The Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass Characters
Master Andrew
- cruel wretch - common drunkard, wasted much of his father's property - smashed head of Fred's brother (savage outrage... said he might serve the same outrage on Fred himself)
Rowena Hamilton
2nd wife of Master Thomas
William Gardener
A Baltimore shipbuilder. Hugh Auld sends Douglass to him to learn the trade of caulking. His shipyard is disorderly with racial tension between free-black carpenters and white carpenters, and he is under pressure to complete several ships for a deadline.
William Gardner
A Baltimore shipbuilder. Hugh Auld sends Douglass to him to learn the trade of caulking. His shipyard is disorderly with racial tension between free-black carpenters and white carpenters, and he is under pressure to complete several ships for a deadline.
Nathan Johnson
A Massachusetts worker and abolitionist. He is immediately kind and helpful to the Douglasses, loaning them money, helping Douglass find work, and suggesting Douglass's new name. He is well informed on national politics and keeps a nice household.
Henny
A lame slave girl that Captain Thomas Auld considers a burden, after unsuccessfully trying to give her away, he throws her out to fend for her self
Sandy Jenkins
A slave acquaintance of Douglass. Is highly superstitious and stands in the Narrative as a representative of all uneducated, superstitious slaves. She is kind to Douglass when Douglass runs away from Covey's, but the Narrative also implies that she may have informed William Freeland about Douglass's plans to escape; gives Douglass a root to keep him safe from harm - works. had a free wife - slave with whom he was acquainted - told Fred about the root he should carry to avoid being whipped, and it worked
Jacob Jepsen
A slave owner whose slaves often get into arguments with the slaves of Colonel Lloyd over which master is better. Jacob Jepsen's slaves claim that their master can lick Colonel Lloyd and Colonel Lloyd's slaves argue that their master is richer than Jacob Jepsen is.
Lucretia, Thomas, Hugh
About two years after the death of ________ Auld, her husband, ________ Auld, remarries. Soon after the marriage, he has a falling out with his brother, _______, and punishes him by reclaiming Douglass
Mr. George Cookman
After Captain Thomas Auld's religious conversion, he hosts many preachers at his house. The slaves are most fond of Rev. George Cookman who is known to have convinced a rich slaveholder to emancipate his slaves. When he is around, the slaves pray that he can do the same for them.
Mary
Along with Henrietta, Mary is another slave girl in Baltimore who is constantly whipped. She is so often mistreated that she is known as 'pecked' rather than by her name.
The Columbian Orator
At around the age of twelve, Douglass encounters this book, which contains a philosophical dialogue between a master and a slave. In the dialogue, the master lays out the argument for slavery, and the slave refutes each point, eventually convincing the master to release him. The book also contains a reprint of a speech arguing for the emancipation of Irish Catholics and for human rights generally. The book helps Douglass to fully articulate the case against slavery, but it also makes him hate his masters more and more. This dilemma is difficult position for Douglass and often fills him with regret
Colonel Edward Lloyd
Captain Anthony's boss and Douglass's first owner. He is an extremely rich man who owns all of the slaves(400) and lands where Douglass grows up. He insists on extreme subservience from his slaves and often punishes them unjustly. slave owner - owner of the plantation (the Great House Farm) - kept garden and horses - meticulous owner - made the slaves literally tremble - had 3 sons: Edward, Murray, and Daniel -He lives in a place called the Great House Farm, where all transactions take place. Slaves from the surrounding farms consider it the highest honor to serve in the Great House Farm. Colonel Lloyd owns so many slaves that he does not know them all and they all do not know him. Douglass spends a part of his childhood at the Great House Farm running errands for Ms. Lucretia Auld and Master Daniel Lloyd, Colonel Lloyd's son.
Lucretia Auld
Captain Anthony's daughter and Thomas Auld's wife. After Captain Anthony's death, she inherits half his property, including Douglass. She is as cruel an owner as her husband.As a young boy, Douglass runs errands for Mrs. Lucretia. After the death of her father, Douglass comes under her possession. She sends him back to Baltimore, to her brother-in-law, Mr. Hugh Auld. She dies shortly after Douglass goes to Baltimore.
Andrew and Richard
Captain Anthony's two sons
Richard
Captain Anthony's youngest son, he dies before his father does, leaving the rest of the estate to his brother, Andrew, and his sister, Lucretia.
