Lazarevi 1 Julija Lazarevi Professor Nataa Karanfilovi 19th century Amercan literature 18 April 2011

Frederick Douglass Narrative of Frederick Douglass An American Slave Written by Himself: Criticism of Slavery

Frederick Augustus Wahington Bailey, known as Frederick Douglass was one of the most significant figures in the 19th century America due to his Narrative of Frederick Douglass An American Slave (1845) which is even nowadays concidered to be one of the best slave narratives. As a former slave, in this work he depicts his horrible experience, the story of his life in order to show the brutality and evils of slavery, the treatment of black people, loss of their sense of identity and freedom, inability to receive education in colonial America, the relationship between masters and their field hands

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01.html), as well as between parents and children. In addition to all this, Douglass focuses on the existance of dominance of white people over the black in a democratic and Christian society, thus criticising the institution of slavery and American hypocisy and its impact on both white and black families, religion, society, economy. The major theme of his Narrative is slavery which is manifested in different ways and should be regarded as a complex and well-organised social system. Slavery certainly was a characteristic way of life. Without the cooperation of the black people there would not have been a successful production on the plantations in the South. African Americans were slaves partly because they accepted the slavery in their minds. They were simple, primitive, unprotected and had to be docile, had their names changed into more American ones, but male were usually referred to as boy (Zilversmit 1) . Life depended on their work, the whole society was based on their exploitation. They worked almost the whole week, the whole day, as much as it was demanded and had no time to rest or do housework because they were exhausted. Slaves had no rights because they belonged to white man. Krista Walter

Lazarevi 2 points out the materialism of the Northern industrialists and contrasts it with the Southerners portray of slaveholding society as an alternative to wage labour since slaves were given food, clothes, place to live (235) . Southerners were using this kind of propaganda to maintain power, while the abolitionists from the North strongly disagreed and tried to communicate with slaves, helped them escape and encouraged them to speak about the inappropriateness of such society and economy based on tortures and destruction of humans. When Douglass escaped to the North, he had difficult time. Slaves were regarded as a piece of property which can be sold, bought with money, lacking education and were even not considered human. Because of all this, he had to have the Preface written by an abolitionist in order to confirm his identity. In her essay, Lovalerie King discusses the law and custom which worked in tandem to ameliorate the notion of the superiority of the white to secure them all privileges and rights denied to Blacks (59) . It was expected that the unhuman economy like this would lead to racism and deterioration of the society which was democratic in theory, but not in practice. Exemples from the Narrative illustrate this magnificently. Douglass says I speak advisedly when I say this, that killing a slave, or any colored person, in Talbot county, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or the community (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/04.html) . There is no need to comment on such a statement. This clearly shows the position of slaves in society they were like insects. Instance of prejudice against colour can be seen in the Chapter 11 where the writer depicts the situation when he escaped to the North by telling When I got through with that job, I went in pursuit of a job of calking; but such was the strength of prejudice against color, among the white calkers, that they refused to work with me, and of course I could get no employment. (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/11.html) . The fugitive might have changed the way he thinks about himself after leaving the South, but others opinion and view of him remain even in the North due to the colour of his body, regardless of his professional skills (DeLombard 266, 268) . In large city of Baltimore, after being tortured by four of co-workers, Douglass is excluded from the legal system. The legal protection does not exist. Slaves words count for nothing and he is incompetent to testify against the white man. His masterpiece also shows different treatment of slaves in rural and urban places. Once Douglass finds himself in Baltimore, he feels that he has more freedom, encounters white persons who do not support enslavement and regard him as human. He becomes friends with some of them, finds his fiance Anna Murrey there and writes that going to Baltimore laid the foundation, and opened the gateway, to all [his]

Lazarevi 3 subsequentjprosperity html) . However, not all of the slaves had an opportunity to move from the plantation they worked on. Vast majority of the Blacks were brought to America, but a lot of them were born there. The famous orator starts his Narrative by giving personal details about his age and origin which could be regarded as true for the greatest number of slaves: I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday. (Douglass, http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01.html) In these first few lines of his work, the writer gives the readers information of psychological impact of the system and criticises the way young black children are introduced to slavery they are made to be the part of such a society (Zilversmit 50) . In addition, they are born on plantations, counted as animals and property, without any education because it could spoil them. They have to obey their masters all the time. It is understood that a slave is supposed to remain silent in front of the master. Since they are born, they are kept in poverty, hungry, with minimal clothing. In order not to gain the sense of identity, black boys and girls grow ignorant of their age, while white ones celebrate them. Children do not have to work until they are old enough and are taken care of by other women, usually those not able to be a useful pair of hands anymore. Throughout his entire piece of writing, Douglass points out the importance of education and ability to read. As a child, he had an ambition to learn how to write and used some tricks to success competing with white children who can do better, copying letters from others notebooks, reading newspapers, collections of political essays in The Columbian Orator, etc. After learning how to read and write, he concluded it was easier for the slaves if they were ignorant, than for him who was able to understand more things. It was very difficult for young slaves to become plantation workers, their childhood, physical and mental growth, innocence and purity simply had to disappear. Another form of brutality of slavery is depicted by separation of the families of the Blacks and its destruction. Slaves are not supposed to have a feeling of family, unity, motherly love and time spent together in (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/05.

