12 Years a Slave (eBook)

Solomon Northup (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2022
224 Seiten
DigiCat (Verlag)
859-654740107-0 (EAN)

Infos

In 'Twelve Years a Slave,' Solomon Northup delivers a poignant and harrowing narrative of his unanticipated descent into and eventual emergence from enslavement. His memoir, an incisive and visceral account, deftly combines the stark reality of bondage with a literary eloquence that immerses readers in the experience of a free man ensnared within the brutal antebellum South. Published in 1853, Northup's detailed portrayal of slave life and the insidious markets that facilitated this inhuman trade offers an indispensable primary source, shedding light on the complexities and daily horrors faced by those subjugated under American chattel slavery, all contextualized within a broader literary tradition of slave narratives which sought to expose the moral abominations of slavery to a wider audience.

Solomon Northup's personal journey from a free individual to a slave and back again starkly illustrates the precarious nature of freedom for African Americans during the 19th century. His vivid storytelling emerges not only from his acute observations but also from a poignant self-awareness shaped by the abrupt shift from liberty to chains. Northup's perspective is particularly illuminating given his ability to contrast life before and during enslavement, providing an unflinching examination of systemic oppression from the standpoint of one who traversed both realms.

'Recommendation goes beyond scholarly interest; it is a moral imperative to engage with texts like 'Twelve Years a Slave.' The book's relevance persists as it confronts readers with historical injustices that continue to echo into contemporary dialogues around race and human rights. Its enduring impact as a testament to resilience, a witness to inhumanity, and a call to never forget makes Northup's deeply personal yet universally resonant account an essential read for anyone seeking to comprehend the full spectrum of the American experience.

Autor

Solomon Northup (1808 – c. 1863) was an American abolitionist and the author of one of the most profound narratives in the annals of American literature, 'Twelve Years a Slave', published in 1853. Broadly esteemed for its meticulous detail and its unsparing, firsthand account of the brutality of slavery, Northup's work has been a pivotal text in antebellum literature and African American history. Born a free man in New York State, Northup was the son of a freed slave and a free woman of color. In a harrowing tale of deception and betrayal, he was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery in the Deep South, enduring twelve harrowing years of involuntary servitude before his eventual rescue in 1853. His narrative, penned shortly after regained freedom, is considered an essential, authentic source for understanding the horrors of slavery in the pre-Civil War South. Northup's keen observations and narrative ability provide a powerful lens through which readers can observe the everyday occurrences and systemic injustices of chattel slavery. 'Twelve Years a Slave' remains a seminal work in American history and literature for its detailed, first-hand perspective, meticulous detail, and its literary artistry. Northup's legacy endures through his writings, which continue to educate and influence discussions on race, history, and human rights.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 13.11.2022
• Verlagsort: Prague
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Geschichte / Politik ► 20. Jahrhundert bis 1945
• Schlagworte: 19th-century slave account • 30-600 • abolitionist literature • African American Memoir • American Literature • American slavery narrative • Antebellum America memoir • Black History Month • Black history narratives • Church history • Civil War • Dreams From My Father • Early Church • Fiction • Freedom and captivity • historical autobiography • History • Italy • Long Walk to Freedom • Malcolm X • Martin Luther King • Martyrs • Obama • oprah • pre-Civil War history • Primitive and early church • Rome • Solomon Northup biography • The New Jim Crow • The Underground Railroad