Master Daniel
Colonel Llyod's grandson who befriends Douglass; this gives Douglass some benefits. of Colonel Lloyd's plantation - became attached to Fred - spent time with him during errands and leisure time - as an advantage to Fred - sort of a protector
Captain Anthony
Dies and it sends Douglass back to be appraised
Henrietta
Douglass acknowledges that in Baltimore, slaves are treated more humanely than in the country. Henrietta is an exception, as her mistress constantly whips her.
Eliza, Priscilla, Henny
Douglass arrives to live at Thomas Auld's in March 1832. Life under Auld is particularly difficult because Auld does not give the slaves enough food. Douglass works in the kitchen alongside his sister, _________; his aunt, _________; and another woman, _________. They have to beg or steal food from neighbors to survive, though the Aulds always seem to have food wasting in the storehouse.
cousin Tom
Douglass eagerly anticipates his arrival in Baltimore because of the good things he hears from Cousin Tom. Cousin Tom tells him that Baltimore is more splendid and majestic than anything he has seen in Talbot County.
Walter Price
Douglass quickly learns caulking under ______________ and soon earns the highest possible wage
adoptive
Douglass reports that ________ slaveholders are notoriously the worst masters
Aunt Hester
Douglass's aunt. She is an exceptionally beautiful and noble-looking woman, superior to most white and black women. Captain Anthony is extraordinarily interested in her, and she therefore suffers countless whippings at his hands.- whipped one night by Captain Auld, she was not there one night, instead of out with Colonel Lloyd (which was the chief offense)
Captain Anthony
Douglass's first master and probably his father; is the clerk for Colonel Lloyd, managing Lloyd's surrounding plantations and the overseers of those plantations. He is a cruel man who takes pleasure in whipping his slaves, especially Douglass's Aunt Hester. He is called "Captain" because he once piloted ships up the Chesapeake Bay.- cruel man, hardened by long line of slaveholding - would take pleasure in whipping a slave ex.) whipping of Aunt Hester - not born a slaveholder - adopted slaveholders are the worst - appeared awkward, lacked firmness to properly gain respect of them
Betsy Bailey
Douglass's grandmother. She raised Douglass on Captain Anthony's land after Douglass's mother was taken away. She served the Anthony family her whole life and had many children and grandchildren who became slaves for the Anthonys. After seeing Captain Anthony's children from birth to death, she is abandoned to a hut in the woods instead of being allowed to go free.
William Freeland
Douglass's keeper for two years following his time with Covey. He is the most fair and straightforward of all Douglass's masters and is not hypocritically pious. Douglass acknowledges his exceptional fairness with a pun on his name. Douglass considers Mr. Freeland the best master he had before becoming his own master. Unlike many slaveholders, Mr. Freeland has no religious pretensions. While working for Mr. Freeland, Douglass tries an unsuccessful escape with two of Mr. Freeland's slaves. Mr. Freeland's mother blames Douglass for corrupting the minds of her slaves.
Harriet Bailey
Douglass's mother. She is separated from Douglass after his birth, but she still attempts to maintain family relations by walking twelve miles to see him at night. She dies when Douglass is young.
Anna Murray
Douglass's wife. She is a free black woman from Baltimore who becomes engaged to Douglass before he escapes to freedom. After his escape, she and Douglass marry in New York and then move to New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Anna Murray
Douglass's wife. She is a free black woman from Baltimore who becomes engaged to Douglass before he escapes to freedom. After his escape, she and Douglass marry in New York and then move to New Bedford, Massachusetts.
William Hamilton
Father-in-law of Thomas Auld. After Lucretia Auld's death, Thomas remarries his oldest daughter. He himself sometimes takes charge of Douglass, as when he arrests Douglass for plotting to escape from Freeland.
William Lloyd Garrison
Founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He meets Douglass when Douglass is persuaded to tell his history at an abolitionist convention in Nantucket in 1841. Immediately impressed with Douglass's poise and with the power of his story, he hires him for the abolitionist cause.
William Lloyd Garrison
Founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He meets Douglass when Douglass is persuaded to tell his history at an abolitionist convention in Nantucket in 1841. Immediately impressed with Douglass's poise and with the power of his story, he hires him for the abolitionist cause.
