Summary Of The Narrative Life Of Frederick Douglass

Chapter 1 of the Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass begins his autobiography in a traditional fashion, giving details of the names of his parents, information about his birth place, and early events of his childhood. He was in Tuckahoe, Talbot County located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Douglass remembers being sad and confused because he did not know his birthday and he was not allowed to ask. However, the white children knew their ages. He estimated that his birth took place on February, 1818, based on the overhead comment from his master, Captain Anthony. By discussing Douglass’ relationship with his mother, knowledge of his father, and experience with his first master.
His first master’s name was Captain Anthony. Douglass did not remember his master’s first name because he was generally called Captain Anthony a title which Douglass states, “he presumed, he acquired by sailing a craft on the Chesapeake Bay” (Douglass 3). Capitan Anthony was not considered a rich slaveholder since he had few slaves and farms. The Captain’s overseer, Mr. Plummer, was a miserable drunk, a savage monster and a cruel man who carried cowskin and heavy cudgel with him. He often uses the cowskin and cudgel on the slaves. Mr. Plummer enjoyed whipping the slaves so much that Captain Anthony would be enraged at his cruelty, and would threaten to whip him if he did not mind himself. Douglass recalled Mr. Plummer whipping his Aunt Hester. He describes the feeling both of being the witness and participant in the abuse. It was the first time he ever saw an actual whipping. He explains the blood and insane beating in horrid details. As a child, too innocent to understand what was happening, it was traumatic to witness such a terrible incident. Aunt Hester disobeyed Mr. Plummer’s orders by going out and being in company with Lloyd’s Ned, a servant of Captain Ned Roberts, a slave