The
Abolition of the Slave Trade
The
Interesting Narrative of The life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The
African,
Written by Himself, was originally published in 1794, eleven years before the
Atlantic Slave Trade was abolished in Britain in 1807 (Slave Trade, Atlantic).
Olaudah Equiano’s narrative is, specifically, a memoir of his life. His narrative discusses the point of view of
an African man as property in the slave trade. He began originally, publishing a
letter, addressing “The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Common of the
Parliament of Great Britain” (Equiano).
This is his way of informing them of his experiences while partaking as
a member of the slave trade. Throughout his memoir, he places focus on very
specific incidences that would be deemed horrific by most, in relationship to
large chunks of his life. While writing, he uses such detail that even the
uninformed could follow what he was trying to convey. Olaudah Equiano assumes the
Lords of the British Parliament are ignorant to the treatment and life of
Africans who are subjugated to the slave trade and who have no intentions on
putting a stop to it. He hopes the
writing and the sharing of the most personal form of narrative would help to
convince them to abolish it.
First, we must ask ourselves, why a memoir? According to Jerry Waxler with the Memory Writers Network, there are a number of positive reasons to write a memoir. First of which is that “By writing about your life, you form a connection with those who read your words.” In the Case of Olaudah Equiano, this would have been his number one reasons for writing a narrative. He wanted his words to enlighten the previous unaware Parliament, and persuade them to call for the abolition of the slave trade. Through writing a memoir, he was able to include vivid examples of the pain and suffering he endured while being a prisoner of the slave trade, forming a connection with the members of parliament from his words and experiences to their lives. Secondly Waxler proclaims, “Writing about your life lets you share ideas and lessons. Your knowledge and wisdom can help others grow along with you.” For Olaudah Equiano, this would be the number two reason and purpose for writing a memoir. Many times knowledge is wisdom. So in addition to choosing to write a memoir because it was personal, the hope was to provide insight and knowledge, thus wisdom to those that read them. By sharing real life experience and the lifelong effects of a prisoner in the slave trade, his hope was to appeal to their level of humanity and persuade them to abolish the slave trade based on empathy for the fellow human being. He was a subtle activist, one that wanted to get his point across and obtain his goal without violence, rather through the sharing of his own experiences and drawing on human empathy and sympathy through knowledge and wisdom. The hope was by sharing these experiences and his firsthand knowledge of what happens in the life of a slave, they would have the wisdom to make a wise decision and abolish slavery.
In the beginning of his memoir, the letter addressed to “The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Common of the Parliament of Great Britain,” Equiano says, “…the chief design of which is to excite in your August assemblies a sense of compassion for the miseries which the Slave trade has entailed on my unfortunate countrymen” (Equiano 7). By saying this, Equiano is inferring that it is his job to inform them, and to instill a sense of remorse and a urgent need for change, whereas without him and his words, they would have never considered the idea of abolishing the slave trade. Equiano then goes on to say, “Inspire your hearts with peculiar benevolence on that important day when the question of abolition is to be discussed, in consequence of your determination, are to look for happiness or misery!” (Equiano 7). Through this quote, Equiano is suggesting that when the day comes to decide whether or not slavery should be abolished, they should abolish it.
He then goes on to introduce himself, his community, and his background to the reader. Although, he addresses the narrative to Parliament, it was read by many throughout Britain, and other European countries. While describing where he is from, Equiano says “that part of Africa, known by the name of Guinea, to which the trade for slaves is carried on, extends along the coast about 3400 miles, from the Senegal to Angola, and includes a variety of kingdoms” (Equiano 20). In the event, the Parliament was well informed on the activities of their slave traders, Equiano wouldn’t have needed to include this information in his memoir. A more simple explanation of where the slave trade was taking place would have sufficed. However, Equiano assumed they were ignorant to what was going on, and to how many it affected, how large of an area of the population was partaking in the slavery. He assumed that they only cared that the economy was benefitting from slave trade and that it was the most important thing at the time. Therefore he included details like these, to help them understand more clearly his narrative. He went on to explain detail of the time he was taken on the slave ship, by saying “I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life… I became so sick and low I was not able to eat” (Equiano 39). “I have seen some of these poor African prisoners cut for attempting to [jump over board while chained up], and hourly whipped for not eating” (Equiano 39). By assuming his audience is uneducated on the conditions of the prisoners on the slave ship, Equiano vividly reflects on some memories of his own. Through these quotes you can see Equiano is very detailed with his descriptions of basic ideas, attempting to share as many details as needed for them to visualize the harsh conditions and treatment of human beings.
