Into Bondage by Aaron Douglas: An Analysis
Into Bondage, created by Aaron Douglas in 1936, is an abstract depiction of American enslavement of Africans presented in oil on canvas. The piece shows shackled African figures with low-hung heads walking toward slave ships bound towards the Americas toward their future destiny of slavery. The work borders on abstract and realistic, with the African figures appearing as more like silhouettes and the foreground and background in monochromatic coloring featuring abstract, concentric circles and other basic shapes. The piece appears to be focused largely on one particular African man, who stand just to the right of center, looking toward the sky with a solemn look on his face, and stands as the
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only figure in the piece in which a facial expression may be seen. I believe that the piece is depicted in this way, with basic shapes and a monochromatic coloring, to emphasize the isolated and somber feeling of the Africans who were being taken into captive and who knew their unfortunate destiny, which is why I will focus on three content concept ideas in this analysis: historical theme, concentric shapes, and the monochromatic colors ("African American Artists: Collection Highlights"). The content of the piece is historical in theme, based on the African slave trade between African and the Americas in the early part of American history; this sets the context for the piece (Lazzari and Schlesier 92).
Douglas makes it clear via the figures in the image that there was a feeling of oppression, yet hope. Many of the slaves depicted having their heads hanging, though there is one figure who is looking toward the sky at what appears to the a star, possibly the North Star. There is also another male or female figure who is kneeling on the ground with their hands lifted to the sky. Though these figures are shackled, there is a sense of hope that is portrayed in the image in these two …show more content…
figures. Within the image, the concentric shapes help to guide the eye toward the star, which is positioned in the left upper corner (Lazzari and Schlesier 35). It appears to be a light that is projecting out to where the two African slaves are located, illuminating the surrounding trees and the figures. The concentric shapes assist in echoing the hope that is being sensed by the two people, while still being juxtaposed against the melancholy foreground and background. It also stands out because the concentric shapes are set next to square-like shapes throughout. For example, the slaves, trees, leaves, ships, and other figures in the work are painted more like boxes, which allows the artist to emphasize the figures who are looking toward the star in the horizon. The monochromatic colors also break slightly near the star, moving from a grey-blue color to a pink color toward the star.
This enables the star and figures to stand out as well. Another interesting aspect related to the colors, is that the grey-blue color also is broken up by the pink color of the slaves shackles. This is clear that the artist wanted us to see the shackles and be especially aware of the fact that the figures are captive. The standing man looking toward the sky is also standing on a patch of ground that is also the same pink color, allowing the audience to know that he is the key focus of the piece. This enables the eye to be draw directly to this figure upon seeing the piece (Lazzari and Schlesier
44). I believe that Into Bondage is depicted the way that it is, with basic shapes, a monotone coloring, and an focus on a historical theme to cause the audience to think about aspects of African-American history, and the related social issues to these events, in a way that may not always be emphasized through more straightforward interpretations, such as in a history book. The artist used the colors, shapes, and theme to show the viewer that, although the Africans were being placed into bondage, that they had a sense of strength and hope. Too often slaves are depicted as weak and timid, being submissively brought along with another's intentions. However, the piece depicts these individuals as having an inner fortitude, a knowing that this was just a moment in time and that hope was in the "horizon" for them, both literally and also figuratively portrayed in the painting as a star in the horizon. This gave me a new understanding of the African slave trade, as well as of the strength of character of the individuals who experienced these events. Works Cited "African American Artists: Collection Highlights." National Gallery of Art, www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/african-american-artists-collection-highlights.html#slide_4. Lazzari, Margaret R, and Dona Schlesier. Exploring Art: A Global, Thematic Approach. 2016.
In paragraph two, Douglass states “for who is there so cold……? Who so obdurate……? Who so stolid……?” This passage serves to personify the slave’s eternal struggle for survival and creates the impression that the enslaved are humans too. In the fourteenth paragraph, Douglass describes, “to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs…” This vivid imagery serves to contextualize slavery with humanity. America is thus both the best and worst representations of humankind. Douglass therefore creates a self portrait of slavery as America’s evil shadow, sketching it as a terrible
In using descriptions of slave life, ironic situations, and general frankness, Douglass is appealing to the emotions of his audience. Douglass is letting people know of the terrors of slavery by touching their emotions. He gets them motivated by being interesting and then builds upon this by describing his life in simple terms that all humans can relate to.
