Olaudah Equiano

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Olaudah Equiano
(1745-1797)
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Olaudah Equiano

• Among the tradition of slave narratives,
  Equiano's is considered a remarkable achievement
  since the autobiographical style was not a
  well-developed genre in the eighteenth century.
• His narrative has vivid and concrete details and
  is written in the picaresque style.
• Equiano also provides a detailed account of his
  kidnapping, his trek through the jungles, his
  arrival at the sea coast, and the arduous
  crossing of the Atlantic in the belly of a slave
  ship.

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Olaudah Equiano

• Kidnapped from his African (Nigeria) village at
  age 11
• Spent some time in the West Indies
• Sold to a Virginia planter
• Bought by a British naval Officer, Captain Pascal

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Olaudah Equiano

• After ten years of enslavement, bought his
  freedom.
• In 1789 at age 44,he wrote and published his
  strongly abolitionist autobiography
• The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah
  Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written
  by Himself
• One of the first works written in English by a
  former slave.
• The book became a bestseller and, as well as
  furthering the anti-slavery cause, made Equiano a
  wealthy man

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Olaudah Equiano
Spiritual autobiography 3-part structure was used
to form the new genre of the slave narrative.

• Slave Narrative
• Slavery
• Escape
• Freedom

• Spiritual Autobiography
• Sin
• Conversion
• Spiritual rebirth

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Olaudah Equiano
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Olaudah Equiano