![]() He tries in vain to remember the events that led him to this prison, but he is horrified to discover a large gap in his memory. When Solomon awakens-possibly days later-he finds himself in chains, imprisoned in a small, dark room. The men tell him that he needs to see a doctor immediately, so he stumbles out of his hotel room and follows him into the street. He hears several men enter his room, but he can’t discern who they are or if Hamilton and Brown are among them. With a pounding headache and unbearable nausea, Solomon retires to his hotel room to rest.Īs the night progresses, Solomon grows increasingly ill and is barely conscious. Later that evening, Solomon gets violently ill, despite having practiced moderation in his drinking. They drink moderately and are always polite enough to pour a little out for Solomon. Throughout the day, the men often stop at taverns for a drink. Solomon walks around New York, in awe of the sights, and is always accompanied by his new friends, Hamilton and Brown. The next day, the city buzzes with more excitement than normal, due to General Harrison’s funeral. ![]() Hamilton and Brown pay Solomon a hefty forty-three dollars, much higher than what Solomon expected to be paid, and apologize for the lack of shows they’ve put on. The free papers end up being expensive-more than Solomon thinks they are worth-but he obtains them and places them in his pocket. Hamilton and Brown suggest that Solomon obtain free papers before the group travels south, and Solomon is surprised that such a formality would be necessary. With the promise of generous wages, Solomon agrees. The circus is set to travel north, so Solomon will be able to return to New York shortly. They ask Solomon if he would consider traveling with them the rest of the way, to Washington D.C., to take part in their circus as their fiddle player. The next day, the trio arrives in New York City. The show is comprised of a series of bizarre circus acts, including ventriloquism and “frying pancakes in a hat.” The turnout is meager, and the show barely generates any money. Hamilton, Brown, and Solomon depart for New York, first stopping in Albany to put on a show-the only show Solomon witnesses during his entire trip with them. Due to the brevity of the trip, he decides not to write to Anne to tell her where he's going. They ask Solomon if he would consider traveling with them as their fiddle player to New York City-only a short trip-in exchange for daily wages and a bonus for each show they put on. They planned to pay their travel expenses by putting on small shows in each place they visit but have had difficulty in finding a musician for their shows. and say that they’re in New York for the sake of sightseeing. Hamilton and Brown explain their connection to a circus based in Washington D.C. Brooding over how he can make a little extra money, Solomon runs into two dignified white men named Abram Hamilton and Merrill Brown, who have heard from one of Solomon’s acquaintances about Solomon’s talent on the violin. His wife and eldest daughter are twenty miles away at the coffee shop where his wife works as a cook, and his other two children are with their aunt. One March morning in 1841, Solomon walks around the village in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he currently lives with his family. ![]() He loves his family dearly and is a tender father and loyal husband. ![]() To support his wife, Anne, and their three children, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Alonzo, Solomon works hard at several jobs, be it raft-making or fiddle-playing. The son of a liberated slave, Solomon grows up hearing of the atrocities of slavery but knowing freedom. ![]() Solomon Northup was born a free man in New York. The narrative opens with a promise from narrator and protagonist, Solomon Northup, that the following story will “not be uninteresting to the public.” He tells the reader that the pages to come will detail his life as a free man of the North, his subsequent kidnapping, his twelve miserable years in slavery, and his eventual rescue. ![]()
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