Olaudah Equiano

Paper Summary:

This paper is on slavery in the 18th century as illustrated in the autobiography of the slave, Olaudah Equiano. It explains how this was the first autobiography by a slave and was first published in 1789. The book tells us about the country he was captured from and also about the horrors and cruelties he had to bear because of his enslavement in the West Indies.

From the Paper:

"From his famous autobiography, written in 1789,we learn that Olaudah Equiano was born in 1745 in Nigeria. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery when he was only eleven years old. He was bought by a captain in the Royal Navy, and later sold to a Quaker merchant. It was through his second master he learnt about trading and saving that eventually led to his emancipation. As a seaman, he traveled around the world, from the Mediterranean all the way to the North Pole. It was after moving to London, that he became so closely involved in the movement to end the slave trade, and also motivated him to write and publish The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African. The book was an instant bestseller proved to be highly persuasive in ending slavery. This book was written nearly thirty years after he was emancipated from slavery."

More papers on Olaudah Equiano:

• Essay # 86445 : "'The Life of Olaudah Equiano'"
• Comparison Essay # 137642 : "Comparison of Two Articles on The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African, Written by Himself"
• Book Review # 122987 : "Olaudah Equiano - An Autobiography"
• Book Review # 113679 : "Slavery and the "Life of Olaudah Equiano"

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