Olaudah Equiano

1024 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essays about abolitionist literature

Rough Draft Olaudah Equiano was an individual who overcame a lot of adversity and his writings influenced the perception of African Americans in England forever. He was taken from his home in Africa by slavers when he was young and separated from his family. However, he eventually bought his freedom and moved to England to affect the abolitionist movement there. Even though he had a rough start to his life, Olaudah Equiano rose above the hardships to had a great influence on the abolitionist movement and shed a light on the injustices of the slave trade. Slavery was a huge part of Olaudah’s life and he did his best once he was free to have it abolished in England. He was captured at a young age and moved around with whoever his master was. “He …show more content…

He traveled to England for the first time when he was still a slave. "Equiano departed Virginia with Pascal for England, arriving in England on December 14, 1754” (“Olaudah Equiano” 1). He wrote a novel about his time as a slave and all the injustices of the slave trade. It was a bestseller and it opened the eyes to a lot of English people who did not know about what went on behind the scenes of the slave trade. He published it in 1789 and it was called “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vasa, the African.” Also he worked for a group that returned slaves to Africa but he was fired after only working there for a couple of months because of his disagreements with the leader of the group who was British. Also, at one point he urged the Queen and Parliament to end slavery in England and he said, “Your Majesty’s well known benevolence and humanity emboldens me to approach your royal presence… I supplicate… for millions of my African countrymen, who groan under the lash of tyranny in the West Indies.” (O’Neale 5). His impassioned speeches and persuasive writings were a huge part of how slavery was outlawed in

Show More
Related

  • Slavery John Barabot Summary

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are few things as brutal as the history of the institution of slavery. In his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African, the aforementioned Olaudah Equiano describes the experience of his entrance into slavery.

    Read More

  • The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

    1532 Words  | 4 Pages

    The novel The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano exists as an extremely important work in the abolitionist movement in England. As an 18th century narrative written by a former black slave, the novel provides a glimpse into the lives of the African slaves involved in the slave trade as well as the slave traders themselves. Even with the controversy over the authenticity of Equiano’s claims on his origin in Africa and his subsequent voyage through the Middle Passage, this novel serves as a powerfully instructive piece of literature. Throughout the novel, Equiano strives to impress upon the reader a certain set of moral standards or ideals that he desires to instruct the reader about. One such moral ideal that is prevalent throughout the entirety of the novel is Equiano’s construction of the idea of the value and worth of the African slaves, as opposed to the view of the African slaves as simply commodities or objects to be purchased and traded.

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano

    1309 Words  | 3 Pages

    Olaudah Equiano (Gustavus Vassa) was kidnapped from his African village at the age of eleven, shipped through the arduous "Middle Passage" of the Atlantic Ocean, seasoned in the West Indies and sold to a Virginia planter. He was later bought by a British naval Officer, Captain Pascal, as a present for his cousins in London. After ten years of enslavement throughout the North American continent, where he assisted his merchant slave master and worked as a seaman, Equiano bought his freedom. At the age of forty four he wrote and published his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written by Himself, which he registered at Stationer's Hall, London, in 1789. More than two centuries later, this work is recognized not only as one of the first works written in English by a former slave, but perhaps more important as the paradigm of the slave narrative, a new literary genre.

    Read More

  • Essay On Olaudah Equiano

    707 Words  | 2 Pages

    Olaudah Equiano claims that his sister and him were kidnapped in Africa and brought to the colonies at the

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano

    1124 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1745, Olaudah Equiano was born in a small village in Isseke,Nigeria. His father was one of the chiefs in the village. At age eleven Equiano and his sister were kidnapped by two men and a woman never to see his home or parents again. After being kidnapped he was hiked across part of Africa untill he arrived at the coast where he was loaded onto a slave ship. While crossing the Atlantic to Barbados onboard the slave ship he and his countrymen were subject to horrors you could hardly imagine. Equiano tells about the horrors and torture slaves face not only on the slave ship but also on plantations and many other aspects of a slave's life. Equiano experienced almost all parts of a slave's existence. He was a slave throughout Africa, England, and the New World. Equiano is bought and sold several times. Religion also played a huge role in Equiano's life and I think that it helped him get through some really hard times. He is bought by a British Naval officer and serves in the British Navy during the Seven Years' War. He is then sold to Robert King where he begins trading goods between islands and eventually makes enough money to buy his freedom. Equiano tells of the joy he feels when he becomes a free man. The rest of his life is devoted to helping slaves and to the cause of abolishing slavery.

    Read More

  • Olouadah Equiano

    2225 Words  | 5 Pages

    Keith Sandiford, author of Measuring the Moment, eloquently made the claim for Equiano's Interesting Narrative as a reliable documentary source. Sandiford writes, "Throughout the narrative, [Equiano] makes a conscious effort to delineate the principal incidents and experiences of his life as faithful memory would allow and to appraise his conduct with honest judgement and sober reflection" (119). To me this is how Equiano embarks on making his narrative credible:

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano and his Role in the Abolition of Slavery in Africa

    665 Words  | 2 Pages

    After the publishing of his narrative, the final years of Equiano’s life were extremely successful for an African of the eighteenth century. With the popularity of his autobiography growing, Equiano led an abolition campaign throughout Great Britain. He traveled the country endorsing his book as well as advocating anti-slavery. Equiano married Susanna Cullen in 1792, and the two would eventually have two daughters (Carey). Equiano eventually benefited financially from his book and was able to provide his daughters with generous inheritances. Equiano eventually died in 1797 in London, England (Williamson). Although he would perish before anything was accomplished in the anti-slavery movement in Great Britain or the United States, Equiano and his autobiography played a pivotal role in the abolition of slavery in these two countries.

    Read More

  • The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

    1336 Words  | 3 Pages

    Religion, more specifically, Christianity can be seen throughout The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Religion plays a major role in Equiano’s remarkable journey; that of which can be seen through his personal experiences. Religion plays a significant role in his Narrative and his life overall as he undergoes a spiritual rebirth. This narrative shapes Equiano’s physical move from slavery to freedom and also his journey from sin to salvation.

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    Racial adversity has proven very difficult to overcome, even in today’s society. Olaudah Equiano used his economic intelligence to provide him with the power to accumulate wealth and buy his freedom. Equiano knew he was dealt an uneasy hand of cards at life, but he played them as skillfully and intelligently as he could, with bare instincts. He took advantage of the situations that he was forced into and was able to win his hand at the game of slavery, for he found a way to manipulate the system that opposed him, and used it to his advantage.

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano Essay

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    Obviously they are not the same positives or opportunities that a free white man might receive but they were slightly better than the suffering that came from being an abused slaved. There were rare slave owners that allowed for some of their slaves to have a sense of ‘freedom’ or equality. For example, Mr. King one of Olaudah’s masters gave him more freedom throughout his time there. Which gives Olaudah several opportunities to buy his freedom. The hope brings out a lot about his character, his determination and work ethic shine through, in turn these are desirable traits that slave owners were looking for. Meaning Olaudah was passed around several masters and majority of them were indicating that he could buy out his freedom, unfortunately, they were lying and Olaudah was sold to the others. The negatives of Olaudah’s life also provides him the chance to ponder the ‘happier times’. For instance, back in his original village he discussed their religion, customs and his family. He seemed to have fairly peaceful memories of them. The optimist view that Olaudah has for his future, is inspiring. He finds friendship with Richard Baker, and even begins to become affectionate towards some of the kinder masters and crew mates he had. A trait that makes him a significant face in abolishing slavery. He saw that there could be a brighter future, especially if you worked hard and treated people

    Read More

  • The Injustice Upon African Americans Slaves

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    Slavery was a practice throughout the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, and through slavery, African-American slaves helped build the economic foundation of which America stands upon today, but this development only occurred with the sacrifice of the blood, sweat, and tears from the slaves that had been pushed into exhaustion by the slave masters. A narrative noting a lifetime of this history was the book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African written by Olaudah Equiano. Equiano was a prominent African involved in the British movement for the abolition of the slave trade. He was captured and enslaved as a child in his home town of Essaka in what is now known as south eastern Nigeria, later he was shipped to the West Indies, he then moved to England, and eventually purchased his freedom (Equiano). Olaudah Equiano, with many other millions of slaves, faced many hardships and was treated with inconceivable injustices by white slave masters and because of the severity of these cruel and barbarous occurrences, history will never forget these events.

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Speech

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    Instead of convincing American citizens from around the country that slavery was America’s largest injustice, he now was persuading people in the government and people who were originally anti-slavery, that black men should have equal citizenship and the right to vote. His change in audience is another reason that the abolitionist voice changed beginning in the mid 1860’s. The harsh and passionate rhetoric he was using to condemn slavery may not have been so effective or persuasive to politicians. Therefore, it was in his best interest to change the approach he originally was making.

    Read More

  • Freedom: To the African American Slave

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Olaudah Equiano was not an American born slave. He was born and raised well into his childhood in Africa with his family. His slave narrative, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustav Vassa, the African, published in New York in 1791 however, had a lasting impact on America as it described the inhumane treatment of Africans being sold into slavery (Baym 1: 687). Equiano’s initial concept of freedom stemmed from his childhood of which he speaks very fondly, describing his homeland as a “nation of dancers, musicians and poets,” a...

    Read More

  • Summary Of Olaundah Equiano

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    He was strongly attached to his mother and clenched to her as much as possible. His father obtained many slaves himself, but treated them like an equal part of the family. Equiano lived a common life in African society, until one day his destiny took an unexpected turn for the worst and life would never be the same. At the tender age of 11 Olaundah

    Read More

  • Persuasive Arguements in The Life of Olaudah Equiano

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    "The Life of Olaudah Equiano” is a captivating story in which Equiano, the author, reflects on his life from becoming a slave to a freeman during the 19th century. Through his experiences and writing, Equiano paints a vivid picture of the atrocities and cruelties of European slavery. Ultimately through his narrative, Equiano intends to persuade his audience, the British government, to abolish the Atlantic slave trade as well as alert them of the harsh treatment of slaves. He successfully accomplishes his goal by subtly making arguments through the use of character, action, and setting.

    Read More

More about Olaudah Equiano

Open Document