Lazarevi 4 order not to develop emotional attachment. Some of them never discover their origin and parents names. Thus, Douglass says in the first chapter My mother was named Harriet Bailey. She was the daughter of Isaac and Betsey Bailey, both colored, and quite dark. My mother was of a darker complexion than either my grandmother or grandfather (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01.html) . As a representative of all, the writer wants to criticise the aspect of slavery related to parental relationships by giving his own example which puts even more emphasis on readers. In this manner, he continues writing about the position of a mother in such a society and his feelings towards her. As all the other enslaved mothers, his is forced to neglect her child and work instead. Women are not given enough time to nurse their babies, play with them and instruct them. Usually, they have obligations concerning white children, fulfilling wishes of the masters and overseers while their own children are left alone. Douglass talks about his mother as a stranger since he had no chance to meet her properly. She visited him during the night, but he was cold towards her because he was early taken away from her. Mothers have to be the part of the system and are obliged to leave their babies to their mothers, as in case of the famous orator. Kimberly Drake notes that Douglass reconstructed his mothers face and his grandmothers life, which means that although he was a slave, he was able to recognise the importance of family (106) . However, he never had one. Masters would ruin everything nice and positive in lives of the Blacks. In the Narrative, the criticism of behavior towards elderly women is pinpointed by the fact that she is left alone after so many years of labour. She is left a slave for life which strengthens readers sympathy for her: If any one thing in my experience, more than another, served to deepen my conviction of the infernal character of slavery, and to fill me with unutterable loathing of slaveholders, it was their base ingratitude to my poor old grandmother. She had served my old master faithfully from youth to old age. She had been the source of all his wealth; she had peopled his plantation with slaves; she had become a great grandmother in his service.

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01.html) This is the picture of all the women and it can be observed that Douglass is more attached to his grandmother than mother on whose death he reacts by saying that he felt the same emotions as if it was somebody he never knew. It is sad how an old woman, faithful all her

Lazarevi 5 life to the owner ends up alone, with no respect. Having had only little contact with women, having never felt real parental love, he was extremely satisfied with Mrs. Auld, but only in the beginning. She is described as pious, warm, and tender hearted woman, with heavenly attributes (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/07.html) . The writer uses her as an example of impact of slavery on white women, all its evil and horrible aspects. Mrs. Auld, without instructions how to behave, considers Douglass a human, teaches him to write thus giving him a liberating experience. Nevertheless, the moment she receives information about the proper comportment towards a slave boy, she goes through a complete transformation. Her heart is like a stone, she is cold and cruel (Zilversmit 52) . In the Narrative, the mistreatment of black women is also very picturesque in order to make an impact on readers. The young boy enters to the hell of slavery when he sees his Aunt Hester whipped. He learns how it is to be a silent witness to the brutality. It is the first time he watches the violence, he is terrified and is instinctively trying to hide his own body. Unable to prevent this from happening, shaking for his own life, he gives the readers the idea of mental torture of slavery. This scene of stripping and whipping is used to demonstrate the abusive nature of masters and overseers (DeLombard 259) . Masters occupy an important place in the Narrative. Picturing both brutal and less blood-thirsty masters, Douglass gives the insight into another component of the institution of slavery. It is argued that slave owners have to behave in a particular manner to be the authority for the Blacks. Usually, they have no problems whipping slaves and even enjoy it. All masters sons and sons-in-law have the permission to beat a slave at any time. Even as young boys, they learn that It was a common saying, even among little white boys, that it was worth a half- cent to kill a "nigger," and a half-cent to bury one and that When he spoke, a slave must stand, listen, and tremble; and such was literally the case (Douglass, http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/03.html) . Slaves hate masters, but when it comes to competing between plantations and slave owners, nobody wants to have a poor master. Not only do they enjoy being selected for a work, they also feel privileged because they are chosen from among others and can experience the sense of identity and identify with the master (Zilversmit 51) . Keeping the Black ignorant is the best option because the knowledge would lead them to freedom. Apart from all this, cases of masterfathers are not rare. However, being masters child is not an advantage. Master could never accept a black slave as his child and must not pay any attention to him. They have their families, wives who would hate the child and try to harm him. In these cases, children are

Lazarevi 6 usually sold. Frederick Douglass is the well-known case, explaining My father was a white man. He was admitted to be such by all I ever heard speak of my parentage. The opinion was also whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion, I know nothing; the means of knowing was withheld from me

