Since its beginning, the Atlantic slave trade grew and evolved into such massive scale that influenced all the nations and states around Atlantic and the lives of millions of people. Oroonoko and Interesting Narratives show just a part of it, but on two different centuries, 17th and 18th century respectively. In Oroonoko, the author shows us the atrocities of slavery throughout the tragic hero Oroonoko who tries to find his way to freedom but ends up killing himself to escape from it. On the other hand Interesting Narratives show us an autobiography of Equiano, a born-free African man, sold into slavery along with its atrocities and finding his way to freedom through religion, education, and finding his own identity. From Oroonoko to Interesting
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Both books portray the atrocities involved in slavery. Aboan’s sadly describes his abuse to Oroonoko: “the heavy grievances, the toils, the labours, weary drudgeries…fit for…senseless beasts to bear than thinking man…How worse than dogs, the lash their fellow creatures, Your hear would bleed for ‘em” . Equiano shows us as well how dehumanizing slavery was, where slaves where weighted and sold like commodities . However, all these brutalities were justified by laws that Euqiano describes them as “unmerciful, unjust, and unwise…for its injustice and insanity would shock the morality and common sense” of its …show more content…
In contrast to Oroonoko, Equiano, even though he believes that African slavery is not compared to European slavery, he still detests slavery along with all its forms. He argues that one should not be prejudiced for its skin color. Just because Africans were ignorant of European languages and traditions doesn’t mean that they are inferior. He reminds us that Europeans were once the same. Using Christian values to address this issue to Europeans he lets us know that “God “hath made of one blood all nations of men” for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and whose wisdom is not our wisdom, neither “are our ways his.”” . These texts demonstrate the inhumanity in slavery and make people question their morals for approving it. For this reason, abolitionists of late 18th century and early 19th century have used these books to support their just cause. No human has to go through abuses of that sort as we are all the
Both books portray the atrocities involved in slavery. Aboan’s sadly describes his abuse to Oroonoko: “the heavy grievances, the toils, the labours, weary drudgeries…fit for…senseless beasts to bear than thinking man…How worse than dogs, the lash their fellow creatures, Your hear would bleed for ‘em” . Equiano shows us as well how dehumanizing slavery was, where slaves where weighted and sold like commodities . However, all these brutalities were justified by laws that Euqiano describes them as “unmerciful, unjust, and unwise…for its injustice and insanity would shock the morality and common sense” of its …show more content…
In contrast to Oroonoko, Equiano, even though he believes that African slavery is not compared to European slavery, he still detests slavery along with all its forms. He argues that one should not be prejudiced for its skin color. Just because Africans were ignorant of European languages and traditions doesn’t mean that they are inferior. He reminds us that Europeans were once the same. Using Christian values to address this issue to Europeans he lets us know that “God “hath made of one blood all nations of men” for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and whose wisdom is not our wisdom, neither “are our ways his.”” . These texts demonstrate the inhumanity in slavery and make people question their morals for approving it. For this reason, abolitionists of late 18th century and early 19th century have used these books to support their just cause. No human has to go through abuses of that sort as we are all the