Equiano Flashcards
Who wrote ‘The Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself’ in 1789?
Olaudah Equiano
Verified disputed claim that blacks could write
What was ‘The Life of Olaudah Equiano’ considered to be in the 1700s?
The most influential African American work of prose
Prototype of slave narrative
What did Equiano claim about his birthplace?
That he was born in Nigeria among the Ibo people, kidnapped at 11 to be sold as a slave
Questioned since baptism record shows him born in the Carolinas
What did Equiano testify to in his book?
Atrocities of the Middle Passage
How did Equiano use his African origins in his narrative?
To establish credibility & moral authority, stressing that Africans were not spiritually nor socially backward
Challenges European ethnocentrism & sense of superiority
What desires did the individual express?
Desires to be a Christian missionary to Africa and to end the African slave trade
Combining Christianity and abolitionism, individual and social aims, spiritual and secular approach, influence on 1800s abolitionist literature
What happened to the individual after being sold to various masters?
Purchased his freedom at 21 from his final Philadelphia Quaker merchant master, launched his own business career, had various jobs in England, went on an expedition to the North Pole, settled in London, and took up relief work and colonization efforts in Africa
What did the individual do after the publication of his Life?
Traveled extensively to promote it, prospered as an English gentleman, married an Englishwoman, never returned to Africa, which raises questions about his origins
What did the individual emphasize in terms of conversion to Christianity?
Conversion to Christianity, but stressed freedom as the top priority
What did the individual’s writing style emphasize?
High ideals communicated in everyday language, leading to successful publication history with 17 editions between 1789-1827 and translations into various languages
