Religion In Olaudah Equiano

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In the tale of the life of Olaudah Equiano, we see the progression of a man's life from childhood to slavery and onward to his freedom. Through his autobiography, Equiano narrates how European and African slave traders and owners differed in the treatment of slaves. By doing so historians are able to grasp a stronger understanding of the slave trade system as well as religion and customs of the African culture in the 18th century. Addressing European Christians, Equiano emphasizes the role religion has on humanity in the 18th century and how it differs among nations. In stating "Might not an African ask you, Learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as you would men should do unto you," he emphasizes the hypocrisy of European Christianity (Equiano, p700). How can the followers of such a religion claim that they are people of God when they do unto …show more content…

Differing greatly in care for their slaves we grasp European's substantially different interpretation of the Christian religion. Through the "horror and anguish" of the cargo ship heading towards the new world, Equiano encounters starvation, flogging, and suffocation (Equiano, p702). Highlighting that the slave status clouds the eyes of Europeans, disregarding any humane religious practices. It's strongly interpreted that Europeans lack innocence and purity of intent. Once arriving in Barbados, Equiano among the other slaves were "pent up together like so many sheep in a fold, without regard to sex or age" (Equiano, p703). This suggests that the treatment of these slaves, these people, were no more care for than of a common farm animal. Instead of embracing the opportunity to have both slaves and owners worship under God, further strengthening the Christian religion and it's practices, European slave owners acted selfishly and created an unnecessary hierarchy within the

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