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In his autobiography The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah
Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, identity was one of the author’s
central themes. Intentionally or unintentionally, the author portrayed his
identity as dualistic and dichotomous. This dichotomy was especially pronounced
in the use of his two names and in the descriptions of Africa and England, his
two homelands. Both of these examples exuded subtle clues that suggest the
author’s identity as an English Christian. Vassa clarified his identity through
the comparative descriptions of his native African religion and his
then-current Christian religion.
The
first dichotomy Equiano portrayed in his narrative was the use of his names. The
title of his book included both names by which he was known during his life.
The first name listed was Olaudah Equiano, his African name. The second name he
listed was Gustavus Vassa, the name he was given by his owner en route to
England for the first time. This order implied the name by which he preferred
his narrative to be known. Equiano chose to add the phrase “the African” to the
title in an attempt to maintain a connection to his land of origin. The name Olaudah
represented the folk spirit of Africa, and as an African, Equiano’s story portrayed
a stronger ethos to readers.[1]
Though
the author chose to state his African name Olaudah before his given name
Gustavus, he almost exclusively used the name Gustavus throughout his life.
When aboard a ship to England, the author told his master that he wanted to be
known as Jacob. His master refused and gave him the name Gustavus Vassa.[2]
The author used the name Gustavus as he moved from owner to owner, and later after
he bought his freedom and traveled as a free sailor. Likewise, when he was
baptized and later became a missionary to Africa, he continued to use the name
Gustavus.[3]
The author would have had more clout connected to the name Gustavus than
Olaudah among the white community. He may not have been able to make some of
his necessary relationships or business transactions with an African folk-name
like Olaudah. This tension represented the author’s inner struggle to define himself,
both as an African and an Englishman without completely giving up either.
The
second dichotomy Equiano portrayed in his narrative was his sense of home. In
the first chapter of his book, Equiano described in detail the society in which
he grew up. Equiano portrayed his African society—many miles inland from the
Bight of Benin—as very considerate and moral. They established families, made
official through a ritualistic marriage ceremony. They exchanged manufactured
goods and participated in commerce; they fought wars, and took slaves of their
own.[4]
Later in his life Equiano returned to Africa, the land of his birth, as a
missionary to try and convert his brethren to Christianity. This excursion
highlighted the duality of his view of home.[5]
England
became Vassa’s new homeland. He sailed to England fairly soon after his trip
across the dreadful middle passage. In England he felt the strongest connections
to other people since his sister was taken away from him in Africa. He was able
to make friends and learn about Christianity. He was baptized and eventually
learned to read, allowing him to delve deeper into the religion.[6]
When Vassa was forced to sail to the Mediterranean he deeply wanted to return
to his new home in England. Later, when his master betrayed him and sold him to
the West Indies, his greatest desire was to return to his beloved England.[7]
After Vassa obtained his freedom he returned to England again and again,
working as a free sailor and earning his wages.[8]
This series of events suggests that Vassa had an emotional connection to
England. Despite his very positive descriptions of Africa and his trip as a
missionary, Vassa’s heart always remained in England. It was this trip as a
missionary that highlighted the last dualistic portrayal of the author’s
identity.
The
third dualism Equiano portrayed was his religious identity. This side of his
identity was different than the previous two in that his religious identity more
notably changed over time. This aspect of his identity was also much easier to
define. In the first chapter of his book, Equiano described the religious
beliefs and practices from his homeland in Africa. His society had a
ritualistic marriage tradition, after which the woman became the sole property
of the man.[9] They
believed in one Creator of all things, who lived in the Sun and controlled all
the events of their lives. Equiano recalled no concept of eternity, but rather
a form of transmigration of souls. Some souls were transmigrated to other
people or objects, and the souls that did not would attend their families
forever. These souls were central to religious rituals practiced there.[10]
Vassa
seemed to have completely renounced the religious aspect of his African
identity after he learned of Christianity. In February 1759 Vassa was baptized
and began his life as a Christian. He knew enough about the religion that he
thought he would go to hell if he was not baptized, a fact that his mistress
stressed repeatedly.[11]
From this time forward Vassa constantly looked toward this religion in times of
peril or heartbreak. When his master sold him to the West Indies he argued that
his master had no right to do so, for he was a Christian.[12]
Vassa spent an entire chapter describing his full conversion to the faith. He
was distressed and began to pray to God for redemption. As a result he claimed
to have marvelous visions while he slept which left him “resolved to win
heaven, if possible.” He “kept eight out of ten commandments,” but that just
was not enough.[13]
He continued to work, and began bringing others into the fold. It was then that
Vassa went on a mission to Africa. This event was an expression of one of the
most telling points of his religious identity. He chose to leave his land of
England, to which he had become most accustomed, in an attempt to convert the
poor Africans who knew not of Christ. This suggested a complete renunciation of
his old beliefs, and showed that he felt it would be best for all Africans to
do the same. Gustavus Vassa was a Christian.
Despite
the author’s dichotomous descriptions of his own identity, subtle evidence indicated
his identity as an English Christian. His identity changed over time, away from
his folk-customs, society, and religion of Africa and toward his Christian,
sailor, gentlemanly customs of England. He placed his African name first, yet
used his given slave-name most of his life. He described the civilized culture
of his Africa, yet embraced the civilized culture of England. Most of all, He
renounced his spiritualistic religion of Africa for Protestant Christianity.
The author exemplified his dualistic identity in his closing remarks to the
Queen, “I am, your Majesty’s most dutiful and devoted Servant to command,
GUSTAVUS VASSA, The Oppressed Ethiopian.”[14]
[1] Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the life of
Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, 1814, in The Classic Slave Narratives, ed. Henry
Louis Gates, Jr., (Penguin: NY, 2002) 15.
[2] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 66.
[3] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 81, 229, 230.
[4] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 29-39.
[5] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 228.
[6] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 67, 81.
[7] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 88, 98.
[8] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 166-183.
[9] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 32.
[10] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 39-40.
[11] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 81.
[12] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 97-98.
[13] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 191-192.
[14] Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 247.
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