Olaudah Equiano Essay

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In the 17th century, Olaudah Equiano had written his fascinating autobiography, “The Life of Gustavus Vassa” after his freedom was accomplished in life. It’s an intricate glance on how slavery was ran by the opposing race. This autobiography tremendously helped the criticism against slavery, in which later impacted the 18th century. The Atlantic voyage was quite the life changing moment of Gustavus. Gustavus was a made up name Olaudah Equiano used on his journey to the new world. Gustavus’s emotions immediately were put into play when he boarded his first slave ship. He had been told he entered a world of bad spirits in which later his life would be taken. These white evil humans had long hair and spoken a language that wasn’t familiar to Gustavus. He saw a group of black people chained together being treated horribly in which lead him to think, “I no longer doubted of my fate, I had felt motionless on board and then fainted”. Later, he was put under the decks and greeted with an oder he will never forget, which lead him to become ill and not accept the eatables the men offered him. His consequences was, being laid down; tied by the feet, held by the hands and whipped several times. At that point all he can think of was him being back to his former slavery routine instead of his present situation. There had been an incident that the whites even attacked and abused their own people which lead him to think that they were the most cruel people on this planet. Jumping off the side of the ship was a huge consideration in his state of mind. Some of the slaves did but one was rescued and tortured for choosing death over slavery. (Fordham) The tools such as the quadrant was viewed as magic to the blacks. The life under the decks was miserable, from the smell to the claustrophobic atmosphere took many slave’s lives away. As they approached the new world to the island of Barbadoes, merchants and planters separated the slaves and examined them. As he set foot on soil he viewed this new world in astonishment, houses built with bricks and people on horsebacks. This sealed the thought of the whites being magical. Slaves were put into a yard in which the buyers came to make their selection. Many friends and families were separated at this time which made this situation an emotional one. (Fordham) As an employed slave, you witnessed violent cruelties where some situations female abuse was something that couldn’t be helped but to just to be viewed. Another horrific story was a negro escaping from his owner then later captured and his leg being cut
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