Wednesday, October 3, 2012

American Studies

“The Intriguing Narrative” may be the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano who was the famous African Writer in the 18th century. Actually, the paper contains not merely biographical sketches about famous person, but also desire to put an end to slavery. In my opinion, the primary thesis of the paper is that even former slave is able to become a writer and to supply readers past experiences and difficulties of getting African slave. “The Interesting Narrative” is regarded the work of historical value as it sheds light on childhood of poor African boy, his destiny after enslaved, and, finally, desired freedom. This literary work ensures strong impression whenever you read about individual emotions and feelings of being free. This work assisted in ending slavery in Europe and America.
The subject from the paper is absolutely the life of Olaudah Equiano, his literary works, and, surely, the difficulty of slavery in Europe and America. Olaudah was born in Nigeria in about 1745. However, in childhood he was kidnapped and shipped Barbados. As a result, he was bought and became a slave in Virginia plantation. Then he was purchased by naval officer and got new name – Gustavus Vassa. That played crucial role in his future life as during traveling Equiano learnt to read and tow rite. Moreover, he participated in sea battles during the Seven Year’s War. Nevertheless, black persons were people with the second type in individuals time and they have been subjected to social and political inequality.
Desire to improve life of African he tries the power of writing to improve political situation. For example, he published abolitionist essays and letters, even though the most critical contribution in his life was “The Intriguing Narrative”. In his book he highlighted the terrible life of African slave and slave trade stressing that all persons need to be equal. Debates whether slavery is legal have been initiated in 1792. His narrative is an work of self-invention. Equiano showed himself as a individual who managed to survive slavery and who initiated ending of slave trade.
The poem “On the Death from the Rev. George Whitefield, 1770” was written by Phillis Wheatley and this poem created him well-liked international-wide. She is known for her Christian verses. Wheatley and Equiano have similar destinies as she was also kidnapped inside childhood and was sold. She was raised in pious Christian environment, and she experiences only token slavery. The principal factor of her poems have been produced liberty and men and women equality, in addition to she promoted Christian values and beliefs.
Wheatley’s poems belonged to neoclassic tradition of her days, although white population didn’t accept the poetry of African woman as Africans have been treated as the second kind people. Moreover, Phillis experienced racial discrimination after publishing her poems. For example, she was refused to acquire a credit simply because she was a black poet. In all of her poems she identified herself as African poems and she tried to outline her cultural heritage and roots, and that was the main subject of her literary works. Nevertheless, she belonged also to American culture which was also reflected in her poems. Actually, she was dual provincial as she started to believe of herself as African-American.
Her famous poem “On the Death on the Rev. George Whitefield, 1770” describes the death of the famous English Evangelist who visited The us with prayers. Whitefield wanted to establish orphan in Georgia, and to rationalize slave labor. The poem stresses that his death is often a great loss of English individuals as they would in no way listen to his prayers: “We hear no more the music of thy tongue”. The poem is quite impressive and touching because it transmits author’s emotions about these kinds of loss. Whitefield managed to inflame people’s hearts with hope and desire for much better future and destiny. The poem shows that Whitefield leaves the earth to see the better life at the heaven: “He leaves the Earth for heaven’s unmeasur’d height/ And world unknown receive him from our sight/ There Whitefield’s with rapid course his way/ And sails to Zion through vast seas of day…” In her poems Phillis Wheatley tried to show the smoothes and roughs of lives of African-Americans.
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