Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave | eBook

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• Author – Frederick Douglas
• Genre – Autobiography
• Date – 1845

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, was published in 1854 and is a memoir and treatise on the subject of abolition written by Frederick Douglass, a famous orator and a former slave. Out of the many narratives written by former slaves Done Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Is considered to be the most famous. The text gives you details of the events that happened in his life during slavery, and is still considered to be one of the most influential pieces that gave rise to the abolitionist movement of the early 19^th century in the United States of America.

The entire narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, is made up of 11 chapters, these chapters recount Douglass’s life as a slave and his ambition to be a free man.

History

The narrative was first published in 1845 and within four months of its publication sold more than 5000 copies. The number increased to more than 30,000 copies by 1860. After publication Frederick Douglas fled to England and Ireland for two years because he was afraid of being recaptured by his owner in the United States of America. There he gained support from buyers who paid $710.96 to purchase his emancipation from his legal owner. Because of the publication of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” several avenues not only for Douglas’s ambitious work but also for other antislavery movements at that time.

Overview

The story opens by Douglas explaining that he does not know the date of his birth and that his mother died when he was seven years old. He then moves to Baltimore, Maryland where he believes if he had not moved there they would have remained a slave for his entire life. In Baltimore, he hopes for a better life and future, and he discusses his mistress, Mrs. Sophia Auld. As the story winds down while under the control of Mr. Covey being harshly with an almost weekly basis because of his awkwardness. Douglas eventually finds his own job planning the date on which he will escape to the North and he succeeds, but he does not give out any details to save the people who helped him escape from repercussions.

By the end of the book we see that Douglas is reunited with his fiancée and begins working as his own master, and we see them ultimately attending antislavery convention in supporting the cause from that time onwards.