What is wrong with Rowlandson’s account of the Native Americans?
The fact that Rowlandson never stops to examine the idea that perhaps all people are God’s people and have equal right to live on the land, but instead can only see the Indians in a “savage” light, further confirms this idea. One problematic aspect of this account is that it cannot provide any other viewpoint on the matter.
Why does Rowlandson depict the natives as savage people?
One might argue that the reason Rowlandson depicts the Natives as such terrible, “savage” people is because they have just destroyed her village and killed many of her friends. Admittedly this is justification for the outrage that she felt.
Why did Rowlandson reuse this woodcut from 1762?
Neal Salisbury points out in his introduction to Rowlandson's work (Bedford Books, 1997) that this woodcut was reused from The Life and Adventures of a Female Soldier, 1762, neglecting the fact that her narrative never mentions her using a gun.
What happened to Rowlandson's sister and brother-in-law?
"Out they must go," and out they did go. During the next few moments Rowlandson's brother-in-law was shot dead, her nephew suffered a borken leg and was "knockt" on the head, and her sister was struck by a bullet, "and fell down dead over the threshold."
How is Rowlandson treated by her captors in the beginning?
Rowlandson was kept a prisoner for three months, during which time she was treated poorly. With her captors she traveled as far as the Connecticut River to the west and moved north into what is now New Hampshire. Her wounds slowly healed, and she became accustomed to her captors' meagre diet.
Does Rowlandson change her views of natives by the end of her story if so how where do you see it if at all?
Mary Rowlandson, did not change her views of Native Americans, although her definitions of savage and civilized change, her opinions about the Indians after her release were unchanged, rather solidified. She still portrayed mistrust towards the praying Indians.
How does this interaction between Rowlandson and the Native Americans affect Rowlandson's perspective of her captors?
How does this interaction between Rowlandson and the Native Americans affect Rowlandson's perspective of her captors? Rowlandson began to see compassion and kindness by the people she labeled as merciless heathens.
What did Mary Rowlandson experience in captivity?
During her captivity, Rowlandson experienced the same physical hardships the Indians faced: she never had enough to eat and constantly relocated from one camp to another in a series of what she termed “removes.” Her traumatic experience was made all the more harrowing by her Puritan conviction that all Native Americans ...
How did Rowlandson feel about the Indians?
Rowlandson's attitude toward the Indians seems ambivalent. She continually calls them "Beasts" and "Heathen," yet she has no problem in noting any examples of kindness that they show her (ex. The old squaw who gave her food).
How does Rowlandson view her own society after her experience as a captive?
After being taken into captivity by the American Indians, or pagans as Rowlandson describes, she conveys these strong Puritan beliefs by criticizing and demeaning the Indian's religion and, according to Rowlandson, their complete lack of values, morals and religious conviction (Rowlandson 272).
What was Mary Rowlandson's purpose?
However, it does seem clear that Rowlandson understood her purpose in writing the narrative: to express the possibility of redemption with faith in God and his wisdom.
What lessons does Rowlandson learn from her time in captivity?
Rowlandson's descriptions of her time with the Indians reinforce this lesson: nothing, during her captivity, is consistent. One day, her captors treat her well, while the next day they give her no food or reprimand her without reason.
Why does Mary Rowlandson distrust the praying Indians?
However, as she begins to blur civilization and savagery, she is often still skeptical of the “Praying Indians.” This might stem from her inability to reconcile with a God who would offer salvation to American Indians.
Who was Mary Rowlandson?
Mary Rowlandson was the wife of the minister of the frontier town of Lancaster, Massachusetts , when the town was attacked in 1675 during Metacom's War -- known also as King Philip's War.
What is the lesson plan of Mary Rowlandson?
One of my favorite moments in teaching Rowlandson's Narrative came in a class where several students in succession castigated her for her critical attitude toward the Indians. They argued that from the beginning she showed her prejudice by referring to the Indians as "wolves" ...
What happened on February 10th 1675?
