Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797)

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.

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 Kidnapped from his African village at age 11 and shipped through the arduous "Middle Passage" of the Atlantic Ocean. Spent some time in the West Indies and was then sold to a Virginia planter. He was later bought by a British naval Officer, Captain Pascal, as a present for his cousins in London.

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 After ten years of enslavement throughout the North American continent, where he assisted his merchant slave master and worked as a seaman, Equiano bought his freedom. At the age of forty four he wrote and published his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written by Himself, which he registered at Stationer's Hall, London, in 1789. More than two centuries later, this work is recognized not only as one of the first works written in English by a former slave, but perhaps more important as the paradigm of the slave narrative, a new literary genre.

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 spiritual autobiography was used in the formation of the new genre of slave narrative literature, mainly the three-part structure of slavery, escape, and freedom that corresponds to the spiritual autobiography's three parts that describe the life of sin, conversion, and spiritual rebirth.

Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano Map of Equiano’s travels