new space, one that is purposely hostile, creates anxiety that is only soften because he is sold closer to home. The gradual progression to the coast and ultimately onto a slave ship gives him time to face harsher truths in the West Indies. His Transatlantic journey takes him to Barbados, which he

In Olaudah Equiano’s life there were three ways a person became a slave. Either by one 's tribe losing a battle against another, and being forced to serve them, committing a horrendous crime, or being abducted by kidnappers, and purely sold for weaponry or money. Equiano’s journey through his life as a slave, started as just that, by being kidnapped. At a young age Equiano