The Life And Work Of Frederick Douglass

Essay, Research Paper

The Life and Work of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass’s writings reflected many American views that were

influenced by national division. Douglass was a very successful abolitionist

who changed America’s views of slavery through his writings and actions.

Frederick Douglass had many achievements throughout his life. Douglass was born

a slave in 1817, in Maryland. He educated himself and became determined to

escape the atrocities of slavery. Douglass attempted to escape slavery once,

but failed. He later made a successful escape in 1838. His fleeing brought him

to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Douglass’s abolitionist career began at an

antislavery convention at Nantucket, Massachusetts. Here, he showed himself to

be a great speaker. Douglass became involved with many important abolitionist

causes, both through his literary works, and also through activities such as the

Underground Railroad, and also his role in organizing a regiment of former

slaves to fight in the Civil War for the Union army. Due to the Fugitive Slave

Laws, Douglass became in danger of being captured and returned to slavery. He

left America, and stayed in the British Isles. There he lectured on slavery,

and gained the respect of many people, who raised money to purchase his freedom.

In 1847, Douglass relocated to Rochester, New York, and became the person in

charge of the Underground Railroad. Here he also began the abolitionist

newspaper North Star, which he edited until 1860.

In this time period, Douglass became friends with another well known

American abolitionist, John Brown. Brown was involved with the Underground

Railroad, and later wanted Douglass to join him on terroristic attacks on a

United States government arsenal at Harper’s Ferry. Douglass declined to

participate in such activities. He fled, once again, to Europe, fearing that

his association with John Brown might threaten him. He returned after several

months, and aided in Abraham Lincoln’s campaign for president. Frederick

Douglass had many other achievements, mainly political, before dying in 1895, in

Washington, D. C.

Frederick Douglass’s life as a slave had the greatest impact on his

writings. Through slavery, Douglass was able to develop the necessary emotion

and experiences for him to become a successful abolitionist writer. Douglass

grew up as a slave, experiencing all of the hardships that are included, such as

whippings, inadequate meals, and other harsh treatment. His thirst for freedom,

and his burning hatred of slavery caused him to write Narrative Of The Life Of

Frederick Douglass, and other similar biographies. In Narrative Of The Life Of

Frederick Douglass, Douglass wrote the complete story of his miserable life as a

slave and his strife to obtain freedom. The main motivational force behind his

character (himself) was to make it through another day so that someday he might

see freedom. The well written books that he produced were all based on his life

as was Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass. These books all start with

Douglass coping with slavery. Frederick Douglass also had a reason to write

these works. As a die-hard abolitionist, Douglass wanted to show the world how

bad slavery really was. He did this very well, because he made many people

understand the unknown, and made abolitionists out of many people. This man had

a cause, as well as a story to tell. Douglass, as a former slave, single-

handedly redefined American Civil War literature, simply by redefining how

antislavery writings were viewed. There were other narratives written by former

slaves, but none could live up to the educated, realistic accounts of slavery by

Frederick Douglass.

Frederick Douglass is well known for many of his literary achievements.

He is best known, now, as a writer. As a writer, Frederick Douglass shined. As

a speaker, Frederick Douglass was the best. There was no abolitionist, black or

white, that was more respected for his speaking skills.

So impressive were Frederick Douglass’s oratorical and intellectual

abilities that opponents refused to believe that he had been a slave

and alleged that he was an impostor foistered on the public by the

abolitionists. In reply, Douglass wrote Narrative Of The Life Of

Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (1845) , which he revised in

later years; in final form, it appeared in 1882 under the title

Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (Quarles, Benjamin, Microsoft

Encarta).

One must not overlook Frederick Douglass’s oratory skills when looking

at his literary career; however, it is Douglass’s form which left the largest

impact on Civil War time period literature. Douglass’s most significant

autobiographical works include: Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, An

American Slave; My Bondage And My Freedom; and Life And Times Of F

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать