Olaudah Equiano
OVERVIEW
Olaudah Equiano: every slavery abolitionist, history teacher, and civil rights advocate knows this name. Others may recognize him as Gustavus Vassa. Both names contain a great amount of integrity and justice. Olaudah Equiano's life consisted of being sold into slavery, moving throughout the slave trade, and ultimately gaining freedom in 1766. [7] He wrote one of the first slave narratives, giving the rest of the world an insight into this terrible cycle of slavery. His autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, impacted the antislavery movement with a force only matched by Fredrick Douglass. [6] His desire and passion for the abolition of slavery fueled his writing and the events of his life.
BIOGRAPHY
Olaudah's life began in 1745 in a village of the Ibo people along the Niger River in present-day Essaka, Nigeria. [6] He was born to a prominent village leader, of whom the village thought Equiano would proceed. However, his life changed when he and his sister were kidnapped from their home when he was 11 years old. [7] To their worst nightmare, the two siblings were separated shortly after their abduction. Olaudah was sold to British slavers, who carried him even farther from home, toward the sea, and ultimately to the Americas via the infamous Middle Passage. [8] He was first transported to Barbados, in the West Indies, and then to Virginia, where he worked on a plantation. [7] Equiano was then purchased by a British Royal Navy officer, Michael Pascal, who named him Gustavus Vassa after a Swedish king. Under Pascal's authority, Equiano was taught by a family friend the Christian way of salvation. Pascal taught Equiano naval training, which later helped him buy his freedom from a Quaker slave owner, Robert King. [7] After his emancipation, Equiano traveled back to London and worked as a free servant, a french horn musician, and a barber. [6]
Although his Nigerian family had slaves of their own, Equiano felt very strongly against slavery. His opposition fueled his campaign for the abolition of slavery, in which he became fully engaged in 1777. In the mid-1780's, Equiano became involved in resettling poor freed blacks. His heart-wrenching story won him a spot as one of the most well known abolitionist orators. [7] He finally documented his story on paper, and in 1789, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African hit the markets.
Shortly after publishing his autobiography, Equiano married an Englishwoman from Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, Susanna Cullen. Their interracial marriage was yet another intriguing aspect of Equiano's life that quickly spread via newspapers. They raised two daughters, Anna Maria and Joanna. [7] Equiano passed away in 1979 at age 52 of uncertain causes, leaving behind a legacy of passion, desire, and drive. [6]
LITERARY CAREER
Equiano's literary career did not begin until his peers convinced him to write his story on paper, which he did in 1789 in London. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African was received so well that Equiano ran out of his 700 copies and had to offer subscriptions to help pay for reprints. [7] His autobiography was an instant top-seller in England, and it was soon translated into Dutch and German, and published in North America. [7] Throughout the next five years, the book went through "eight more editions, and it was reprinted on several occasions in the United States during the pre-Civil War era." [6] The Interesting Narrative was aided in publication by British abolitionists Hannah More, Josiah Wedgwood, and John Wesley. [3] The goal of this narrative was to bring attention to the slave trade and ultimately abolish slavery in Britain, which didn't happen until 1833, 36 years after Equiano's death.
LITERARY STYLE AND INFLUENCES
Equiano is often referred to as the creator of the slave narrative. [3] His autobiography stands out from the others because no one had ever written firsthand accounts of slavery or the slave trade. And even though Equiano writes in his book, "when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a particular favorite of Heaven," [6] we, who have no firsthand knowledge of the terrors of slavery, feel guilt and pity for Equiano. The Narrative is also unique in that it speaks of slavery via the sea. Normally, if anyone wrote about slavery, it always contained accounts on land. Equiano was brave enough to face the challenges of the sea, portraying it as more than just a barrier between African Americans and their homelands. [1] The ironic part is that Equiano ended up making a living on the sea-- what used to be his worst nightmare turned into his livelihood and acquaintance. Another unique element to his autobiography is the comparison of his slavery, escape, and freedom to the sin, conversion, and spiritual rebirth of a Christian's life. [2] This literary comparison is known as a spiritual autobiography. Equiano may have been inspired by the spiritual autobiographies of St. Augustine and John Bunyan while writing his own.
Some other potential inspirations of Equiano are the writings of Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift, who wrote about traveling and the rise from "rags to riches." [2] In his narrative, Equaino recalls reading primitivistic literature like that of Anthony Benezet, a Quaker antislavery author. However, Equiano's writing features "primitivistic idealism and realistic detail." [2] He never offers a sense of pity or shame for his African culture, but he is also not naive to the evil activities occurring in his home country. He writes in chapter two of his narrative, "I still look back with pleasure on the first scenes of my life, though that pleasure has been for the most part mingled with sorrow." [6]
Equinao wrote his book during the Enlightenment, which also had a large impact on his writings and ideals. During the Enlightenment, Europeans challenged traditional ideals and encouraged change to improve human life and society. [4] Equiano heavily applied the vocabulary and ideals of the Enlightenment in his autobiography, believing that "sentiment link(s) all human beings and thus provides a basis for universal claims to human rights." [6] Equiano pushed for Europeans to think of slavery in a new light of disgust and abhorrence rather than acceptance and complacency. Equiano writes in exquisite English language for being a slave, something also unique to his style of writing.
