Jessie Halland
IB English III
Mr. Greger
September 27, 2016
Righteous Indignation As the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche believed, Christianity ingrains a mental attitude and morality for slaves that stifles the humanity (Nietzsche). This opinion draws parallels to Frederick Douglass’ memoir, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, in which he describes - in certain harrowing detail - his time as a slave in the South United States of America. Throughout the book he follows his life as a slave when he lived with a multitude of different masters who all shaped his character and being, yet he admitted that the “religious slaveholders are the worst...[Douglass] found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others” …show more content…
It is introduced mostly via the slave and master relations that correspond to the bourgeoisie control over the proletariat in Marxist ideology. Akin to the principle of Marxism, slave owners manipulated their slaves through the teachings of Christianity. One of Douglass’ masters, Thomas Auld, was described as a man who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. However once he began his conversion to the Methodist church, his slaves hoped his wrath would cool and for Auld to develop certain mercies. This was not the case as he treated his slaves worse than before, and was a “much worse man after his conversion” (Douglass 97). While previously Mr. Auld starved and mistreated his slaves, he and his born-again wrath maneuvered religion - mainly Scripture itself - as a rationalization for such abominable acts as the whipping of a woman “with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm red blood to drip… [for] four or five hours at a time” (Douglass 99). Since Mr. Auld did not start off as a devoted Methodist, once could see his progression of treatment of his slaves go from bad to worse under the guise of …show more content…
William Freeland was the master with whom Douglass lived after Mr. Covey, and he could not have been more different. Mr. Freeland was educated and allowed his slaves time to eat and rest. Douglass said it himself that Mr. Freeland not practicing religion was a major benefit to his slaves because he was less abusive than other, religious, slaveholders. Although he was still partaking in the sins of slavery, he didn’t hypocritically fool himself through religion into thinking that he was justified in his actions. One of Mr. Auld’s neighbors, Mr. Wilson, was so true to his beliefs that he attempted to found a Sabbath school just for slaves (Douglass 98). Unlike the slave owners who only saw what they wanted in the Bible, Mr. Wilson hoped to spread the religion and teach slaves instead of subjugating them. Another man associated with Mr. Auld and the Methodist Church was Mr. Cookman. While owning slaves himself, he would visit and dine with the Auld family, and during such visits he would acknowledge the slaves more than they ever were noticed and ask for them to pray with the men (Douglass 98). Here is demonstrated a man who was spiritual, yet remained holy in the face of overwhelming injustices. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass recounts the truth of slavery: the harrowing abuses consented by Christianity. Religion’s justification of slavery permitted
IB English III
Mr. Greger
September 27, 2016
Righteous Indignation As the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche believed, Christianity ingrains a mental attitude and morality for slaves that stifles the humanity (Nietzsche). This opinion draws parallels to Frederick Douglass’ memoir, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, in which he describes - in certain harrowing detail - his time as a slave in the South United States of America. Throughout the book he follows his life as a slave when he lived with a multitude of different masters who all shaped his character and being, yet he admitted that the “religious slaveholders are the worst...[Douglass] found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others” …show more content…
It is introduced mostly via the slave and master relations that correspond to the bourgeoisie control over the proletariat in Marxist ideology. Akin to the principle of Marxism, slave owners manipulated their slaves through the teachings of Christianity. One of Douglass’ masters, Thomas Auld, was described as a man who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. However once he began his conversion to the Methodist church, his slaves hoped his wrath would cool and for Auld to develop certain mercies. This was not the case as he treated his slaves worse than before, and was a “much worse man after his conversion” (Douglass 97). While previously Mr. Auld starved and mistreated his slaves, he and his born-again wrath maneuvered religion - mainly Scripture itself - as a rationalization for such abominable acts as the whipping of a woman “with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm red blood to drip… [for] four or five hours at a time” (Douglass 99). Since Mr. Auld did not start off as a devoted Methodist, once could see his progression of treatment of his slaves go from bad to worse under the guise of …show more content…
William Freeland was the master with whom Douglass lived after Mr. Covey, and he could not have been more different. Mr. Freeland was educated and allowed his slaves time to eat and rest. Douglass said it himself that Mr. Freeland not practicing religion was a major benefit to his slaves because he was less abusive than other, religious, slaveholders. Although he was still partaking in the sins of slavery, he didn’t hypocritically fool himself through religion into thinking that he was justified in his actions. One of Mr. Auld’s neighbors, Mr. Wilson, was so true to his beliefs that he attempted to found a Sabbath school just for slaves (Douglass 98). Unlike the slave owners who only saw what they wanted in the Bible, Mr. Wilson hoped to spread the religion and teach slaves instead of subjugating them. Another man associated with Mr. Auld and the Methodist Church was Mr. Cookman. While owning slaves himself, he would visit and dine with the Auld family, and during such visits he would acknowledge the slaves more than they ever were noticed and ask for them to pray with the men (Douglass 98). Here is demonstrated a man who was spiritual, yet remained holy in the face of overwhelming injustices. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass recounts the truth of slavery: the harrowing abuses consented by Christianity. Religion’s justification of slavery permitted