Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. or Gustavus Vassa. the African. Written by Himself. is the narrative of the eponymic real-life character. Olaudah Equiano. his life. tests. trials and journey from bondage at an early age to freedom. For Equiano. it seems that bondage is about a metaphysical phenomenon.

His full life is basically characterized by the different experiences associating bondage. from Africa to the Middle Passage to plantation life in the West Indies and United States. Equiano’s positions on bondage are tough to joint and genuinely complex. Throughout the novel he makes mention to different ‘degrees of bondage. ’ at times reprobating the pattern. and at other times beliing himself and apparently extoling it. I believe that his conflicting positions are merchandises of his first manus experience with about all facets of the pattern. and near the terminal of the novel it is clear that he is in favour of stoping bondage.

Although he was kidnapped at the age of 11. Equiano’s acquaintance with bondage really begins long before that. Born in a part that is today known as Nigeria. His male parent a head. ( and ironically himself would finally make the same position if non for his snatch old ages subsequently ) . Equiano’s household was considered ‘upper-class. ’ and therefore owned their ain figure of slaves. I believe that this is the beginning and serves as the footing of which he compares the bondage he experiences subsequently in his life-time to. and besides what may function as the beginning of his conflicting emotion towards the pattern in general.

He makes note that slaves in this community. while under the way of a maestro and with clear differentiation of a ‘lesser importance. ’ are still treated in a humanist manner. On his ain history. these slaves do a comparable sum of work to that of other members of the community. When put into position. with no cognition of what’s to come ( in respects to subsequent experiences in different facets and grades of bondage ) at this point it is easy to see why Equiano has non yet condemned the thought or pattern of bondage.

Shortly thenceforth. Equiano is kidnapped ( along with his sister. though the two are finally separated ) . He narrates being taken on a long. backbreaking ocean trip through a assortment of African parts. during which he had “often changed Masterss. ” He is first sold across Africa. foremost to a captain. and shortly after to a widow. After which. he is finally sold to the proprietor of a ship destined for the West Indies.

Equiano dubs this Atlantic ocean trip himself “The In-between Passage. ” and this is where I believe his journey truly begins. Equiano elaborates on his debut and subsequent disaffection to the European civilization and their intervention of slaves. He inside informations the substandard life conditions and destitution of populating aboard the slave ship. and being a blunt contrast to the construct of bondage he knew back in Africa. I believe this is the specifying minute where his point of view sing bondage is partitioned.

I think it’s of import to observe that when Equiano is enslaved by fellow Africans. he makes note of the strong contrasts and category differentiations between himself and them. He makes direct comparings between himself and the category he hails from. and these other Africans. traveling every bit far as to name them “barbaric” and “uncivilized. ” I believe that this is deserving observing. because it’s about self-contradictory how he is really speedy to reprobate these people and their signifier of bondage. while at the same clip non knocking the bondage that took topographic point in his ain small town when he was a kid. Though non yet admiting it. I believe that this is when he begins to organize his ain ‘tiers’ of the pattern of bondage.

After geting at the West Indies and sing the sale of slaves firsthand. Equiano continues along with the slave ship to North America. and finally purchased by a naval captain. Michael Pascal to work in Virginia. Again he is subjected to cruel intervention inside the slaveholders’ places. This is. I believe. the turning point that finally leads to Equiano’s concluding declaration. He inside informations being shocked and hurt to the point where he tries to rinse the colour of his tegument off his face. While going the seas with Pascal. Equiano has many more brushs in and with Britain. With more and more exposure to Christianity and European civilization. he inside informations that he was no longer frightened and discerning towards it. get downing to demo meeting of African and European civilizations. He was finally sent to school in Britain. educated and shortly after. baptized.

It is deserving observing that subsequently in the novel he frequently relates his new spiritual point of view to his captivity. While going a Christian himself. whether or non he holds responsible God. himself. or the hypocritical Christian Europeans for his captivity is left equivocal. Ultimately. ( and after brief stretchs of being purchased by other Masterss ) Equiano is sold to Robert King. Educated and under the way of a maestro handling him comparatively just. Equiano here observes another aspect of bondage. He is farther educated and directed along the way of Christianity. which I believe farther adds more at odds emotion. due to it being comparable to his original impression of bondage from his childhood.

While working for King on transporting paths. he determines himself to salvage some money on the side. in order to purchase his freedom from King. Interesting to observe though. in the novel he explicitly states that he would wish to return to Old England. non Africa. While I think this is farther grounds of his meeting of English and African civilizations. I believe that this is besides the beginning of his supplication against the pattern of bondage. as subsequently in the novel we find out that he does so purchase his freedom. and much later returns to London and go involved in the abolitionist motion.

In decision. it is clear to see that in the head of Equiano. bondage is non simple a nonreversible disapprobation. From birth until freedom. he has lived and experienced all facets of bondage. from his household having slaves to being purchased himself. It’s an interesting and alone point of position that few ( if any more ) people who were involved in the pattern of bondage experienced themselves.

In the terminal. I think it is clear to the reader that Equiano is against the impression of bondage. but I believe that’s a decision he came to because of personal experience along with instruction and indulgement of European civilization. While I don’t believe he accepts the pattern of bondage. I believe that he accepts bondage as portion of how he defines of himself. about as if bondage could non be abolished were it non conceived in the first topographic point.