He is the editor of the penguin classics editions of the complete writings of phillis wheatley, letters of the late ignatius sancho, an african, and thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery and other. With renewed motivation and good political connections, equiano, along with his friend ottobah cugoano, began to campaign for the end of the slave trade. In 1787, with the help of his friend, olaudah equiano, he published an account of his experiences, narrative of the enslavement of a native of africa. Olaudah equiano and the art of spiritual autobiography. The main material for the biography is equiano s autobiography, the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano, or gustavus vassa, the african, written by himself london, 1789, and carretta examines the latter work, seemingly linebyline and with forensic skill, comparing it with other records and newlydiscovered information. This is an account of the slave trade by a native african, former slave. One black antislavery campaigner, who worked alongside equiano, was ottobah cugoano. This welcome edition, ably edited by angelo costanzo, provides readers of today a generous introduction to equiano s life and times in a highly readable and informative format. As a free man on a central american plantation, he supervised slaves. Equiano s contemporaries also used their writing skills to advance the abolitionist agenda. Its main objective is to publicise and celebrate the life and work of olaudah equiano.
Buy cugoano s thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery now from amazon other resources. After its publication, equiano travelled around britain promoting his book and. Copies of his book was sent to george iii, edmund burke and other leading politicians. After publishing his thoughts and sentiments on the evil and wicked traffic of the slavery and commerce of the human species in 1787 and reprinting a modified edition of the same text in 1791. Although costanzos primary focus is the narrative of olaudah equiano, he also gives some attention to lesswellknown writers in the genre.
Summary of narrative of the enslavement of ottobah cugoano, a. Nevertheless, the work probably remains essentially a product of cugoano s own thoughts and feelings, an articulate africans response to the impact of european expansion. The interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano in 1789. The book began with a petition addressed to parliament and ended with his antislavery letter to the queen. Olaudah equiano, or gustavus vassa, the african, from the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano dublin. Male abolitionists, such as cugoano and equiano, were not the only black people in britain to publish books. His books include scholarly editions of the works of equiano and of equiano s contemporaries ignatius sancho, ottobah cugoano, and phillis wheatley. The interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano by olaudah equiano is published by norton critical edition. Olaudah equiano 17451797 was a former slave who became an outspoken opponent of the slave trade. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the interesting.
According to his famous autobiography, written in 1789, he was born in what is now nigeria. Du bois institute for african and african american research. Equiano, a former slave captured in africa and put to work in the west indies, published his autobiography, the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano, or gustavus vassa, the african, written by himself, in 1789. The interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano. Equiano guatavas vassa and ottobah cugoano john stewart were exslaves who gained their freedom and were educated enough to articulate their. Several authorities believe that cugoano s theological arguments were coached by clarkson or sharp, while his friend equiano may have helped revise his books first draft. Its often read as a calvinist devotional text, and set against the context of the financial support gronniosaw and his family depended on from influential figures in the calvinist network many of whom were criticised for owning slaves. He was born in 1757, in the part of africa now called ghana.
Phyllis wheatley was a talented poet and became the first black woman in britain to have a book published. In 1787, possibly with the help of his friend olaudah equiano, cugoano published an attack on slavery entitled. Equiano asks to be excused for laying out in such detail the customs of his native country. In his spiritual autobiography, a journal of the life, gospel labours, and. The book was successful both in spreading its message and in earning equiano. Cugoano and equianos books influenced public opinion. Quobna ottobah cugoano and olaudah equiano advance the goals of. It provides an insight into the africa he knew as a boy. Captured in presentday ghana and sold into slavery at the age of, he was shipped to grenada in the lesser antilles, where he worked on a plantation. Beinecke rare book and manuscript library, jwj zan eq51 789je.
Click download or read online button to get thomas clarkson and ottobah cugoano book now. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Narrative of the enslavement of ottobah cugoano, a native of africa. Black abolitionists and the end of the transatlantic slave. Thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery by quobna. Vincent carretta, professor of english at the university of maryland, is currently a senior fellow at harvard universitys w. Thomas clarkson and ottobah cugoano download ebook pdf. Literacy and the humanizing project in olaudah equianos. In equiano s discussion of life in his native african village, he mentions the term embrenche. The project gutenberg ebook of the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano, or gustavus vassa, the african, by olaudah equiano this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. Olaudah equiano was born at essaka, an ibo village not now known in the benin province of presentday nigeria.
