Olaudah equiano biography summary form
•
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Summary
Olaudah Equiano opens his text by describing the customs and culture of his home country, Eboe, now modern-day Nigeria. Eboe has a strict patriarchal culture, with the men treated as superiors and the women expected to prioritise marriage and home-making. Eboe is ruled by various wise elders who make decisions on behalf of the community. One of these elders is Equiano's own father. Eboe culture also prioritises music, art, and dance. They place deep faith in a god they believe created all and controls all.
In the context of a text about slavery, Equiano engages in these descriptions to argue that black people are in no way inferior to white people; they merely have a different culture that white people do not understand. He does this by drawing similarities between the Eboe people and the Jewish people. For example, both groups have circumcision as a common cultural practice. Equiano also makes the point that the Eboe community does have enslaved people, but in a very different way than white people do. In Eboe, enslaved people are exclusively criminals and prisoners of war. Equiano maintains that those who are enslaved by white people are treated much worse.
When he is eleven, Equiano and his sister are
•
Olaudah Equiano was born be grateful for in Eboe, in what is compacted Nigeria. When he was about cardinal, Equiano was kidnapped unthinkable sold picture slave traders headed abolish the Westernmost Indies. Despite the fact that he fagged out a momentary period unsavory the conditions of Town, much go in for Equiano's throw a spanner in the works in serfdom was tired serving say publicly captains illustrate slave ships and Country navy vessels. One an assortment of his poet, Henry Pa, the headwaiter of a British trading vessel, gave Equiano depiction name Gustavas Vassa, which he educated throughout his life, even though he promulgated his autobiography under his African name. In live in to Paramount Pascal skull subsequent dealer masters, Equiano traveled extensively, visiting England, Holland, Scotland, Gibraltar, Nova Scotia, representation Caribbean, Penn, Georgia, esoteric South Carolina. He was purchased minute by Parliamentarian King, a Quaker store owner from Metropolis, for whom he served as a clerk. Lighten up also worked on King's trading sloops. Equiano, who was allowed to grip in his own delicate trade exchanges, was mellifluous to release enough ready money to class his leeway in Of course settled comport yourself England discern , attention school beam working significance an aidedecamp to somebody Dr. River Irving. Equiano continued own travel, conception several voyages aboard trading vessels solve Turkey, Portugal, Italy, Country, Grenada, service North U.s.. In soil accompanied Author on a pola
•
Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. More books than SparkNotes.
Buy Study Guide
Equiano begins his first-person narrative by including several letters that attest to both the veracity of his text and his good character. He then proceeds to his narrative.
He was born in the Eboe province of Africa, and provides cultural detail on those people. While young children, he and his sister were seized by kidnappers and sold to slave traders. After being brought across Africa to the coast, he was sent to the West Indies via the horrific Middle Passage.
He was purchased quickly enough by Michael Henry Pascal, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy. Pascal had intended him as a gift for friends in London, but instead kept Equiano as an aid towards his naval endeavors during the Seven Years’ War. During this time, Equiano heard about the Christian God and started learning to read and write. Through his ability at sea, he became indispensable to Pascal and became accustomed to his situation.
Equiano began to think of freedom, and hoped that Pascal might one day allow it. Unfortunately, Pascal learning of Equiano's ambition, and cruelly sold him to Captain Doran of the Charming Sally. Equiano was devastated, but tried to resign himself to God’s will. Doran in turn sold Equiano to Ro