On the tenth of February 1675, came the Indians with great numbers upon Lancaster: their first coming was about sunrising; hearing the noise of some guns, we looked out; several houses were burning, and the smoke ascending to heaven, and There were five persons taken in one house, the father, the mother and a sucking child, they knocked on the head; the other two they took and carried away alive. There were two others, who being out of their garrison upon some occasion were set upon; one was knocked on the head, the other escaped; another there was who running along was shot and wounded, and fell down; he begged of them his life, promising them money (as they told me) but they would not hearken to him but knocked him in head, and stripped him naked, and split open his bowels. Another, seeing many of the Indians about his barn, ventured and went out, but was quickly shot down. There were three others belonging to the same garrison who were killed; the Indians getting up upon the roof of the barn, had advantage to shoot down upon them over their fortification. Thus these murderous wretches went on, burning, and destroying before them.
What are Mary Rowlandson's views on the Indians?
These two women had very similar interpretations of the Indians and how they treated them. Mary Rowlandson’s view of the Indians that captured her, is harsher compared to Mrs. Jemison’s. Mrs. Rowlandson saw them burn and destroy homes, knock people on the head, and kill the ones she loved and knew.
Why does Rowlandson adapt her opinions regarding food, the Native Americans, and even the land around her?
As a means of surviving the ordeal of a constantly changing environment, Rowlandson adapts her opinions regarding food, the Native Americans, and even the land around her to take on the perspective of a savage, similar to that of her captors, as a means of compensating with her perceived savage environment.
What is Mary Rowlandson's narrative?
Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative „A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson “, published in 1682, is an account of a Puritan women held captive by Natives after having witnessed the destruction of her town and her return to her Puritan community.
How long was Mary Rowlandson in captivity?
Mary Rowlandson, a famous victim of these Indian attacks, recounts her eleven-week captivity in her published book, A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. The book describes her experience as a captive of the Wampanoags in great detail, and combines high adventure, heroism, and exemplary piety, ...
What does Rowlandson say about her eating habits?
Rowlandson reflects on the progression of her eating habits and how she went through a fundamental change in her opinion towards the food in order to sustain herself: "But now that was savory to me that one would think was enough to turn the stomach of a brute creature.".
What is the significance of Mrs. Rowlandson's captivity?
While her first inclination in captivity is to end her suffering as quickly as possible by giving up on her life, Rowlandson quickly takes up the role of survivalist, determined to stay alive long enough to be released and returned back to civilization. Along the way, however, Rowlandson compromises on aspects of her life in order to achieve this survival. As a means of surviving the ordeal of a constantly changing environment, Rowlandson adapts her opinions regarding food, the Native Americans, and even the land around her to take on the perspective of a savage, similar to that of her captors, as a means of compensating with her perceived savage environment. When Rowlandson is first captured, she makes it her objective to survive the ordeal as best as she can, but one of her earliest struggles comes with the subject of food. Rowlandson reflects on the progression of her eating habits and how she went through a fundamental change in her opinion towards the food in order to sustain herself: "But now that was savory to me that one would think was enough to turn the stomach of a brute creature." (153) Here Rowlandson succinctly compares her own tastes to that of a...
What is Colin Ramsey's critical essay about?
In Colin Ramsey’s critical essay of ‘Cannibalism and Infant Killing: A System of 'Demonizing' Motifs in Indian Captivity Narratives’ he describes “ Mary Rowlandson's captivity narrative was the first in a long succession of Puritan captivity accounts that painted Indians as Satanic... ...resources dwindled before them.
How long was Mary White Rowlandson in captivity?
Mary White Rowlandson: She lived from about 1637 to 1711 and was a captive in 1675 for almost three months. Hers was the first of the captivity narratives to be published in America and went through numerous editions. Her treatment of the Indigenous people is often sympathetic.
When was Susannah Johnson captured?
Susannah Johnson: Captured by Abenaki Indigenous people in August 1754, she and her family were taken to Quebec where they were sold into enslavement by the French. She was released in 1758, and in 1796, wrote of her captivity. It was one of the more popular such narratives to read.
What are the stories of the captivity of women?
