William Wilberforce
What is a hero? A hero should give up something personally to protect majority people’s profits. Like in Marvel’s comics, Superman and Spiderman. They all give up personal things to save the world. For example, Superman gave up the secret of his birth and the clues of his parents because he felt his responsibility to human. Spiderman gave up his personal love. Even if his grandfather was killed by a robber. However, Spiderman did not use his ways to punish criminal instead of handing to police.
After talking the heroes in comic books, what is a real hero? hero means “a person who has heroic qualities or has performed an act and is regarded as a model or ideal” (wikipedia). As a result, William Wilberforce, an English politician in 17 century, must be a hero. In 17 century, slaves were the main labor in the Great Britain, most of the people accepted slave trade, but only few people were against it (Amazing Grace, 2006). William Wilberforce was one of them. Wilberforce gave up important things in his life to save those slaves who got unfair treatment, and he stuck to his faith that everyone should be freed no matter how hard works would be.
Despite being born into a prestigious family of merchants, William Wilberforce’s choice to give up his wealth, future, and love made him a hero to the powerless. William Wilberforce was born in an upper social family. Like other upper class family, William’s life should have been like others upper social family’s people who were sent to the best school, and be a politician to keep their noble family’s status. However, the biographical film of William Wilberforce’s life, Amazing Grace (2006), shows Wilberforce was not like other upper class people, supporting the slave trade. He gave up his status because he was against those upper social. People thought he was insane because his behavior was not an upper class person should have. Nevertheless, nobody could stop his step. People in upper class were not accepted him as a member.
Wilberforce also forfeited his future to against the slave trade. At first, he was a politician in English, because of the action he did for slaves, he offend the upper class people, he would not get into a higher position in politician career. (John Simkin, 1997) Because of he gave up his statues, his life became a mass. Old friends started to avoid him, and laughed about him. And his family went to downhill, his family was kicked out of the upper class. Nevertheless, those actions would never move his determination. The biographical film of William Wilberforce’s life, Amazing Grace (2006), shows he brought upper class’s people to see what situation slaves were suffering, in case for changing people’s minds. He sacrificed his life on drafting paper and discussing on the court until he died.
Wilberforce had to give up his love for life against slave trade. In his early 20 years, he had a wonderful voice and attractive appearance. As a result, girls were attracted by him. However, he was no longer a member of the upper class. Nobody would really like to stay close with him. he was named lots of nicknames and looked down him just because he stood out and spoke for slaves. Also, he did not have enough time to build relationship with the girl because he always focused on abolishing paper work. Until he was 30, he met his wife, Barbara Spooner, was a female politician who supports William idea. Even if they got married, he did not have enough time speed with his family (Horea, 2011).
Insisted on doing one thing and stuck on one’s faith also made William Wilberforce become a hero. He tried to abolish the slave trade until the end, even people did not understand or against him, but he still adheres to beliefs that all slaves should be free.
He started be attracted the slave trade before 1786 when he was a member of Parliament for Yorkshire. On May 12,1789, he claimed his first speech against the slave trade (Ligon). From that point, he started his abolish slave trade life officially. He tried to awaken people’s mind by his speeches; he brought upper class people to see the situation that slaves were suffering. He argued with people who support slave trade in the courtroom. Nevertheless, his plan was not successful. The court defeated his anti-slave trade bill. (Ligon) Despite he was defeated, he knew slave trade was not a right thing, he still fought for his task, which shows his determination. Wilberforce got into the lowest point of his life, he got seriously sick, and used drugs to spend in his space time. But, during his lowest point, he never forgot his mission that abolishes the slave trade. He drafted more bills and went to lots of places to convince people support abolishing the slave trade. (Ligon) In 1807, Wilberforce’s works started to show results. The abolition the slave trade bill was passed. At the same year, Wilberforce’s anti-trade bill was given royal assent. On July 26, 1833, the house passed the Wilberforce’s abolishing slavery bill in the British Empire. Nonetheless, 3 days later, William Wilberforce died. (Ligon) Despite he was dead, the movement of against the slave trade was kept moving forward. People saw the fact about the slave trade, and the bills about slave trade were passed by the court. (Ligon)
Harriet Beecher Stowe praised Wilberforce in the his novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Belmonte mentions William Wilberforce was evaluated the best example of abolishing the slave trade. And his story was used by several famous anti-slave in their speeches. Abraham Lincoln was one of them used Wilberforce in his anti-slave speech before the Civil War. (Belmonte, William Wilberforce Documentary) William Wilberforce gave up lots of things and stuck to his faith. He did something that other people dared to do. Because of that, William Wilberforce must be a hero. He should be remembered by everyone.
Reference Page
Simkin, J. (n.d.). (September 1997). William Wilberforce. Retrieved from
Terrence Malick. (Producer), Michael Apted. (Director). (23 February 2007). Amazing Grace. United States and United Kingdom: FourBoys Films.
Belmonte, Kevin. (2007) William Wilberforce Documentary. Retrieved from
William Wilberforce history. (2010). Retrieved from
Ligon, Daniel. (n.d.). William Wilberforce: A Man Of Compassion And Conviction. Retrieved from http://wilberforce.weebly.com/
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