To understand the attitudes of the text, the narrative form must be addressed. The
narrative form in Olaudah Equinano’s portrayal of self draws similarities to Shakespeare’s Othello. In scene 3, the language used resembles that of Equiano where both Othello and Equiano belittle themselves in front of their white superiors and apologise for their lack of eloquence: “I ought to entreat your pardon for addressing to you a work so wholly devoid of literary merit; but as the production of an unlettered African” , “My very noble and approved good masters […] Rude am I in my speech”. The poetic verse and range of vocabulary Equiano displays here is not something that can be easily replicated or comprehended without some extensive study and knowledge of the English language, which is not common and almost unheard of in slave narratives. With that being said, it does pose several questions about the validity of his autobiography as it states that he had been taught the language through schooling and study supplied by his masters yet it resembles that of someone who has spoken the language their entire life. One review carried out by Dabydeen on Vincent Carretta’s research on Equiano reveals that the early parts of Equiano’s life in the text is fictional based on birth records locating him in Carolina which caused an uproar amongst scholars and academics claiming he is “threaten[ing] a pillar of scholarship on slave narratives and the African diaspora”. Thus presenting the possibility of invalidating his narrative as being an authentic criticism of enslavement and instead becoming a fabricated tale of what could have been life of a slave taken from Africa who endorses slavery as a better life if one remains obedient and attentive to their master. However, another review by James Walvin suggests that although Equiano knew who his target audience was, his use of an “image of an African his readers might have approved of: refined, educated and devout” as the front cover along side his language use were some of the factors that encouraged readers to read his autobiography and encourage the end of the slave trade in the British Empire. Whether his tale is true or not, it does prove that, although completely ironic as both are clearly very well versed and eloquent, in order to earn an audience with the white superiors of their respective times, they must lessen their own self worth and remain subordinate in their endeavours. Equiano has proven from the very beginning of his autobiography that he is aware of his audience which is potentially why he writes as if he is not a man who has bought his freedom (which at the point of writing, he already had) but as a black slave who is not equal to the white man in his introductory letter: “I am, My Lords and Gentleman, Your most obedient, And devoted humble Servant, Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa.”1 Carver Waters explains the rationale behind his belittling best in his critical analysis: “Equiano first tells his audience what they wish to hear so he can then relate what they would prefer not to hear” using his dissimulative narrative voice in the opening letter. By acknowledging his audience, it does beg the question of how much of his text has been censored in order to be more widely appealing and easy to read for his audience? Could his nonchalant language be used as a way of bluntly stating the ordeals of his life in slavery so that the reader understands, or was it as a result of enduring the abuse in his life he has become emotionally numb and can only recall events through multisensory description than emotional? His narrative style plays a large role in both his endorsement and criticism of enslavement, revealing equally unsettling moments of declining mental health and physical health as a result of slavery as well as exhibiting fondness for his manipulative masters.
Equiano’s text does exhibit instances where it can be interpreted as endorsing
enslavement through the narrator’s reaction to the master’s abusive and manipulative behaviours, but rather than it being a conscious decision to promote their behaviours, it is most likely due to mental illness as a result of the abuse endured or an attempt to appear morally righteous and virtuous to the readers. Repeatedly the slave masters and owners are not met with contempt or anger for their wrongdoings, but instead are met with kindness and admiration for their consideration to get Equiano “the best master he could, as he told him [he] was a very deserving boy” and for ‘not being like the other slave owners’ : “he possessed a most amiable disposition and temper, and was very charitable and humane. If any of his slaves behaved amiss he did not beat or use them ill, but parted with them. This made them afraid of disobliging him; and as he treated his slaves better than any other man on the island.” Firstly, the initial quote alludes towards Equiano interpreting the relationship between Captain Doran and himself as father to son rather than master to slave as the phrase “very deserving boy” is very patronising in nature and seems very out of place regarding the context. The acceptance that Equiano, a full grown man at this point in the narrative, has towards such a demeaning name is uncomfortable for readers to witness. Especially those of the 21st century who are able to see the text in a context that condemns slavery entirely because the abnormal behaviours and attitudes portrayed here by Equiano draws strong similarities to Stockholm syndrome and the behavioural irregularities the condition triggers which would explain the sympathetic attitudes towards his abusers. According to Adeniyi, Stockholm syndrome “emphasises irrationality and abnormal psychological or mental disposition of Stockholm Syndrome sufferers towards individuals responsible for their pitiable conditions”, meaning that instead of the resentment the reader would expect to experience in the narrative towards the Captain dehumanising him by talking about him as a product to be sold to the next person, the readers are met with a moment of child-like vulnerability where Equiano does not wish to be parted with his master and so weeps in front of him and the new owner. Also, during the slave trade in the British Empire, slave owners and accomplices would “quote bible verses that preach obedience to the authority, and indoctrinated the slaves making them believe that their slavery was godly”. This use of religion as a means of control is present in the language Equiano uses as he tries to prove that he is a good Christian man and therefore a good citizen