Equiano’s overall goal for writing his memoir was to advocate for the abolition of the slave trade. In his opening letter he expresses his reasons for writing this narrative, and that it was to educate the Parliament on the horrid details, in hopes of obtaining his goal. At the end of his narrative he writes a single letter specifically addressed to the Queen. At which time, he expresses, “so shall your majesty enjoy the heart-felt pleasure of procuring happiness to millions, and be rewarded in the grateful prayers themselves and of their posterity” (Equiano 175).
Olaudah Equiano intended to advocate for the abolition of the slave trade through informing the ignorant British parliament of the treatment and lives of those Africans who were taken as prisoners for the slave trade. He would do this by writing the most personal, connective, true to life accounting of these events as possible. The goal was to impose wisdom and appeal to the human emotions of empathy from those that may have lacked the knowledge to make sensible and reasonable decisions for the African people. Equiano’s memoir, along with a petition from several slaves in the West Indies around this time (Equiano 175) became the basis for the eventual abolition of trade slavery, which came in 1807.
First, we must ask ourselves, why a memoir? According to Jerry Waxler with the Memory Writers Network, there are a number of positive reasons to write a memoir. First of which is that “By writing about your life, you form a connection with those who read your words.” In the Case of Olaudah Equiano, this would have been his number one reasons for writing a narrative. He wanted his words to enlighten the previous unaware Parliament, and persuade them to call for the abolition of the slave trade. Through writing a memoir, he was able to include vivid examples of the pain and suffering he endured while being a prisoner of the slave trade, forming a connection with the members of parliament from his words and experiences to their lives. Secondly Waxler proclaims, “Writing about your life lets you share ideas and lessons. Your knowledge and wisdom can help others grow along with you.” For Olaudah Equiano, this would be the number two reason and purpose for writing a memoir. Many times knowledge is wisdom. So in addition to choosing to write a memoir because it was personal, the hope was to provide insight and knowledge, thus wisdom to those that read them. By sharing real life experience and the lifelong effects of a prisoner in the slave trade, his hope was to appeal to their level of humanity and persuade them to abolish the slave trade based on empathy for the fellow human being. He was a subtle activist, one that wanted to get his point across and obtain his goal without violence, rather through the sharing of his own experiences and drawing on human empathy and sympathy through knowledge and wisdom. The hope was by sharing these experiences and his firsthand knowledge of what happens in the life of a slave, they would have the wisdom to make a wise decision and abolish slavery.
In the beginning of his memoir, the letter addressed to “The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Common of the Parliament of Great Britain,” Equiano says, “…the chief design of which is to excite in your August assemblies a sense of compassion for the miseries which the Slave trade has entailed on my unfortunate countrymen” (Equiano 7). By saying this, Equiano is inferring that it is his job to inform them, and to instill a sense of remorse and a urgent need for change, whereas without him and his words, they would have never considered the idea of abolishing the slave trade. Equiano then goes on to say, “Inspire your hearts with peculiar benevolence on that important day when the question of abolition is to be discussed, in consequence of your determination, are to look for happiness or misery!” (Equiano 7). Through this quote, Equiano is suggesting that when the day comes to decide whether or not slavery should be abolished, they should abolish it.
