Escape to Freedom by Ossie Davis
"Escape to Freedom" by Ossie Davis is a dramatized portrayal of the early life of Frederick Douglass, an influential abolitionist, orator, and publisher. The play unfolds through a prologue and five scenes, showcasing Douglass's journey from slavery to freedom. It employs a minimalist stage design, allowing the narrative to shift rapidly between scenes and locations. The adult Douglass narrates the story, reflecting on his childhood experiences, while a diverse cast portrays various characters, including slave owners and allies, and contributes to the musical elements with African American folk songs.
The narrative emphasizes the complexities of slavery, highlighting both the cruelty of the institution and the humanity of those involved. Key moments include Douglass's secret education, the moral dilemmas faced by white characters, and his growing awareness of the injustices of slavery. Ultimately, the story leads to Douglass's escape to New York, where he emerges as a prominent figure in the abolitionist movement. "Escape to Freedom" serves as an educational tool, particularly for younger audiences, by presenting historical themes through the lens of an enslaved individual's perspective.
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Subject Terms
Escape to Freedom by Ossie Davis
First published: 1976
Subjects: Education, race and ethnicity, and social issues
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Historical fiction
Time of work: The 1830’s
Recommended Ages: 10-15
Locale: The Eastern Shore of Maryland and Baltimore
Principal Character:
Fred Bailey , an African American slave approximately thirteen years old
Form and Content
The play Escape to Freedom is a fictionalized biography of the early days of abolitionist, orator, and publisher Frederick Douglass told through a prologue and five scenes. Noted African American actor and playwright Ossie Davis employs direct narration, dramatizes situations, and intersperses the play with African American folk music. Utilizing a bare stage with set pieces, the play moves quickly from scene to scene and from place to place as the young Fred Bailey, who is later to become Frederick Douglass, plans and executes his escape from the horrors of slavery.
The story of Escape to Freedom is developed through flashbacks as the narrator, the adult Frederick Douglass, looks back on his childhood as a slave in various locations in Maryland. Other actors in the cast play a variety of characters, from slave owners to friends and confidants. They also function as a musical ensemble and as soloists, singing the folksongs that complement the action. Set changes are accomplished by the actors as they position the chairs, tables, and other items used to suggest the movement from one locale to another.
While the play deals directly with the harshness of American slavery, it is not a diatribe. Davis successfully presents the conflicting views of white people regarding the humanity of those who were enslaved and the morality of the institution itself. Just as young Fred is victimized and abused by those white people who support and benefit from the system, so too is he aided by those who question and challenge it.
The story begins as Jethro, an older slave, tells Fred of his visit to Baltimore in which he saw free black people. Fred is impressed by what he hears, and his interest is increased when he is told that he is being sent to Baltimore to assist his master’s nephew and be a companion to their son. The nephew’s wife, Sophia, proves to be a religious woman who believes that all people are equal under God. Seeing Fred as a curious and intelligent child, she begins teaching him to read. Her husband, Hugh, quickly and vehemently informs her that it is against the law to teach slaves to read and that to do so “spoils the slave.” Fred believes that reading is the key to freedom and continues his education in secret. The result, however, is frustration as his mind is soon opened to worlds that are denied to him. A chance meeting with a sailor from the North further awakens him to the injustice of slavery and encourages him to add writing to his skills. He plans to escape by writing his own pass and free papers. The death of his owner, Colonel Lloyd, requires him to leave Baltimore and return to the farm at St. Michael’s.
Once Fred is back on the farm, his master has a religious conversion that leads Fred to believe that he has changed his views regarding slavery. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and Fred is reprimanded when he is caught teaching other slaves to read biblical texts. He is sent to a man who is well known for his ability to “break” rebellious slaves.
The harshness of the new master has its effect on Fred, and he soon finds himself demoralized and depressed. The work of the new plantation does not suit the teenage slave, and he makes mistakes that lead him to a physical encounter with the slave breaker. Forced to fight back, he overpowers his master and is sent back to Baltimore where he is hired out to work in the shipyards.
While in Baltimore, Fred becomes involved with the community of free black people and meets Anna, the woman who will later become his wife. He also meets Mentor, a free black man who is a seaman. These associations further add to Fred’s desire for freedom. With help from Mentor, he obtains seaman’s papers and is able to escape to freedom in New York, where he becomes a leading spokesperson for the abolition of slavery, the publisher of The North Star Journal, an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln, and ambassador to Haiti.
Critical Context
Although many novels and plays deal with American slavery, few of these works are specifically directed to or written for young people. Fewer still are written from the standpoint of the slave. Notable exceptions are Alice Childress’ plays on Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. Together with Escape to Freedom, the three plays constitute an important approach to the teaching of American history, both in the formality of the classroom and for general audiences as entertainment.