Sophia Auld
Hugh Auld's wife; was a working woman before marrying Hugh, and she had never owned slaves. She treats him like a human being and even begins to teach him how to read. The corruption of owning a slave transforms her from a sympathetic, kind woman into a vengeful monster.
Captain Thomas Auld
Lucretia Auld's husband and Hugh Auld's brother. Mrs. Lucretia's husband, young Douglass is sent to Baltimore to live with Captain Thomas Auld's brother, Hugh Auld. Two years after Mrs. Lucretia's death, Thomas has a falling out with his brother and takes Douglass back to live with him at St. Michael's. Captain Thomas Auld is an incompetent slaveholder who has neither the ability nor courage to hold slaves. At a religious meeting he 'finds religion' and becomes extremely religious. However, Douglass sees no change in his depraved nature and considers him a religious hypocrite. After Douglass's unsuccessful attempt to escape, Captain Auld sends him back to his brother Hugh in Baltimore.He did not grow up owning slaves, but gained them through his marriage to Lucretia. After attending a church meeting in Maryland, he becomes a "pious" man, but he uses his newfound Christianity to be even more self-righteously brutal toward his slaves.
Wendell Phillips
President of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He considers Douglass a close friend. He admires Douglass's bravery in publishing his history without pseudonyms, but also fears for Douglass's safety
Douglass, Henry, John, Henry, Charles, Sandy, Chesapeake, Easter
The escape party consists of _________, _________ and _________ Harris, _________ Bailey, and _________ Roberts. _________ Jenkins initially intends to accompany them, but eventually decides to remain. They plan to canoe up the _________ Bay on the Saturday before _________. Douglass writes travel passes, signed by their master, for each of them.
Thomas
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Auld, he is of grammar school age when Douglass begins his quest to learn how to read. Douglass uses Thomas's copybook to also learn how to write.
Hugh Auld
Thomas Auld's brother and Douglass's occasional master. He lives in Baltimore with his wife, Sophia. Thomas and Lucretia Auld allow him to borrow Douglass as a servant for his son, Thomas. He is well aware that whites maintain power over blacks by depriving them of education, and he unwittingly enlightens Douglass in this matter. He is not as cruel as his brother Thomas, but he becomes harsher due to a drinking habit in his later years. He seems to suffer some consciousness that slavery and the law's treatment of blacks are inhumane, but he does not allow this consciousness to interfere with his exercising power over Douglass.
Alabama, Baltimore, Hugh Auld
When Douglass is in jail, at first, Thomas Auld announces his intent to send Douglass to __________. Then Auld suddenly changes his mind and sends Douglass back to __________ with __________
Nantucket
Where Douglass first speaks at an anti-slavery conference
Mr Plummer
a drunk and a cruel man who carries a whip and cudgel with him and often uses them on slaves overseer on Auld's farm
David Ruggles
a free black who takes Douglass in. He is an abolitionist and journalist and advises Douglass to go to New Bedford, Massachusetts, to find work as a caulker; He witnesses Douglass and Anna Murray's marriage and gives Douglass five dollars and a letter of recommendation.
Mr Wilson
a religious leader who runs a slave school until the community shuts it down. St. Michael's - proposed to keep a Sabbath school for slaves - but Fred forbidden him to see him again - thus ended his Sabbath school
Hughes
a slave Mr Covey calls to hold Douglass back. He approaches, and Douglass kicks him down
Bill
a slave who refuses to help Mr Covey beat Douglass
Mr. M'Durmond
chief gardener of Colonel Lloyd's beautiful garden - fruit was a temptation for the slaves: shown with tar
William Wilkes
coach-driver for Colonel Lloyd - seen him whip slaves
Peter, Isaac, Rich, and Jake
esteemed slaves - able to see Baltimore (taken on the sloop Sally Lloyd) - under Captain Lloyd
Thomas Hamilton
exception to good slaveholders in Baltimore - owned 2 slaves: Henrietta and Mary (mangled and emaciated) - wife Lucretia Hamilton = same cruelty - advised Fred to depend on him for his happiness
Mr Severe
first overseer of Captain Anthony's farm -dies shortly after Fred arrives - seemed to take pleasure in manifesting his barbarity - large hickory stick and a cow-skin - also a profane swearer
Henry and John Harris
intelligent boys Douglass meets when under William Freeland. Henry- A slave of Mr. Freeland, Douglass finds him to be of noble spirit and integrity. When a betrayer foils their escape plan, Henry refuses to be tied up and it takes several men to subdue him. Meanwhile, Douglass is able to rid himself of the fake pass.