rather than a simple slave who has bought his freedom. His slave narrative stands out amongst other slave narratives of the time as he was surprisingly allowed an education and was accepted mostly into the arms for his numerous slave owners who all gave him different names. Therefore, the theme of identity becomes apparent as Equiano seems to lose his identity as the narrative goes on as if with each name he receives and each master he serves, the more religious he becomes and the further he gets from his original self. He successfully assimilates to British culture and was able to have his work be more well received as he resembled more of what people of the 18th century wanted to see in a reformed person. A black man who acted more like the religious white men around him, who did not act in anger, who did not perpetuate the stereotype that the African community had placed upon them of being savages. However, the only reason that this can be so is because both the Stockholm syndrome and strong Christian faith worked in tandem to askew the perceptions of reality for Equiano, which regretfully for the modern reader caused him to “no longer [look] upon them [the white people on board the slave ship] as spirits, but as men superior to us; and therefore I had the stronger desire to resemble them”. Stockholm syndrome does present itself with causing abused victims to copy their abusers and essentially become them as a means of coping with the violence while also altering one’s perception of reality, “forcing them to accept abnormality as normality in a bid to create an escapist route for their fears, hurt feelings and pent-up wounds” as witnessed in his relationship with Captain Doran and interpreting the other slaves fear of being abandoned and left for dead as simply a fear of being let go from a job while they were all on a ship implies either being thrown overboard or abandonment at sea in another town. The unsettling calm narrative voice during this gives the impression that the situation he’s in is more ideal than it’s been in a long time, and is somewhere Equiano would wish to remain in. Thus, endorsing the slavery he experienced. It’s distasteful and hard for readers to digest, and at first glance it may appear that Equiano had written and published a travelogue potentially full of fabricated adventures with the ideal happy ending of the god-chosen protagonist winning his freedom, a popular literary style in the 18th century, but upon further inspection the intelligence Equiano possessed in his writing is apparent.
On the one hand, Equiano can be interpreted as an endorser of enslavement and of
obedience to the slave masters. On the other hand, this all reveals that he knew exactly what he was doing by writing a narrative the public at the time would’ve liked to hear about them and their business while still speaking on behalf of the slaves that were in more dire conditions than he was. According to Costanzo, “he knew that people might be sympathetic to the story of his victimized life” but what really reveals his ulterior motives is the fact he “appeals to their humanitarian feelings, Christian consciences, and economic interests” as a means of winning their faith and trust in him as writer and spokesperson. Firstly, the simplistic language used in chapter 2 suggests that the conditions were so bad that there was no need to exaggerate any detail about it or use extensive expressive vocabulary for the readers to understand how awful it was for him on board the ship. He uses god-like imagery in his language to suggest that life on board that ship was the equivalent to hell on earth, “I was persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits, and they were going to kill me”. In earlier passages of the text he described the white slave masters as not human and more alike to otherworldly creatures who were cruel to him and the other slaves around him. Regardless of the violence and flogging he endured and the readers had to stomach, Equiano remains virtuous in his writings, going as far as to simply not blame them for the situation the slave dealers are in as one would expect, “I will not suppose that the dealers in slaves are born worse than other man. No; it is the fatality of this mistaken avarice, that it corrupts the milk of human kindness and turns it to gall” in chapter 5. Milk itself is a symbol of purity so the quote essentially claims human kindness as pure but the sin of greed is what turns it toxic. Alone, this poetic statement affirming his peaceful stance on the matter of slave dealers is commendable to readers which would easily gain public respect and interest from those who oppose or are beginning to oppose the slave trade in Britain at the time. To place the overall blame on the system rather than the people who perpetrated the system is a wise political move that is still present in current politics, gaining public interest while not marginalising groups and aiming to maintain overall peace about an unethical situation. This not only clearly opposes and criticises enslavement as a cause for unrest and fear, but it also elicits a large amount of sympathy from readers when they relate this quote back to an earlier more heart wrenching moment where Equiano is raw and vulnerable about his emotions, “although, not being used to water, I naturally feared that element the first time I saw it, yet nevertheless, could I have got over the nettings, I would have jumped over the side”14, “I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me”14. The fact that Equiano would chose to kill himself in deep waters that he’s unfamiliar with than endure another moment on board the slave ship extenuates the sheer brutality of life on that ship. A clear sense of loneliness is present as his last friend ended up being death, despite being surrounded by people on the ship that he could not avoid. It suggests that even when surrounded by people, the abuse and trauma had caused him to become isolated in his own mind, therefore allowing the reader a rare glimpse into the thoughts Equiano had at the time. Those thoughts alone criticise the physically and mentally dangerous conditions slaves like him had to endure and thus opposes the slave trade.
In conclusion, Equiano overall opposes the slave trade as after he published his work
he befriended the founder of the London Corresponding Society, Thomas Hardy, and made contacts with other fellow abolitionists, thus confirming his final stance as not endorsing enslavement despite his language at points being vulnerable to being interpreted as sympathetic to the slave trade.