# William Freeland — Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass character guide

> William Freeland in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. William Freeland, Mr. Freeland, Freeland, Master William, William Freeland

**First appearance:** 0012-x

## Who they are

A master whose relative decency lets Douglass teach other slaves to read, and whose trust becomes the ground for a dangerous hope.

## Relationships

### [Henry Bailey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters/henry_bailey)

_professional_

Henry Bailey is a slave owned by William Freeland, who allows him relative freedom to hire his own time.

### [Edward Covey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters/edward_covey)

_professional_

Covey and Freeland are neighboring slaveholders, with Covey known as a brutal slave breaker while Freeland is comparatively lenient.

### [Nathan Johnson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters/nathan_johnson)

_social_

Nathan Johnson and William Freeland are both free black men who assist Douglass after his escape, though Freeland is his former master.

### [Henry Bailey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters/henry_bailey)

_professional_

Henry Bailey is a slave owned by William Freeland, who allows him relative freedom to hire his own time.

### [Nathan Johnson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters/nathan_johnson)

_social_

Nathan Johnson and William Freeland are both free black men who assist Douglass after his escape, though Freeland is his former master.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters/william_freeland
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/narrative_of_the_life_of_frederick_douglass_se/characters