Thomas Lanman
lives in Maryland and boasted of violently killing two slaves, yet has never been investigated for the crimes
Mrs. Giles Hick
murdered Fred's wife's cousin by breaking her nose and breastbone - slave girl had been exhausted and fell asleep while caring for her baby
Caroline
name of slave Mr Covey buys to be a breeder. of Mr. Covey - from Mr. Thomas Lowe - made her to be a concubine to married man (Mr. Samuel Harrison) - gave birth to twins
the snake
nickname for Mr Covey by slaves because of his sneakiness
Edward Covey
notorious slave "breaker" and Douglass's keeper for one year. Slave owners send their unruly slaves to him, who works and punishes them (thus getting free labor to cultivate his rented land) and returns them trained and docile. His tactics as a slaveholder are both cruel and sneaky. He is deliberately deceptive and devious when interacting with his slaves, creating an atmosphere of constant surveillance and fear.For the first six months, Douglass suffers greatly under Mr. Covey. After one severe beating, Douglass tries to seek shelter from Master Thomas but to no avail. He decides then to fight back if attacked. After a two-hour battle with Mr. Covey, Douglass gets the better of him. As a result, Douglass becomes a true man, not fearing anyone. For the next six months, Douglass is not beaten again.
Mr. Butler
owns the ship-yard near the draw bridge - Baltimore - did his own work
Rev. James W.C. Pennington
performed the marriage ceremony for Fred and Anna
Austin Gore
replaces Mr Hopkins as a supervisor; is proud, ambitious, cunning, and cruel, and his domination over the slaves is total. He does not argue or hear protests and sometimes provokes slaves only for an excuse to punish them. he thrives on the Great House Farm. His ensures that all of the slaves bow down to him, while he, in turn, willingly bows down to the Colonel. He is a silent man, never joking as some overseers would. He performs barbaric deeds of punishment with a cool demeano. succeeded Mr. Hopkins - first-rate overseer - had served Colonel Lloyd - whipped from sense of duty & feared no consequences - shooting Demby
Mr Hopkins
replaces Mr Severe as overseer; He is less cruel and profane than Severe and is considered a fair overseer; he is fired after only a short time
Beal Bondly
shot and killed an elderly slave of Colonel Lloyd's who was fishing on his property. Colonel Lloyd did not complain about the killing.
Hamiltons
the Auld's neighbors who greatly mistreat their slaves, Henrietta and Mary
Frederick Douglass
the author and narrator of the Narrative. He is a rhetorically skilled and spirited man and a powerful orator for the abolitionist movement. One of his reasons for writing the Narrative is to offer proof to critics who felt that such an articulate and intelligent man could not have once been a slave. The Narrative describes his experience under slavery from his early childhood until his escape North at the age of twenty. Within that time, he progresses from unenlightened victim of the dehumanizing practices of slavery to educated and empowered young man. He gains the resources and convictions to escape to the North and wage a political fight against the institution of slavery
Barney
the name of both of the slaves in charge of Col Lloyd's horse stables; they were often unfairly mistreated. Old Barney and young Barney 2 slaves (father and son) to care for Colonel Lloyd's riding equipment - most careful about his horses (micromanagement)
Ned Roberts
the slave Hester went out with before she was brutally whipped by Captain Anthony
Great House Farm
what all of Colonel Lloyd's slaves refer to the central plantation, on which Douglass grew up as because it resembles a small village; Slaves from other plantations feel privileged to be sent there on an errand
Demby
whipped by Mr Gore and runs into a nearby creek to soothe the pain. He refuses to come out of the creek, and Mr. Gore gives him a three‑count to return. When he makes no response after each call, Mr. Gore promptly shoots him. When questioned about his actions, Mr. Gore calmly explains that he was setting a bad example for the rest of the slaves. Mr. Gore is never investigated for this murder, and he still lives free.
