[lit-ideas] The Life, Times, and _Opinions_ of Olaudah Equiano
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:00:41 EDT
>gives a somewhat top-down account of abolitionism in Britain (even though
it
>included
>Thomas Clarkson and Olaudah Equiano -- whose role, apparently, it
diminishes).
Good point. Indeed, I also found it gave too much of a _parliamentary_
account of abolitionism. Indeed, I expected Wilberforce to be more of a 'man of
action' than just one of the 'chattering classes'.
I too thought the title was misleading. After all "Amazing Grace" is
indissolubly tied with R. Newton (played by A. Finney) whose shown as a sort of
custodian at St. Paul's rather than the revered humanist I thought he'd become.
Indeed Thomas Clarkon's role was so diminished that I don't know who he was.
I expect Olaudah Equiano was a 'freed slave', and I remember an 'ethnic'
cast type there, but I forget if what he said was 'moving'.
Even Wilberforce did not carry too much sentiment with him. I believe there
was a 'paberback' on the 'slave trade' in UK before Abolitionism -- but I
forget the title. I think it was a Penguin title, and it may have "Amazing
Grace"
as its title too.
It's interesting to compare Olaudah Equiano with Jemmy Button -- the native
from Tierra del Fuego brought in Fitzroy's Beagle. This was much later, but
like Equiano, their role was mainly to make the British aware that there is
something like a _living_ aborigen culture -- that there was _an_ other, if
perhaps not yet a (or not ever a) significant one.
Thanks for the other details about Fanny Kemble -- very interesting
Cheers,
JL
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