Olaudah Equiano was an abolitionist author who had a large fortune when he passed away in 1797. The latter act is what made him one of the first Black abolitionists in history. Equiano’s autobiography was an adventure tale reminiscent Robinson Crusoe. Equiano’s talent for storytelling made it clear to critics that the book was of the moment. The narrative was also a “strongly-political act” that pleaded for the abolition slavery. Equiano conveyed this message in four different ways. He used his autobiography as a way to challenge the notion of black inferiority. He also incorporated religion to appeal to his religious readers. Equiano used the character he created to prove that Africans weren’t inferior because of the color of their skin. To understand the novel, it is necessary to consider its historical context. In antebellum South America and the minds primarily of Anglo-Saxons who read the book, the subhumanity and animalistic character of Blacks were a major justification for slavery. Equiano’s public involvement in the slavery issue was prompted by the accusation that “free blacks are nothing but slaves and thieves”, according to one scholar (Equiano). Equiano used several studies to demonstrate that “complexities of the very same person can vary depending on the climate” in order to achieve this. He hoped the fact that these “complexities” varied would “remove” the prejudices some hold against African natives due their skin tone (56). In his novel, he stressed this point several times. “Understanding is not limited by color or features” (56). He also said slaves were “ignorant about [the European] languages, religions, manners, customs and ways” but were kept uneducated as “no pain was taken to educate them” (56). The alleged Black moral inferiority was attributed to slavery’s misguided teachings. In presenting himself as an intelligent, benevolent gentleman and businessman who was a good speaker, he challenged the notion that Blacks were uncivilized. Equiano’s arguments are obvious today, but they were controversial in his time. They were effective. Equiano does not directly address color prejudice in his story, but the novel depicts him as being equal to whites in terms of intellect and etiquette. Equiano’s narrative will likely dispel any doubts people may have had about the ability of a Black male to be successful. Equiano made a powerful argument against slavery using religion. Equiano would have been aware that religious belief was a major factor in nineteenth-century politics. Many historians think that Equiano had a ambiguous relationship with his faith. They say that he exaggerated Christianity to try to appeal religious readers or use religion as social criticism (Elrod). Equiano certainly used his faith to argue that slave practices violated both basic human and “divine” rights. In order to be relatable to the devout Christian readership, Equiano first portrayed himself a moral man who was pious, introspective and even baptized. He then said that slaves’ cruel and inhumane treatment was “unchristian”. He also claimed Black presence on earth was a result of God, saying: “God has carved it in ebony.” Invoking numerous bible verses, he claims abolitionists or slave sympathizers would be rewarded for holding Christian views. He said “the Lord’s blessings [would] be on the head of all those that commiserated against the oppressed Negroes”. Equiano used religion to justify the end of slavery. This was brave, considering his opponents were trying to do just the opposite. Traditionalists have also claimed that Abraham, in the Bible, had slaves. The idea that slavery wasn’t christian was sure to be rebuffed by many. And because the debate is subjective, it can be difficult for either side to prove their case. Equiano appeals strongly to religious sentiments, which would make his argument more compelling to his sympathetic and devout readership. It is not a good idea to use religion as a support for an argument in today’s society, but Equaino lived during his time and his religious arguments were worthy of serious consideration. Equino’s argument that slavery is economically illogical was cleverly placed at the end of the narrative to be remembered by readers. He claimed that abolishing slavery would open up new markets for consumers and would generate financial profits. Equiano urged British leaders to pay attention to his demands. He claimed that abolition of slavery would allow Africa’s populace to regenerate. Equiano thought the African population (and slaves who were freed) would provide a massive consumer base that would benefit Britain’s industry. Equiano believed that Africa was a potential trading partner of Britain. He reminded his readers “the continent (is) nearly twice the size of Europe, and [is] rich in minerals and vegetables” (212). Equiano may have been logical in his arguments against slavery, but are they supported by real evidence? It’s unlikely, because slavery was still prevalent and predictions about the future economic effects would have been pure speculation. The real question is whether Equino’s arguments were persuasive enough during Equino’s time to convince readers. Southern predicted that abolishing slave labor would have an “economic impact so profound it will kill the economy of [areas whose economies are based on agriculture]” (Southern). Equiano introduces an optimism, but does neither refute nor discredit the arguments of those who oppose it. Yet he says that his argument is “a logical theory, founded on fact” (Equiano 213; p. 2). It is true that his argument makes sense and is logical. However, he does not consider it “infallible”. This is because he ignores certain facts and fails to provide the thorough analysis necessary for it to be effective. As such, this is his weakest argument. Equiano concludes his argument by saying that slavery is cruel and unfair. To do this, he describes its injustices using words that appeal to the emotions of readers. His portrayal of slavery is more accurate and shocking than that which was widely spread by pro-slavery writers. Equiano’s story was the first one to be published. Few slaves had the literacy to write down their stories, much less publish them for a wide audience. It is reasonable to assume that, although slavery’s evils are accepted by many today, in Equiano’s day, the information given about slavery was incomplete and biased. Equino’s experiences brought out new feelings of disgust and anger towards slavery, and he also eliminated some ignorance about its brutalities. Equiano described slaves that were flogged and killed by insurance companies, or overworked to the point where their life expectancy is only seven. He described various torture devices that were used on slaves: “neck-yolks and collars. Hand-cuffs and chains. Leg-bolts. Drags. Thumbscrews. Iron muzzles. Coffins. Cats. He described how racism had mistreated him, including an incident when a captain of the ship punished without warrant. “I was hung for no crime committed.” (194). He also spoke of his grief over being separated from the sister he loved, saying that “my sister and me were then divided ….while my state was left in a distraction that could not be described.” “I cried and screamed non-stop, and I refused to eat for days” (58). Equiano’s personal stories are engaging and informative. They will leave readers with a strong negative impression of slave trade. His character makes the reader care about the outcome of his story. The accounts of other slaves’ experiences help demonstrate slavery’s universally negative impact. Equiano’s vivid and clear descriptions of slavery evoke sympathy in the readers. Equiano is a master at using emotional appeal in his arguments to fight slavery. Equiano does this with skill, but without appearing to be histrionic. Equiano had the ability to disappear into obscurity. Instead, he tapped his exceptional intellect and writing talent to create a lasting and engaging piece of abolitionist literary. Equiano was able to convince readers of his economic arguments by using his appeal to emotion and his dedication to religion. The narrative is a carefully written, enthralling story that is a compelling plea for the abolition. Equiano’s narrative reminds us that, even though his arguments have become outdated (by 1797, the slave trade was outlawed within the British colonies), they were necessary at one point in time. Carey, Brycchan. Brycchan carey. “Olaudah Equiiano: A critical biography.” August 3, 2007. Web. October 17th, 2009.
. Elrod, Eileen. Business Network. “Moses and Egyptian: Religious Authority In Olaudah Equiiano’s Interesting Story – Critical essay.” 2001. Web. On October 17th, 2009.
. Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative Of Olaudah Equiiano 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin, 2007. Print. Paul Halsall is the author of this work. Fordham University. “Modern History sourcebook: Life Of Gustavas Vassa”. In 1997. Web. October seventeenth, two thousand and nine.
. “Olaudah Equiano.” PBS. Web. October 17th, 2009.
. “The Southern argument for slavery.” U.S. History Online Textbook. 2009. Web. October 17, 2009
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