The Life of Frederick Douglass

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an inspirational story about a man's escape from slavery. This is an autobiography of Frederick Douglass taking place in the nineteenth century. Frederick Bailey, his birth name, was a slave in Maryland who made an escape to New York, and eventually to Massachusetts. He must fight for his survival and freedom while watching and experiencing atrocious punishments to the slaves. The only trait that caused his slavery was the color of his skin. This essay will describe Frederick's life and survival in bondage, to his escape.

Frederick was born into slavery in 1818 in Tuckahoe, Maryland. His mother was a black slave named Harriet Bailey, and his father was a white slave owner. Frederick was separated from his mother at a very young age, before he knew Harriet as his mother. She would travel about four or five times to see him at night. She would lie down with him at night, but was gone long before he awakened in the morning. When Frederick was about seven years old, Harriet passed away, and Frederick was not allowed to be present at her funeral. Frederick continued to live under the power of his master, Captain Anthony, along with other slaves. Anthony was a cruel master, who often whipped his slaves. The slaves would sing songs of freedom at night to help ease the pain of oppression.

Frederick was sold at a young age to another slave owner by the name of Colonel Edward Lloyd. Colonel Lloyd was an unbelievably wealthy slave owner in Maryland, owning three or four hundred slaves on his home plantation and many more on his other farms. Despite his wealth, his slaves received very little food and clothing. Colonel Lloyd was much more brutal to Frederick than Anthony. "I was seldom whipped by my old master, and suffered little from any thing else than hunger and cold." (Douglass fifty-six) Frederick was able to leave his plantation when he was about eight years old. "From my earliest recollection, I date the entertainment of a deep conviction that slavery would not always be able to hold me within its foul embrace; and in the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this living word of faith and spirit of hope departed not from me, but remained like ministering angels to cheer me through the gloom. This good spirit was from God, and to him I offer thanksgiving and praise." (Douglass forty-five) He attributes his good fortune to G-d, saying that even at the lowest points of his life as a slave; he would be urged on by his faith in G-d. Out of all the slave children on the Great House Farm, Douglass is chosen to go live in Baltimore. He is sent to live with Hugh Auld, the brother of Captain Thomas Auld. The three days leading up to his move to Baltimore is considered the happiest days of his life.

When he arrives in Baltimore, he is ...