Depiction Of The Inhuman Treatment Of Slaves In Olaudah Equiano’s And Belinda’s Slave Narratives

Throughout history, slaves have played a significant role in civilizations. However, their treatment as individuals and a community was discriminatory and inhuman. Some sources written by slaves include Olaudah Equiano's “Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, ” and Belinda’s “Petition to the Court of Massachusetts, ” explains the author’s accounts as slaves. In Olaudah Equiano's autobiography, Equiano describes his story as a slave during the transport of slaves. Born in a Nigerian village in 1745, Equiano kidnapped by African slave traders and marketed to a European slave trader at the age of eleven. While Belinda’s petition created in 1783 was towards the court of Massachusetts for her freedom published in the Massachusetts Spy.

In both excerpts, Equiano’s and Belinda’s perspective of freedom are similar, however, different at the same time. In Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography, Equiano employs his vision of freedom for slaves is death in order to notify his readers of the true experiences and conditions of a slave, in a similar fashion, Belinda’s petition applies her vision of liberty as being free from one’s confinement in order to convey the inhumanity of slavery and confinement, while trying to gain her own freedom in the process. In the excerpt written by Olaudah Equiano, he applies his point of view of freedom by expressing his miseries and envy of not being able to be “free, ” showing how desperate the slaves were and one of their struggles was useless throughout the text. Upon his course, unfortunately, one of the white men on the craft had died and tossed into the sea. Besides his curiosity, he wanted the slave traders to “. . . Sacrifice him… [however, his] wishes were vain…”. The phrases, “sacrifice, ” and “wishes were vain, ” clearly defined, similar to the first evidence, his “wishes” was to disappear, but his fear of death would not allow him to kill himself, leading to more suffering for Equiano. His perspective convinces the readers that the life as a slave on the journey was extremely tough.

As time flew by, and the suffering continued the captives on the boat began to increase and the suffering of Equiano and the slaves continued. Since the day, he was aboard the vessel, he had wished that “. . . Death…. he hope would… end… his miseries… he envied…”, the other slaves who had sacrificed themselves. The terms, “miseries, ” and “envied, ” displays despite the Equiano desiring for death to befall before him, to be “free, ” just like the other vassals who died and envied them since they were able to be liberated and not him. From his point of view of freedom, which was heaven, he made a big impact upon his readers by illustrating his countrymen’s and other slaves’ pain during the journey. By Equiano revealing his suffering as a slave, the readers are able to distinguish the purpose of Equiano's autobiography to tell his readers of the occurrences and conditions of a slave.

While Equiano applies his point of view molding his message towards the audience to observe how life was like as a captured slave crossing the Atlantic Ocean, in the same way, Belinda uses point of view, however, she display her perspective through her reasons of why she should have her freedom after her years of service and of struggling was done, but had not received her property. When she was taken away from her parents and forced to become a slave, as confused as she was about white men, she learned to adapt quickly and knew that “. . . death alone. . . to emancipate her”. The word, “emancipate, ” used directly shows that death can see her free and she can only await death, just like Equiano showing both authors want to explain the tyranny and brutal treatment as slaves and Africans. Both authors adopt the first-person point of view, however, their opinions on freedom are quite contradictory.

Equiano believes death is the only option to be free in his situation, in comparison, Belinda also thinks death is an option to freedom, but it’s not the only option, in her opinion, by speaking up for herself, she can be free. As Belinda had finished her years of service as a slave, she was supposed to receive property as a compensation by her master. Nevertheless, according to her owner who refused to give her property and attempts to add more years of slavery thought she was “. . . incapable… receiving property… however, she was free…”. Though she “was free, ” she was unable to be rewarded with a property proving she was being treated unreasonably by the whites. Unlike Equiano who didn’t receive discrimination as Belinda. Though she was treated unjust, from her point of view, she made slaves feel like there was hope in freedom for the slaves, but they needed a voice, which is why Belinda organized a petition addressing her freedom before she was captured compared to how her life is after she had been captured. Rather then Equiano’s point of view, he makes the readers believe freedom was impossible and that once you have become a slave, there's no going back.

In conclusion, Olaudah Equiano's “Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” and Belinda’s “Petition to the Court of Massachusetts”, both have a purpose of familiarizing their audience, whether it's their readers or the court of Massachusetts, of the inhumanity and cruel imprisonment as slaves. However, the central purpose of Belinda’s petition was for her to be free from slavery. While Belinda talks about her treatment even after she completed her years as a slave, Equiano’s talked about the conditions as a slave during the Middle Passage. Though both passages share similarity and differences, they share a significant concept. Without a voice, no one can be represented nor have an opinion within the government. Without this concept, the modern world wouldn’t have changed nor would America formed. Africans would furthermore be administered as slaves and most whites would believe they are superior and all other races are inferior to them.