Study.com: Slave Narrative Definition

Summary

Slave narratives, a genre of literature written between the mid-1700s and late 1800s, recount the experiences of enslaved Africans in America. These stories, either written or dictated by the enslaved, often detailed the horrors of capture, transportation, and mistreatment. While some accounts may have been exaggerated to support abolitionist causes, they offer valuable insights into a dark chapter of history. Prominent figures like Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs shaped this genre, which expanded over time to include the narratives of other enslaved peoples and white sailors captured by pirates.

Takeaways

• 📜 The slave narrative is a genre of literature written by enslaved Africans in America, mostly between the mid-1700s and the late 1800s.
• ✍️ These narratives were written by enslaved individuals themselves or dictated to someone who recorded their stories, with some being passed on orally.
• 🚢 The narratives describe the horrors of capture, sale, and mistreatment, shedding light on the brutal realities of slavery.
• 🔍 Some accounts may have been exaggerated to support the abolitionist movement, but they still provide important insights into this dark period in American history.
• 📚 Approximately 100 slave narratives were written, including well-known accounts from Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth.
• 🌍 These narratives often discussed the entire journey of enslavement: capture in Africa, the inhumane conditions on ships, life under slave owners, and eventual escape or emancipation.
• 📖 The first slave narrative was Olaudah Equiano's *Interesting Narrative*, written in 1789, detailing his experiences from capture in Africa to freedom in Europe.
• 🗣️ Frederick Douglass's *Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass*, written in 1845, became a key archetype of the genre and is widely regarded as a classic.
• 👩‍🦰 Harriet Jacobs was the first woman to write a slave narrative, with her *Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl* focusing on her life and her children's freedom.
• 🌍 While African slaves are the focus, there were also slave narratives from other groups, including African Muslims writing in Arabic and white sailors captured by pirates.

Q & A

What is a slave narrative?

A slave narrative is a genre of literature written mostly between the mid-1700s and the late 1800s by enslaved people from Africa living in America. These narratives detailed their experiences of capture, enslavement, and eventual freedom.

How were slave narratives typically written?

Slave narratives were either written by enslaved people themselves, dictated to someone else who wrote their accounts, or passed on orally.

What was the primary purpose of these narratives?

The primary purpose of slave narratives was to document the horrors of capture, sale, and mistreatment of enslaved individuals, often aiding the Abolitionist Movement by exposing the cruelty of slavery.

Why are some slave narratives considered exaggerated?

Some slave narratives are believed to have been exaggerated in order to aid the Abolitionist Movement by intensifying the portrayal of the horrors of slavery.

What was the first slave narrative written, and who was its author?

The first slave narrative was 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself,' published in 1789 by Olaudah Equiano.

What are some of the key themes found in slave narratives?

Key themes in slave narratives include the capture of individuals in Africa, the inhumane conditions of slave ships, the sale into slavery, the mistreatment by slave owners, and the eventual escape to freedom.

How did the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 affect the slave narrative genre?

The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which mandated that captured runaway slaves be returned to their owners, intensified debates over slavery and increased demand for slave narratives as evidence for the abolitionist cause.

Who was the first woman to write a slave narrative, and what was her story about?

Harriet Jacobs was the first woman to write a slave narrative. Her work, 'Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,' detailed her own struggles and her fight for freedom for herself and her two children.

Can you name some other notable authors of slave narratives?

Notable authors of slave narratives include Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, Sojourner Truth, Solomon Northup, William and Ellen Craft, and Henry Bibb.

Were slave narratives only written by African Americans?

No, some slave narratives were written by African Muslims in Arabic, as well as by white sailors who were captured by pirates, particularly off the Barbary Coast.