African Slave Trade -- Equiano\'s

African Slave Trade -- Equiano's Travels:

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

How are the views and opinions against the institution of slavery linked to the Age of Reason, also known as the Age of Enlightenment? Thesis: Olaudah Equiano's book offers dramatic, first-hand proof of how inhumane and morally decadent the slave trade was, and because Equiano's level of scholarship and literary sophistication was impressive and deep, it led to a higher level of acceptance among educated people, in particular those involved in the antislavery movement during the Enlightenment.

Equiano's Book and the Enlightenment

Equiano was among the most influential -- and interesting -- men of African ethnicity that was alive in the late 18th century, and hence what he wrote in his brilliantly crafted yet straight forward book was well read, widely reviewed, thoroughly discussed in the context of an Enlightened society, and indeed opened the door for him to earn a good living and make a strong impression in society. The reputation he earned is due to the fact that his writing described the horror of slavery and made an impression that way. But the book goes much further than merely describing the pathos and horror of being uprooted from his native culture into slavery. In his book he also embraces important features of 18th century seamanship -- the pivotal skills within that form of transportation -- along with 18th century education, publishing, being a black man in a culture of whiteness, religion, and of course slavery in that era. He was a man who -- while escaping the dreaded brutality of slavery -- earned a decent living, quite in contrast to what an average black man could expect to earn. Because of the fact that he was former slave that battled his way out of bondage, his work was inspiring to those who wished to rid the world of the ugly slave trade. On page 121 Equiano is earning his way back to London from Montserrat and first of all is delighted to bid "…adieu to the sound of the cruel whip and all the other dreadful instruments of torture" and to say farewell to "the offensive sight of the violated chastity of the sable females." Secondly he was thrilled to be paid upon arrival in London: "I never had earned seven guineas so quick in my life before… thirty-seven guineas in all" (Equiano, p. 121).

Educated and enlightened Englanders and Europeans could hardly help but be profoundly stirred by reading accounts of the brutal realities of slavery and the slave trade by Equiano, because he presented the details so poignantly, yet simply, and believable. It was not uncommon for slaves at St. Kitt's in the West Indies to be "branded with the initial letters of their master's name, and a load of iron hooks hung about their necks," Equiano explains (p. 68). There were "instruments of torture" as well including "The iron muzzle, thumbscrews… [and] I have seen a negro beaten till some of his bones were broken for even letting a pot boil over" (Equiano, p. 68). On page 69 Equiano recounts having seen "…acts of violence on the poor, wretched, and helpless females, whom I have seen for hours stand crying to no purpose and get no redress or pay of any kind." The author asks his reader: "Is not this one common and crying sin enough to bring down God's judgment on the islands?" (p. 69).

Equiano's book was well received and made a profound impression on those scholars and other literate members of Enlightened European society -- including those citizens, teachers, activists, scholars and lawyers involved in antislavery movements -- in large part because of the eloquence of his cultural descriptions. For example, here is a man whose colorful, uniquely African culture -- the Igbo culture -- was flourishing prior to Equiano being ripped away from the delights of his people. "We are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets," he wrote on page 3 of his book. When the Igbo warriors return from a triumphant battle "or other cause of public rejoicing" the members of his culture engage in "public dances" that are divided into four divisions (Equiano, p. 3). The first division consists of men; married women make up the second division; the third division is "young men" and "maidens" are seen in the fourth (Equiano, p. 4). To Europeans who thought all African native cultures were simplistic and barbaric, the dances that Equiano describes certainly must have stirred creative interest because the dances reflected "some interesting scene of real life" such as "some rural sport" and they were accompanied with "many musical instruments" (Equiano, p. 4).

The way in which Equiano employs religious values into his book is also very effective and no doubt made a powerful impression on readers -- not necessarily scholars and intellectuals but also average people with spiritual backgrounds and beliefs -- which, of course, gave some momentum to the antislavery movement. On pages 69-70, after reviewing some of the brutal cruelty visited upon slaves in the West Indies, Equiano wonders why, since "He" (God) has told the world (through the Holy Bible) that He has both the "oppressor and the oppressed" in His hands, he doesn't work his spiritual magic and change the dynamics to favor the oppressed. In the New Testament's Beatitudes Jesus Christ made a point of saying, "Blessed are the meek" for they will "inherit the Earth." In other words, the underdog and the oppressed would be received into the Kingdom of God. Referring to the pour souls in slavery, Equiano writes: "…if these are not the poor, the broken-hearted, the blind, the captive, the bruised, which our Saviour speaks of, who are they?" (Equiano, p. 70).