Color is used to draw attention to important characters and objects in the painting. The red of Mary’s shirt emphasizes her place as the main figure. A bright, yellow cloud floating above the room symbolizes the joy of the angelic figures. De Zurbaran uses warm colors in the foreground. The room, used as the background for the scene, is painted in dark colors utilizing different hues of gray and brown.
The fictionalized portrait he penned in “The Heroic Slave” is similar to the personal experience related in his autobiographical work. Both works illustrate the cruel and inhumane treatment of slaves by their masters. Physical abuse, in the form of beatings and inadequate nourishment, is a common prevalence as was mental abuse, in the forms of derogatory language and the separation of family units. The pursuit of freedom from slavery is a shared theme of these two compositions. Douglass felt his pursuit was best served by an education. Madison used his innate intelligence, bravery and perseverance to secure his freedom. Slavery’s direct conflict with fundamental Christian values is illustrated in several places in each work. Abuse of any kind is oppositional to the Christian values of kindness and charity and the subjects of these works endured many instances of abuse. Douglass’s own eloquence is apparent in “The Heroic Slave” in his word choice. Phrases such as “made merchandise of my body” (B: 1263) and “children of a common Creator” (B: 1272) masterfully articulates the inhumane act of owning other humans. The passage describing how a snake would not “stop to take my blows” (B: 1256) illustrates the further degradation of humanity when mandatory compliance is coupled with the cruelty of physical abuse
Although, In the past African Americans had struggles and didn’t know how to speak and to understand the real truth why they were being treated like slaves. The people who were chained up has the same struggles like the African Americans because they were being held back by something, and being affected by there immediate environment and lacking to seek enlightenment and positivity. What this led is the freedom to the “real world” accepting the way they live and believing that there’s no way
...streated and punished their slaves, and how they used religion as an excuse to legitimize their immoral actions. “Slavery was a most painful situation; and, to understand it, one must experience it, or imagine himself in similar circumstances … then, and not till then, will he fully appreciate the hardships of, and know how to sympathize with, the toil worn and whipped-scarred … slave” (64). Douglass’s own words are meant as a plea for his readers to imagine themselves in his situation he and other slaves endured to better understand the hardships he and other slaves endured (Quarles xi).
The vivid feeling of relief and elation as a result of escaping the clutches of slavery is evident from the analogies and figurative language Douglass uses in the beginning of the passage. Douglass states he struggled to express exactly what significance freedom in the North had on his immediate mental state. However, he manages to use words such as “highest excitement” to present the level of relief he acquired from escaping, giving a connotation of obvious unlimited happiness. He further described such a dynamic feeling to his audience by comparing it to the feeling an “ . . . unarmed mariner [receives] when is rescued by a friendly man-of-war from the pursuit of a pirate.” This analogy not only helps the progression of the description of this relief but it also gives the audience imagery to connect the feeling to. He continued by including a line he previously used in letter to a friend living in New York of feeling as though he escaped “a den of hungry lions”. By including the words “hungry lions” one can see that he is referring to the South, full of slave masters ...
The detail present in the narrative helps convey the tones of liberation and fear. Douglass recalls the “blessedness of freedom,” of not having to wonder if it will be a day of “life or death,” yet he was able to live and “succeed in reach{ing} New York without the slightest interruption.” Attaining freedom was the highest goal for Fredrick Douglass. As a slave each day he would wake up wondering if he would live to see tomorrow, due to his strength he was able to live on and succeed in reaching the safe state. However, once freedom was attained he felt as though he “had escaped a den of hungry lions” with “money loving kidnappers” causing him to “trust no man.” Douglass feels as though he is prey in this free state where kidnappers are awaiting to make some easy money and take him back to slavery.
