Power Corrupts Absolute Power Analysis

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Throughout the novel we see the pain and suffering that the slaves go through. Slavery not only affected the slaves, it affected the moral health of the slaveholders as well. We can clearly see how the power of slavery corrupted Thomas Auld, Sophia Auld, and Edward Covey in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Sophia Auld is one of the characters, besides Douglass himself, who changes throughout the narrative. She started out as a kind, caring person who had never had slaves before, but changes into a cruel slave owner. Frederick Douglass describes her change in the narrative when he says this, “But, alas! this kind heart had but a short time to remain such. The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of
Covey worked the slaves extremely hard and inflicted a fear into them like no other slaveholder. Covey thought of himself as a very pious man, Frederick Douglass talks about his religion when he says, “Poor man! such was his disposition, and success at deceiving, I do verily believe that he sometimes deceived himself into the solemn belief, that he was a sincere worshipper of the most high God;” Slaveholders would often become very pious. They did this to justify and make up for all the cruel things that they did to slaves. The power of slaveholding affected their morality so much that they felt the need to make up for the things that they did to slaves. The absolute power of slavery affected the moral health of the slaveholders. Having that much power over someone turned them into cruel monsters that were compared to demons. Sophia Auld, Edward Covey, and Thomas Auld were some of the slaveholders we see directly affected by the power of slavery throughout the