Olaudah Equiano s Life Of The Nineteenth Century African...

â€Å"I was named Olaudah, which in our language signifies vicissitude, or fortunate; also, one favored, and having a loud voice and well spoken† (Equiano 23). This quote comes from the autobiography The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, which as the title states, illustrates the life of the eighteenth century African American writer, Olaudah Equiano. The quote mentioned foreshadows the more favorable slave life the author experienced in contrast to the average Atlantic serf in the eighteenth century. After reading the narrative, the reader can infer Equiano’s enslavement at a young age, paired with his upbringing away from the western European colonies, contributed to his uncommon fortune, which would later give him promising opportunities. Throughout his book, we can compare his fortune to the disparaging lifestyle of a common slave. Equiano’s experience should not be used to generalize typical Atlantic slavery during the eighteenth century, however through his eyes, we gain crucial insight into slavery and race relations at that point in history. In order to understand Equiano’s fortunes that set him apart from the average Atlantic slave, it is important to understand the different aspects that contributed to his distinct experiences. Equiano’s initial enslavement as a youth likely allowed him to receive empathy from various masters. Furthermore, his early enslavement in a more tolerable Europe, instead of the cruel, rigid western European coloniesShow MoreRelatedThe Life Of Frederick Douglass And Olaudah Equiano1398 Words   |  6 Pageseighteenth century is something that in today’s millennium a person could not even dream of. Slaves were known to be illiterate; however there are few that had the opportunity to be educated and from them society has a small glimpse into the past. 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