He then goes on to introduce himself, his community, and his background to the reader. Although, he addresses the narrative to Parliament, it was read by many throughout Britain, and other European countries. While describing where he is from, Equiano says “that part of Africa, known by the name of Guinea, to which the trade for slaves is carried on, extends along the coast about 3400 miles, from the Senegal to Angola, and includes a variety of kingdoms” (Equiano 20). In the event, the Parliament was well informed on the activities of their slave traders, Equiano wouldn’t have needed to include this information in his memoir. A more simple explanation of where the slave trade was taking place would have sufficed. However, Equiano assumed they were ignorant to what was going on, and to how many it affected, how large of an area of the population was partaking in the slavery. He assumed that they only cared that the economy was benefitting from slave trade and that it was the most important thing at the time. Therefore he included details like these, to help them understand more clearly his narrative. He went on to explain detail of the time he was taken on the slave ship, by saying “I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life… I became so sick and low I was not able to eat” (Equiano 39). “I have seen some of these poor African prisoners cut for attempting to [jump over board while chained up], and hourly whipped for not eating” (Equiano 39). By assuming his audience is uneducated on the conditions of the prisoners on the slave ship, Equiano vividly reflects on some memories of his own. Through these quotes you can see Equiano is very detailed with his descriptions of basic ideas, attempting to share as many details as needed for them to visualize the harsh conditions and treatment of human beings.
Equiano’s overall goal for writing his memoir was to advocate for the abolition of the slave trade. In his opening letter he expresses his reasons for writing this narrative, and that it was to educate the Parliament on the horrid details, in hopes of obtaining his goal. At the end of his narrative he writes a single letter specifically addressed to the Queen. At which time, he expresses, “so shall your majesty enjoy the heart-felt pleasure of procuring happiness to millions, and be rewarded in the grateful prayers themselves and of their posterity” (Equiano 175).
Olaudah Equiano intended to advocate for the abolition of the slave trade through informing the ignorant British parliament of the treatment and lives of those Africans who were taken as prisoners for the slave trade. He would do this by writing the most personal, connective, true to life accounting of these events as possible. The goal was to impose wisdom and appeal to the human emotions of empathy from those that may have lacked the knowledge to make sensible and reasonable decisions for the African people. Equiano’s memoir, along with a petition from several slaves in the West Indies around this time (Equiano 175) became the basis for the eventual abolition of trade slavery, which came in 1807.
Works Cited
Equiano, Olaudah, and
Werner Sollors. The
Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the
African Written by Himself. New York: Norton, 2001. N. pag. Print.
"Slave Trade, Atlantic." Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. N.p.: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Credo Reference. 12 Jan. 2009. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <http://ezproxy.marymountcalifornia.edu/login?qurl=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abcbramrle/slave_trade_atlantic/0>.
Waxler, Jerry. "Memory Writers Network." Memory Writers Network. WordPress, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/ten-reasons-boomers-should-write-their-memoir/.
"Slave Trade, Atlantic." Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History. N.p.: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Credo Reference. 12 Jan. 2009. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. <http://ezproxy.marymountcalifornia.edu/login?qurl=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abcbramrle/slave_trade_atlantic/0>.
Waxler, Jerry. "Memory Writers Network." Memory Writers Network. WordPress, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014. http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/ten-reasons-boomers-should-write-their-memoir/.
Primary Source
Equiano, Olaudah, and
Werner Sollors. The
Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the
African Written by Himself. New York: Norton, 2001. N. pag. Print. In this
print, Olaudah Equiano tells a story of his own experience of the slave trade
during the 1700’s. Through writing this memoirs, he is wishing to inform the
parliament of Britain, of the horrifying conditions and actions Africans were
made to endure during the trade. He tells his life’s tale, from the time he was
a small child, through his capture, and induction in to the slave trade, along
with his experiences once arriving in America. By informing the British
parliament of the treatment of himself, and others along with him, he is trying
to gain support, and understanding that will put a stop to the slave trade.
Maya Angelou, in association with the Museum of the African Diaspora, presents an excerpt from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African. In this excerpt Equiano describes his first experience aboard a slave ship.
Professor Nenni, explains the details and importance of Olaudah Equiano's narrative from a literature perspective. He touches on the importance of his narrative being a biography, and some details of his life per the book.
Kimberly Polcari: 30 April 2014: HIS101:Western Traditions II