Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Essay - 1497 Words

Assignment # 1Ââ€" Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano History shows that both Africans and African Americans alike faced unique problems prior to and during the 1800s, particularly prior to 1865. One such problem is the issue of Diaspora and how culture and slavery has affected the choice of religion. It is the purpose of this paper to expose comparatively the extent to which individuals have been influenced by these issues. One such individual is Olaudah Equiano. By following and analyzing some of the key moments of faith in his life, this paper seeks to expose the extent to which the series of controversial dialectical incidents that happen throughout his early life, i.e., his cultural African religious traditions†¦show more content†¦Moreover, despite the universality of belief in a Supreme Being in Africa, formal, church-like worship of God was not widely practiced. This was the world of Olaudah Equiano; but unbeknownst to him, he would soon embark on a passa ge that would dramatically change life as he knew it. Equiano narrates his life from boyhood onwards; he was born in a gold-coast African village, sold into slavery to another village, moved to yet another village as a slave, and finally captured and sold to European slave-owners. He was then renamed by one of his slave masters. After reading the vivid description of his way of life, customs, and religion of his village in his narrative, it is clear that before the influence of Europeans and Christian missionaries, it appears the Ibo religion was a complex synthesis of magic, and nature. Ibo practiced some form of ancestor worship, which held that in order to gain success in this world; one must appease the spirits of the deceased. According to the memoirs from Equiano, the natives believe that there is one Creator of all things, who lives in the sun, is girded round with a belt, and that he may never eat or drink; and according to some, he smokes a pipe and governs the events in their lives, especially deaths or captivity. In addition, they also believe in the transmigration of souls (to a certain degree), circumcision, offerings (including burnt) and feast, and washings andShow MoreRelatedA Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano1246 Words   |  5 PagesCaptivity narratives were popular with readers in both America and the European continent during the era of North and South American discovery and colonization. They related the experiences of whites being enslaved by Native Americans and of Africans being enslaved by whites. Two captivity narratives that were widely read during the time are A Narrative of the Capture and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson by Mary Rowlandson and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah EquianoRead MoreEquiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano1367 Words   |  6 PagesOlaudah Equiano, the author of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano was captured in Africa an d sold into slavery. Later in life, he purchased his freedom and wrote his autobiography in 1789. Equiano experienced hardships beyond imaging in his years as a slave and oftentimes witnessed extensive cruelty by whites towards Africans. Equiano s experience of the Atlantic slave trade and middle passage as we understand it today was typical of a regular captive. The Atlantic slave tradeRead MoreOlaudah Equiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Essay1458 Words   |  6 Pages Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, traveled much of the world encountering a variety of people from different cultures and backgrounds. In Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, the author witnesses how slavery was imbedded in the economic and social values of his day and age, through the experiences of others as well as himself. Having numerous relationships with people of differing religions, socioeconomic statuses, and principles, he developed a uniqueRead Mo reEquiano : The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano987 Words   |  4 Pagesunimaginable in our society. Olaudah Equiano was former enslaved African who wrote an autobiography The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, which he fully goes into great detail about his encounter with slavery. Equiano was born in 1745 in the province of Igbo which is town in the country of Nigeria. Equiano describes his father who was an Embrenche, which is a chief or a respect leader in the community who helped decide conflicts and punished crimes. For instance Equiano recalls that adulteryRead MoreEquiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano Essay1579 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Equiano tries to say that he is just an ordinary person, but this cannot be the case. He survives several ship wrecks, learns to read and write, and is able to buy his freedom. This is far from ordinary and borderline s with extraordinary. As he describes his adventures he starts by telling you a depressing story of how his sister got separated from him. This sets up the reader to know that there is plenty more tragedy toRead MoreThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano1521 Words   |  7 PagesThe novel The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano exists as an extremely important work in the abolitionist movement in England. As an 18th century narrative written by a former black slave the novel provides a glimpse into the lives of the African slaves involved in the slave trade as well as the slave traders themselves. Even with the controversy over the authenticity of Equiano’s claims on his origin in Africa and his subsequent voyage through the Middle Passage, this novel servesRead MoreOlaudah Equiano s Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah1993 Words   |  8 PagesInteresting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is a classical and well known slave Narrative. Olaudah Equiano who also goes by the name of Gustavus Vassa his given name was born in 1745 in a part of Africa that is now known as Nigeria. . Olaudah Equino’s narrative tells the story of his travels as a slave and then as a freeman through the Artic, North and Central America, the West Indies, Europe and Great Britain. This narrative was first published in 1789 and was written by him. When Equiano wasRead MoreThe Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano2195 Words   |  9 PagesLeslie Pena Dr. Short English 2333 Nov. 24, 2014 Olaudah Equiano I chose to do â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano† by Equiano himself, an autobiography written in the seventeenth century. I like how it’s an autobiography and which he writes the important parts of his life. It’s interesting to see how a free African American became a slave at a very young age and to experience everything he had gone through to buy his freedom back. Within every experience he had, there areRead MoreThe Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano1501 Words   |  7 PagesOlaudah Equiano lived anything less than an ordinary life and we see this through his narrative, â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano†. He first captures the reader with the entrancing tale of his childhood. A tale that was soon brought to end when he was kidnapped from his loving family and sold as a slave. Throughout the narrative, Equiano is searching for a family, like the one he lost. This is shown in à ¢â‚¬Å"Filiation to Affiliation: Kinship and Sentiment in Equiano’s InterestingRead MoreThe Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano877 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano,† it discussed the life and hardship of Equiano throughout his life. Equiano was from a small province of Africa called Eboe where they were well mannered and traditional. He grew up in a wealthy and established family with his mother, father, and siblings. During the course of Equiano’s life he had some good and challenging time, but through it all he endured it to the end. Throughout his life Equiano experienced what he feels like to