Research Paper on:
Historical Significance of Interesting Narrative and Other Writings by Olaudah Equiano

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
century, the precursor to this particular type of literary expression was chartered by Olaudah Equiano, an African who, at age ten, was kidnapped to first serve as a British naval  officers slave and then upon various slave ships. Earning enough to ultimately buy his freedom in 1766, Equiano dedicated the rest of his life to becoming an outspoken and  highly respected advocate of Englands antislavery movement. The historical significance is that not only was the narrative a way for oppressed slaves like  Equiano to cleanse their souls of their miserable experiences, but it also served as a vehicle to educate the masses. Equianos narratives were no different in that respect, quickly  becoming a metaphor of divine intervention that regularly brought together the parallelism between Israelites and slaves, pouring out his heart and soul into every word and establishing an unprecedented introspective  element to his tales. Recounting the many instances of humiliation, suffering and torment, Equiano effectively draws the reader into the oppressive world of European slavery. "...I now offer  this edition of my Narrative to the candid reader, and to the friends of humanity, hoping it may still be the means, in its measure, of showing the enormous cruelties  practiced on my sable brethren, and strengthening the generous emulation now prevailing in this country, to put a speedy end to a traffic both cruel and unjust" (Equiano 5).  Equianos narratives were representative of the inherent struggle of being a slave, sharing a common bond of long-lived suffering and ultimate enlightenment with  his African-American counterparts some time later. Considered a man who achieved success by his own efforts, Equiano became a steadfast defender of abolition in Europe. His narratives, which