Douglas described these events in great detail, from the slave masters’ tying their hands together and being hanged, stripping them naked, leaving half their body exposed, but most disturbingly Douglass witnessed and describe the cries and blood dripping to the floor. Revealing the gruesome details from women abused is
Douglass's narrative is, on one surface, intended to show the barbarity and injustice of slavery. However, the underlying argument is that freedom is not simply attained through a physical escape from forced labor, but through a mental liberation from the attitude created by Southern slavery. The slaves of the South were psychologically oppressed by the slaveholders' disrespect for a slave’s family and for their education, as well as by the slaves' acceptance of their own subordination. Additionally, the slaveholders were trapped by a mentality that allowed them to justify behavior towards human beings that would normally not be acceptable. In this manner, both slaveholder and slave are corrupted by slavery.
Of Human Bondage is a great play by Vern Thiessen, based on the novel by W.Somerset.Maugham. I saw this play May 10th 2014 at the Young Center for the Performing Arts in the Marilyn and Charles Bailie Theatre. It was a small theater with three levels. It has a lower level, the main level and the balconies. It had very uncomfortable seats that were very close to the row below and above us, even so it had a very mellow relaxing vibe. The audience consisted of mostly elderly people and middle age men and women. The people that sat behind me were very rude, constantly making obnoxious comments about the play and kicking the seat every ten minutes. The jokes were mostly geared to an older audience but i understood them too.
In existential thought it is often questioned who decides what is right and what is wrong. Our everyday beliefs based on the assumption that not everything we are told may be true. This questioning has given light to the subjective perspective. This means that there is a lack of a singular view that is entirely devoid of predetermined values. These predetermined values are instilled upon society by various sources such as family to the media. On a societal level this has given rise to the philosophy of social hype. The idea of hype lies in society as the valuation of something purely off someone or some group of people valuing it. Hype has become one of the main driving forces behind what society considers to be good art and how successful artists can become while being the main component that leads to a wide spread belief, followed by its integration into subjective views. Its presence in the art world propagates trends, fads, and limits what we find to be good art. Our subjective outlook on art is powered by society’s feedback upon itself. The art world, high and low, is exploited by this social construction. Even when objective critique is the goal subjective remnants can still seep through and influence an opinion. Subjective thought in the art world has been self perpetuated through regulated museums, idolization of the author, and general social construction because of hype.
At first glance, the book “my bondage and my freedom by Frederick Douglass appeared to be extremely dull and frustrating to read. After rereading the book for a second time and paying closer attention to the little details I have realized this is one of the most impressive autobiographies I have read recently. This book possesses one of the most touching stories that I have ever read, and what astonishes me the most about the whole subject is that it's a true story of Douglass' life. “ Douglass does a masterful job of using his own experience to expose the injustice of slavery to the world. As the protagonist he is able to keep the reader interested in himself, and tell the true story of his life. As a narrator he is able to link those experiences to the wider experiences of the nation and all society, exposing the corrupting nature of slavery to the entire nation.”[1] Although this book contributes a great amount of information on the subject of slavery and it is an extremely valuable book, its strengths are overpowered by its flaws. The book is loaded with unnecessary details, flowery metaphors and intense introductory information but this is what makes “My Bondage and My Freedom” unique.
In the poem “One Art” the thesis statement declared in the first stanza, on the first line as “The art of losing isn’t hard to master” also repeating it again in line 6 and 12. The statement is better interpreted as “The skill of losing is not hard to attain”. Bishop speaks in the poem as if she has successfully mastered the skill of losing. She also goes around in circles admitting that the art of losing is not hard to master as if that is what she is making herself believe is true. She is also helping the reader create a habit as the reader reads and repeats the refrain of “The art of losing isn’t hard to master” not to mention the line 4 where she tells the reader to make it a habit to, “Lose something every day”.
In the Autobiography, “Narrative Life of Fredrick Douglas: An American Slave,” Fredrick Douglas writes to show what the life of a slave is like, because from personal experience, he knows. Fredrick Douglas not only shows how his life has been as a slave but shows what it is like to be on the bottom and be mistreated. Douglas shows that freedom isn’t free, and he took the initiative to become a free man. Not many African-Americans had the opportunity to make themselves free and were forced to live a life of disparity and torture. Through his experience Douglas shows us the psychological effects of slavery. Through Douglas’s memory we are able to relive the moments that continued to haunt his life. Douglas’s book showed the true