The Narrative Of Olaudah Equiano - 1123 Words

Andrew Parrill Christopher McBride LITR220 July 2, 2017 Does It Matter Where Olaudah Equiano Was Born? The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, by Olaudah Equiano, can be described as one of the most successful literary prose written by an African-American up to the start of the Civil War. Autobiographies were not considered a form genre in the literary field at the time it was published in 1789 and few books that had been produced in America gave such garish, solid and adventurous narratives. Equiano s narrative was well known because it contained spiritual components and sparked the reader’s curiosity in the scope of the lives of dignitaries that Equiano encountered in his†¦show more content†¦Nineteenth-century readers were acquainted with this form and approached slave narratives with predetermined anticipation. Readers of the Eighteenth-century had approached Equiano s narrative without these preconceived expectations and therefore read it in the context of a more customary literature depicting abolition. Literature of this type typically consisted of tracts, pamphlets and factual books and also made up of poems, novels and plays. Since readers were mostly accustomed to hearing general truths about slavery and the slave trade entrenched within fictional narratives rather than certain and certifiable accounts of history, it is debatable whether or not they wouldn t have cared very much about whether the details of Equiano s story contained a particularized truth when the book clearly dramatized what was typically true for many slaves. It has been argued that his writings resemble the writings of other American and European authors yet is well known in the literary field that it is not unusual for autobiographers to refer to both their own notes and personal journals as well as the writings of others in ord er to recreate vague memories of their past. Why should Equiano be any different than other autobiographers in that instance? By looking at the ways in which The Interesting Narrative negotiatesShow MoreRelatedThe Narrative Of Olaudah Equiano1701 Words   |  7 PagesThe 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 brutalityRead MoreA Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano1246 Words   |  5 PagesCaptivity narratives were popular with readers in both America and the European continent during the era of North and South American discovery and colonization. They related the experiences of whites being enslaved by Native Americans and of Africans being e nslaved by whites. Two captivity narratives that were widely read during the time are A Narrative of the Capture and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson by Mary Rowlandson and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah EquianoRead MoreEquiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano1367 Words   |  6 PagesOlaudah 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 tradeRead MoreOlaudah Equiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Essay1458 Words   |  6 Pages Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, traveled much of the world encountering a variety of people from different cultures and backgrounds. In Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, the author witnesses how slavery was imbedded in the economic and social values of his day and age, through the experiences of others as well as himself. Having numerous relationships with people of differing religions, socioeconomic statuses, and principles, he developed a uniqueRead MoreEquiano : The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano987 Words   |  4 Pagesunimaginable in our society. Olaudah Equiano was former enslaved African who wrote an autobiography The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, which he fully goes into great detail about his encounter with slavery. Equiano was born in 1745 in the province of Igbo which is town in the country of Nigeria. Equiano describes his father who was an Embrenche, which is a chief or a respect leader in the community who helped decide conflicts and punished crimes. For instance Equiano recalls that adulteryRead MoreEquiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano Essay1579 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout 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 toRead MoreOlaudah Equiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah1993 Words   |  8 PagesInteresting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is a classical and well known slave Narrative. Olaudah Equiano who also goes by the name of Gustavus Vassa his given name was born in 1745 in a part of Africa that is now known as Nigeria. . Olaudah E quino’s narrative tells the story of his travels as a slave and then as a freeman through the Artic, North and Central America, the West Indies, Europe and Great Britain. This narrative was first published in 1789 and was written by him. When Equiano wasRead MoreEquiano s From The Interesting Narrative Of Olaudah Equiano980 Words   |  4 PagesOlaudah Equiano’s â€Å"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 publishedRead MoreOlaudah Equiano s Narrative Of Slavery1061 Words   |  5 PagesOlaudah Equiano was one of the most famous black men in the history of slavery who was fortunate enough to purchase his own freedom. In addition, Equiano becomes extremely popular by writing his first slave narrative in 1789. In his autobiography named The interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano he emphasized various aspects of slavery throughout the entire book. In the narrative, he establishes his perspective about himself, God and Slavery. He was definably a man of motivation forRead MoreThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano1521 Words   |  7 PagesThe 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