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01.html) . He utilises his father to allude to his mother and all the women as sexual victims. The White claim that they detest slave women, find them disgusting, while on the other side they satisfy their lust by violating black bodies. Using masters as role models, overseers become more cruel and violent. The writer demonstrates their relationship with slaves and depicts them in different ways. Neither do slave catchers behave better. In Chapter 11, he says that they are like hungry lions, ferocious beasts of the forest, hideous crocodiles, monsters of the deep to show their wish to hurt and get money for the caught slaves

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/11.html) . One of them mentioned by Douglass, Mr. Gore did not allow slaves to answer or defend if they were not guilty. His words display the unconventionality of slave system, fragility of his heart and soul and his lack of any emotions It is better that a dozen slaves should suffer under the lash, than that the overseer should be convicted, in the presence of the slaves, of having been at fault (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/03.html) . Those men whip, scare, and frustrate slaves. From all the overseers, Douglass singles Mr. Covey. He is so stern, brutal and sadistic and causes slaves to lose the wish for life, as the writer lost his interest in reading, considering himself transformed into a brute (Gibson 568) . Mr. Covey deceives slaves, want them to feel under constant supervision, he sneaks through the fields in order to catch an opportunity to whip or beat a poor slave who stops for a minute rest and that is why he is called the Snake. His awful behavior is supported by writers portrayal of him being whipped by Mr. Covey while expressing physical aspect of it, the consequences of cutting [his] back, causing the blood to run, and raising ridges on my flesh as large as my little finger (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/10.html) . It is with him that Douglass comes into conflict which is considered to be the climax of the Narrative as he decides to respond to the attack, whick is unimaginable for a slave. After the fight with him, the writer proclaims his freedom, declares himself as free. However, he is not the victor because he succeds in beating Mr. Covey, but because he prevents whipping from happening again. He develops as an individual, confronts his fears embodied in his overseer, achieves

Lazarevi 7 manhood (Gibson 554, 555, 559) . Understandably, he clearly states so in his work by pronouncing the famous statement You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/10.html) . This is his escape, his freedom from the bonds of slavery. In his autobiography, Douglass communicates with both black and white people. He plays with white children, is attached to his grandmother, has masters and overseers, he even makes slaves listen to him when he demands that they should not help Mr. Covey during the fight. The writer also speaks to his slave friends, abolitionists, with his new friends in Baltimore. This suggests various ways of communication which aim at criticising relations and conversation between two human races who have become unequal to each other because of the institution of slavery. Judging from the orators work, masters and overseers are the worst. Apart from the above mentioned scene of whipping Hester, a fight with Mr. Covey and beating Douglass in the workplace, there are other examples of physical violence. It certainly was a challange of authority for the overseer when a slave named Demby ran away into the creek so as not to be whipped. Mr. Gore gave him the chance to come back and receive the rest of the lashes, counted three calls before he coolly shot the black man dead. Everybody was taken completely by the scene they witnessed. When asked about the incident, Mr. Gore explained how necessary this was because he was setting a dangerous example to the other slaves (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/04.html) . Brutalities like these are often without reason. Slaves are tortured although they do nothing wrong. Overseers and masters have no respect or sense for right or wrong. Another case was the slave Old Barney whom they forced to uncover his bald head, kneel down upon the cold, damp ground, and receive upon his naked and toil-worn shoulders more than thirty lashes at the time (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/03.html) . From situations like this, slaves learn that they have to be obediant, wise and remain silent in order not to be sold for an honest reply to their master (Zilversmit 52) . Moreover, whipping women is nothing unusual for being late, for not finishing something on time, for no reason. Douglass writes both about what he winesses and about things he hears, but in spite of this fact, the story does not look less convincing.