THEMATIC CONCERNS
The overarching theme of Equiano's work is to bring people's attention to the unseen, horrific side of slavery; he wishes to "solicit the indulgent attention of the public." [6] If he can use his background experiences to trigger his audience's pathos, his audience may be more moved to support the abolishing of slavery. Equiano also uses pathos to emphasize the importance of family, as he was separated from his early on in his life. He goes into great detail about his family early on in his autobiography, describing his "dear sister" and, when they were abducted, taking comfort in "being in one another's arms all that night, and bathing each other with our tears." [6]
LEGACY
Although Equiano makes it very clear in chapter one of his narrative that he was not searching out the praise of his audience, [6] praise is what he received. As previously stated, his autobiography was an instant hit. The hundreds of copies filtrated throughout Europe and the United States, bringing a fresh insight of the slave trade wherever it was read. As an unnamed newspaper reported stated, Equiano was "well known in England as the champion and advocate for procuring a suppression of the Slave Trade." [5] And although Equiano never got to see slavery end in Great Britain, the British Parliament ended up passing the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which officially ended all slave trade in the British Empire. [7] The work of abolitionists (Equiano included) finally paid off.
Critics of Equiano often debate whether his birthplace was actually Africa. Some say that certain documents suggest he was born in South Carolina, and his writings are simply taken from experiences he heard while in slavery. Byrcchan Carey lists the possibilities from both sides of the debate, but the bottom line is that we really can't prove or disprove his birthplace. We may just have to take Equiano's word and focus on the impact he had on abolishing the slave trade rather than his birthplace.
Some critics also view Equiano's writing as hypocritical. Rambler backs up this claim by pointing out Equiano's desire to conform to a European male. More specifically, Rambler says, "his eagerness to adopt European custom over his own, and supplicate himself to any number of slavers, is problematic at best."
LIST OF WORKS
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African (1789)
EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERESTING NARRATIVE
"...I thought I could plainly trace the hand of God, without whose permission a sparrow cannot fall. I began to raise my fear from man to Him alone, and to call daily on His holy name with fear and reverence: and I trust He heard my supplications, and graciously condescended to answer me according to His Holy Word, and to implant the seeds of piety in me, even one of the meanest of His creatures." (88)
"But is not the slave trade entirely a war with the heart of man? And surely that which is begun by breaking down the barriers of virtue involves in its continuance destruction to every principle, and buries all sentiments in ruin!" (110)
"Hitherto I had thought only slavery dreadful; but the state of a free negro appeared to me now equally so at least, and in some respects even worse, for they live in constant alarm for their liberty; and even this is but nominal, for they are universally insulted and plundered without the possibility of redress; for such is the equity of the West Indian laws, that no free negro's evidence will be admitted in their courts of justice. In this situation is it surprising that slaves, when mildly treated, should prefer even the misery of slavery to such a mockery of freedom?" (122)
"Accordingly he signed the manumission that day; so that, before night, I who had been a slave in the morning, trembling at the will of another, was became my own master, and completely free. I thought this was the happiest day I had ever experienced..." (136-37)
"I was sensible of the invisible hand of God, which guided and protected me when in truth I knew it not: still the Lord pursued me although I slighted and disregarded it; this mercy melted me down. When I considered my poor wretched state I wept, seeing what a great debtor I was to sovereign free grace. Now the Ethiopian was willing to be saved by Jesus Christ, the sinner's only surety, and also to rely on none other person or thing for salvation." (191)
FURTHER READING
A newspaper advertisement for The Interesting Narrative: http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/advert.htm
An illustrated biography of Olaudah Equiano: http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/biog.htm
Full PDF of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African:
https://wwnorton.com/college/history/america-essential-learning/docs/OEquiano-Autobiography-1789.pdf
WORKS CITED
[1] Brown, Matthew D. “OLAUDAH EQUIANO AND THE SAILOR’S TELEGRAPH: The Interesting Narrative and the Source of Black Abolitionism.” Callaloo 36.1 (2013): 191,201,219. ProQuest. Web. 21 Sep. 2017.
[2] Costanzo, Angelo, editor. “Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797).” Georgetown University, faculty.georgetown.edu/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/vassa.html. Accessed 19 Sept. 2017.
[3] The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, editor. “Olaudah Equiano: Abolitionist and Writer.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 July 1998, www.britannica.com/biography/Olaudah-Equiano. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
[4] History.com Staff. “Enlightenment.” History.com, A+E Networks, 2009, www.history.com/topics/enlightenment. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017.
[5] Hochschild, Adam. “The Interesting Narrative.” Slate, Slate Group, 3 June 2015, www.slate.com/articles/life/the_history_of_american_slavery/2015/06/olaudah_equiano_s_autobiography_the_most_successful_political_book_tour.html. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017.
[6] Levine, Robert S., editor. Beginnings to 1820. 9th ed., Norton. The Norton Anthology of American Literature.
[7] “Olaudah Equiano.” Contemporary Black Biography, vol. 78, Gale, 2010. Biography in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1606004617/BIC1?u=peor81815&xid=428c407d. Accessed 17 Sept. 2017.
[8] “Olaudah Equiano.” Africans in America, PBS, www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p276.html. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.
[9] Rambler. “Olaudah Equiano: Uncle Tom or Joseph.” Literary Ramblings, 27 Feb. 2015, www.literaryramblings.com/httpwww-literaryramblings-comolaudah_equiano_uncle_tom_or_joseph. Accessed 21 Sept. 2017.
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