Although there are several tragic pages in American history, the Middle Passage occupies a special place for the grief and hardships it used to bring to millions of people for centuries. It was a part of the Transatlantic voyage, intended to bring African slaves from their motherland. The dedicated documentary by Steven Spielberg provides a depiction of the emotions experienced by those people during the journey and their destiny after it. Starting from the overview of the slave trade, it then describes a typical voyage from the captives’ perspective. The documentary dwells on the conditions created for those people and their reactions to them. It gives some details on the losses occurred during the transportation and on the fights emerged on board of the ships. Finally, some information on the end of slavery and its impact on modern civilization is provided. Thus, the video contains several valuable themes deserving of a specific review.
Among the numerous terms contained in the documentary, it is first reasonable to mention the one defining the overall impact of the Middle Passage. It is “the point of no return,” which refers to the slave-trading castles built on the African coast (The Middle Passage 00:14:00-00:15:00). In addition to emphasizing the strength of these buildings, this term indicates their profound psychological impact. The captives held there were about to start a journey of several months, which would change their lives forever. They were taken apart from their families and traditions and did not know what to expect in the future. The sunrise they experienced onboard was the last time they would see their homeland. Moreover, this was also the moment dramatically changing the world, ruining the African culture, and creating a new multinational society. Therefore, it was a point of no return for every single person and the entire civilization.
The second theme reflected throughout the documentary is the humiliation of people in the slave-trading process. The captives were treated totally like animals, and no one valued their lives. An image of a child left to die because nobody would buy him is a perfect example of such an attitude. Europeans prevented Africans from using their language, engaging in culture, and keeping local traditions (The Middle Passage 00:27:00-00:28:00). Finally, upon arrival in the United States, they were sold at a market designed for cattle and inspected nude by prospective buyers. This was a total humiliation of people, unbearable for many of them.
Another topic clearly tied to the previous one is the resistance on board the slave trade ships. Not willing to surrender, Africans turned to revolts, resulting in over three hundred documented cases of uprisings (The Middle Passage 00:29:00-00:31:00). The most famous of them occurred in 1839 when fifty-three slaves led by Cinque captured their ship. After a lengthy trial that attracted the attention of many prominent figures, the United States Supreme Court ruled that they should be freed, citing everybody’s inherent right to defend against kidnappers. Thus, the theme of resistance is clearly woven into the story of the slave trade.
As evident from the discussion above, the documentary provides remarkable insights into the Middle Passage story. Its strong point is how it conveys the emotional state of people throughout the journey. Showing the tragedy of their separation from families and the hopelessness of future lives, the author forms compassion towards the captives and desire to learn more about them. However, some aspects are not properly revealed in the documentary. Although it mentions the trial by the Supreme Court, the video does not emphasize its significance as the first step towards the total abolishment of slavery. Besides, more attention could be dedicated to the impact of the Middle Passage on the African nations. Once world leaders in agriculture, inventions, and diversity, they were quickly consumed by poverty and internal conflicts after the Europeans’ arrival. It was a tragedy shaping the world for centuries, and the consequences of it are still evident. Therefore, the documentary could be viewed as a perfect starting point for the research into the grim story of the Middle Passage.
Work Cited
“The Middle Passage Documentary by Steven Spielberg.” YouTube, uploaded by Jimmie Sanders, 2013, Web.