Lazarevi 8 Many critics agree about the psychological aspect of violence in slave society, not only the physical one. Suppressing the ability to learn, terrifying people by thretening, giving them a chance to associate with white people during holidays, making them drink as much as they can instead of teaching them meant only one thing wish to keep them at the same level, without the opportunity to advance. However, religion is an important question in slaveholding society. The only knowledge they receive is the religious one. In some of the chapters in the Narrative, criticism of religion, church, priests and white mans faith is easely noticeable. Douglass develops an ambivalent attitude towards Christianity which is completely inverted. Even the religion is imposed on slaves by the white false Chrisitans. Douglass mentions that the religious masters are the worst, which proved to be absolutely correct and very sad and ironic at the same time because Christianity means forgiveness, behaving ourselves and piety (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/09.html) . African Americans are not allowed to have their own gods. Instead, they are thought the new religion. Douglass expresses strong opposition to the immoral Christian practice in the South and represents it as a false Eden (King 75) . He thinks about important, spiritual things, saying O God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! Is there any God? Why am I a slave? (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/10.html) . In the moment of despair, he even concludes that there may be no God. Nevertheless, he never really doubts it and always stresses the true Christianity and criticises the false one. He wants to make a clear distinction between the two because the theological concept of the original sin, as well as sacrifice are used to practice so called Christian slavery. Religion serves as psychological control. There is no free will. Douglass relates this Christianity to childrens experiences separation of the family, eating from a trough, abandonment of an old woman (his grandmother). It is questioned how Christian this is. In the appendix of the Narrative, the writer tells his opinion about the religion of the land he lives in and the true Chistianity. He criticises corrupt society, the hypocrisy of the white South where priests enjoy whipping, receive money for the church from the hard work of slaves. In his work Free Church, Douglass says that Christ has no concord with Beelzebub and that no man can serve two masters (qtd. in Miller and Kocher 3) . It can be seen that he is capable of distinguishing good from bad. What helpes him is the African custom of separating the Creator God and High God. He acknowledges the rule of Universal Providence which brings good luck (Ferguson 307, 309) . It is the merciful providence which resultes into the death of Mr.

Lazarevi 9 Severe in order to make their suffering easier

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/02.html) . It is doubted that some special non-terrestrial force helps them. When it comes to masters, they pretend to be the Good Master who sacrify his son (in this case a slave) by torturing him and convincing him that he would be saved by abuse (Ferguson 297) . Respectively, after a lot of tortures and abuses, a slave starts to confuse the real God and the Master God and sees only the omnipotent white tormentor (305) . Douglass, after the overseer Mr. Covey has beaten and bloodied him, starts depicting him as a divinity: There was no deceiving him. His work went on in his absence almost as well as in his presence; and he had the faculty of making us feel that he was ever present with us. This he did by surprising us. He seldom approached the spot where we were at work openly, if he could do it secretly. He always aimed at taking us by surprise. Such was his cunning, that we used to call him, among ourselves, "the snake." (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/10.html) The Snake can be related to the sin of Adam and Eve1, while the quotation itself reflects the subjective experience of an exhausted slave without any hope. Mr. Covey is the leader of Methodist church and believes he is a true Christian, but acts completely opposite. His behaviour and actions show how sinful he really is, his excessive faith proves unreal in situations such as forcing a slave Caroline to be a breeder sleeping with a married man in order to produce the overseer more field hands

(http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/10.html) . He deceives both his people and himself. Slavemaster Thomas Auld is depicted in a similar way. He becomes even more cruel after the conversion, replaces the Christian God and gives himself power to sacrifice humans, like his slave Hanny: I have seen him tie up a lame young woman, and whip her with a heavy cowskin upon her naked shoulders, causing the warm red blood to drip; and, in justification of the bloody deed, he would quote this passage of Scripture "He that knoweth his master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/09.html)
1

The biblical story of the Genesis

Lazarevi 10 The whipping continues until there is blood and other signs of suffering in order to see that she assumed the burden of sins. Then, he pronounces the citation from Bible thinking he has done something good. In reality, he becomes a greater sinner. Poor slaves cannot escape physical torture, but they can find some piece and comfort in their heads and minds, if they are strong enough (Ferguson 301) . What Douglass wants to show is the impossibility of existence of True Christianity and slavery. One excludes the other. It is also important to mention what happened when the orator became free. He left the South definitely in 1841, worked and continued his life, gave speeches. However, in the Narrative, he does not reveal the secret of his escape not to endanger those who helped him. Douglasss success is presented as an individual act. In the work, various attempts can be seen, but he is the only one who dears try it. Though treated, numbered and lined like animals, without education to make them realise their position, slaves think that such a system was the right one. Douglass suffered just because he knew the truth, but eventually gained his freedom. In order to conclude the story of criticism of slavery, it is good to note that slave narratives were written as a demonstration of the violence that existed and the racism that is present even nowadays. In his major work, Frederick Douglass, struggling for his identity and lecturing in exhausting representations of numerous aspects of slavery, gives his autobiography containing all sorts of cruelties a man is capable of. Although it is not just minimally subjective, this folk narrative represents the objective picture of humiliation, extermination, inhumane treatment and sadistic torture of people who differentiate from the Americans only in the skin colour. The Southerners lead slaves from pain to misery and finally agony. An emphasis should be put on barbaric actions previously mentioned in the text because they are done by humans who assassinated other humans, thus looking inferior to animals with which they are compared. Jeannine DeLombard suggests that we should appreciate Douglasss ambition and honesty (279) and her opinion is shared by many. It is enough to read a few sentences of this work in order to understand how nasty and ghastly slavery is and see why people fight for human rights and equality. Slavery should never be forgotten and as the orator suggests in his What, as a part of past it is worth only if it is useful to the present and to the future (qtd. in Walter 233).