In 1789 he published his autobiography, the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano or gustavus vassa, the african. Quobna ottobah cugoano and the slave trades violation of the principles of christianity, reason, and property ownership, journal of world history 21 2010. He continues that he was the youngest son, and thus his mother. Ignatius sancho, quobna ottobah cugoano and olaudah equiano. I would argue, however, that the creation of a peculiarly black canon is only half the work performed by the particular talking book anecdote recounted by equiano. Well written and carefully researched, surprizing narrative is a good introduction to an important area of literary study. For example, equiano s interesting narratives, thought and sentiments of the evils of slavery by ottobah cugoano, and the film amistad are works that help catalyzed the abolition of slavery. After publishing his thoughts and sentiments on the evil and wicked traffic of the slavery and commerce of the human species in 1787 and reprinting a. David killingray britain, the slave trade and slavery.
As part of a larger research project on bow 18th century africans perceive and represent europe and european religiosity, this article focuses on equiano s representations of europe and european christianity. Among the subscribers were equiano s friend ottobah cugoano and ignatius. Olaudah equiano s the interesting narrative and ottobah cugoano s thoughts and sentiments jeffrey gunn university of glasgow any history of slavery must be written in large part from the standpoint of the slave. This was a view shared with cugoano s book, and it figured prominently in the ideological preparation for abolition. In 1787 exslave quobna ottobah cugoano published a book called thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery. Equiano wondered if this, a new slavery, might be gods punishment for his sins. About thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery. Equiano and william wilberforce worked toward the more immedi ate goal. It was a very important book that made a vital contribution to the abolitionists cause. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery, new york. Equiano and cugoanos narratives sit on the cusp of the first wave of. He recalled swearing rashly at one point, berating himself for his weakness, and asking god to forgive him. In 1787, cugoano published a book called thoughts and sentiments on the evil and wicked traffic.
A freed slaves daring assertion of the evils of slavery born in presentday ghana, quobna ottobah cugoano was kidnapped at the age of thirteen and sold into slavery by his fellow africans in 1770. Literacy and the humanizing project in olaudah equianos the. Vincent carretta is professor of english at the university of maryland, college park. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the life of olaudah equiano, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Thoughts and sentiments on the evil and wicked traffic of the slavery and commerce of the human species. In 1770, he was kidnapped and taken to the west indies, where he spent nearly a year enslaved on grenada. Four years later, in 1791, cugoano published a shorter version of his book, addressed to the sons of africa. His thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery is the most direct criticism of slavery by a. The life of olaudah equiano etext list of subscribers. An african hermeneutic, 1787 quobna ottobah cugoano s thoughts and sentiments on the evils of slavery was published in london in 1787, the first book by an afrobritish writer to condemn the slave trade as well as slavery itself.
The society also celebrates and publicises the achievements of equiano s contemporaries. The interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano is the foundational text of africanamerican autobiography. Olaudah equianos views of europe and european christianity. Summary of narrative of the enslavement of ottobah cugoano. His book s ambivalent attitude towards slavery separates it from the work of cugoano and equiano. Olaudah equiano about 17451797 was one of the most prominent people of african heritage involved in the british debate for the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Despite his sense of mission, equiano was destined never to return to africa. Cugoano also developed close ties within the afrobriton community. He lectured extensively in britain against the slave trade during the 1790s and married an english girl, susan or susanne cullen of ely, in april 1792. Olaudah equiano recounts his kidnapping at the age of ten in africa, his service as the slave of an officer in the british navy and his years of labour on slave ships until he was able to purchase his freedom in 1766.
The question and answer section for the life of olaudah equiano is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano, or gustavus vassa, the african. Ignatius sancho, phillis wheatley, ottobah cugoano, and others who made outstanding contributions to african literary and cultural heritage. These efforts culminated in the publication of his interesting narrative. Thoughts and sentiments on the evil of slavery and. Cugoano arrived in england, where he began writing letters to newspapers. The tens of thousands of people who read equiano s book, or heard him speak, started to see slavery through the eyes of a former enslaved african. With help from equiano, in 1787 ottobah cugoano published. Equiano s book the interesting narrative has been studied quite extensively.
1603 447 683 819 90 802 1307 194 1428 775 734 622 1153 1203 1220 633 584 1593 517 1011 1067 632 574 750 1412 96 471 162