Frederick Douglass’s My Bondage and My Freedom Review Essay

Nietzsche begins in the first treatise of the Genealogy of Morality. The author explores a transformation that came alongside his hopes and wishes. He recounts how he went through a learning process that made him know how to read as well as some of the duties he had to undertake as a slave. He laments that it would have been necessary for his slaveholder to be trained before she could train others. According to Douglass, he was being treated like a desperate creature in the process of learning how to read, which he terms to be immoral (chapter 14 p167). Moreover, the mistress became more violent as she pressed Douglass to learn. The writer argues that moral philosophy does require a lot of knowledge. Unfortunately, his mistress lacked this imperative philosophy which the writer thinks is very important in handling people.

The process of learning how to read and write was not a smooth ride for Douglass. He criticizes that in spite of the perceived knowledge he was getting as a slave, this very light in the form of knowledge “had penetrated the moral dungeon” (chapter 14 p174). In this pursuit for knowledge, he was whipped bitterly alongside being restricted to move at will. This according to Douglass’ criticism was a form of “moral” stipulated by his master but in a real sense as it was immoral.

In chapter fourteen, the author gives an account of his personal encounter while he was in St. Michaels. He narrates about the village life and the activities of its occupants. Although St. Michaels had previously boasted of being a community endowed with the skill of constructing ships, this business reputation almost went down due to acts of immorality and equally bad manners. The random drinking behaviour which was hitherto adopted by fishermen at St. Michaels was in itself a lack of morals (chapter 14 p187).

As a slave at St. Michael, Douglass detested such habits as stealing. However, he did not hesitate to feed himself to the full whenever he came across food. According to the author, taking food without permission from his slave master was a clear manifestation of the said lack of morals. He nevertheless ventured into such acts of “immorality” because his labour had been used to obtain the same foodstuff and yet he was being deprived of something to eat. In fact, his account of stealing from the master should not be established as immoral because it is the slave who is used to produce all these products. He further exemplifies that the moral nature of a liberal society has no meaning as well as connection whatsoever to an enslaved society. Those who own slaves have created an atmosphere where slaves cannot engage in any wrongdoing (chapter 16 p246).

Finally, Douglass is understood to exemplify his criticism of morality when he asserts that people who are enslaved in the right manner have the ability to fill their thoughts and dreams with the desire to enjoy their freedom (chapter18 p254). During the holiday period, the enslaved man finds it a welcome idea to explore his long-forgotten freedom by enjoying his liberty through wrongdoings. In practice, slavery becomes an institution of injustice whereby the comfort of a slave is disregarded. It is therefore morally right for the enslaved to engage in merrymaking activities during the holidays without being regarded as social misfits (chapter 17 p 179). Additionally, the writer confirms that slave patrons from religious backgrounds seem to be the most detestable irrespective of the societal morals they should possess.