In a society in which men are expected to be the protectors of women, the kidnapping of women is viewed as an attack or an affront of the males in the society, as well. The stories serve thus as a call for retaliation as well as for caution in relating to these "dangerous" Indigenous people. Sometimes the narratives also challenge some of the racial stereotypes. By depicting the captors as individuals, often as people who also face troubles and challenges, the captors are also made more human. In either case, these Indigenous people captive narratives serve a directly political purpose and can be seen as a kind of political propaganda.
Who was the first woman to write an Indigenous captivity narrative?
Sensationalism often played a key role in these narratives and some accounts contained elements of fiction to shock readers and pull them in. Mary Rowlandson is credited as being the first woman to write an Indigenous captivity narrative in 1682, which was titled "Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. ".
When was Rachel Plummer captured?
Rachel Plummer: Captured May 19, 1836, by Comanche Indigenous people, she was released in 1838 and died in 1839 after her narrative was published. Her son, who was a toddler when they were captured, was ransomed in 1842 and raised by her father (his grandfather).
Who was Mary Jemison?
Mary Jemison: Captured during the French and Indian War and sold to the Seneca, she became a member of the Senecas and was renamed Dehgewanus. In 1823 a writer interviewed her and the next year published a first-person narrative of Mary Jemison's life. Mary Jemison Biography.
What is the term for stories about women captives?
Further reading on the subject of women captives: stories about American settlers taken captive by Indigenous people, also called "Indian Captivity Narratives, " and what these mean to historians and as literary works:
How does Rowlandson portray Native Americans?
Rowlandson portrays the Native Americans as an uncivilized people who have no claim to the land they occupy. She accomplishes this by dehumanizing them through her descriptions and by presenting them as a “savage” and “heathen” people.
What is the goal of Rowlandson?
Rowlandson’s goal, it appears, is to portray this as a battle between the “heathen” Native Americans and her religiously pure and civilized society. Ultimately she is able to frame this “battle” as a religious experience testing her and the other colonists’ faith, which is completely ignoring the root of the issue.
What is Mary Rowlandson's Sovereignty and Goodness of God about?
Mary Rowlandson’s The Sovereignty and Goodness of God recounts her experience of being captured by a group of Native Americans. Rowlandson’s description of this trek is highly subjective and reflects her personal beliefs as well as the values of the time period. This is especially clear to the reader in her descriptions ...
How long did Mary Rowlandson stay with the Indians?
For more than 11 weeks, Rowlandson and her remaining children were forced to accompany the Indians as they travelled through the wilderness to carry out other raids and to elude the English militia. Original caption “Mary Rowlandson Captured by the Indians” (Northrop, Henry Davenport, 1836-1909)
Where was Rowlandson captured?
Site of Rowlandson's capture (Lancaster, Massachusetts) At sunrise on February 10, 1676, during King Philip's War, Lancaster came under attack by Narragansett, Wampanoag, and Nashaway /Nipmuc Indians led by Monoco. Rowlandson and her three children, Joseph, Mary, and Sarah, were among those taken in the raid.
What is the central influence of Puritan philosophy?
Throughout the narrative of Rowlandson's captivity, the central influence of Puritan philosophy is displayed through the use of Biblical quotations that function to reinforce her descriptions of a world of stark dichotomies: punishment and retribution, darkness and light, and good and evil.
Where did Mary Rowlandson write her captivity narrative?
Mary Rowlandson and her children subsequently moved to Boston, where she is thought to have written her captivity narrative, although her original manuscript has not survived. It was published in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1682, and in London the same year.
What is the title page of Mary Rowlandson's book The Sovereignty and Goodness of
The Sovereignty and Goodness of God. First edition (1682) title page of Rowlandson's narrative. Mary Rowlandson's autobiographical account of her kidnapping and ransom is considered a classic of the American captivity narrative genre. In it, she records how she witnessed the murder of her family and friends.
Where did Reverend Rowlandson live?
In 1677, Reverend Rowlandson moved his family to Wethersfield, Connecticut, where he was installed as pastor in April of that year. He died in Wethersfield in November 1678. Church officials granted Mary a pension of £30 per year.
Who paid for Rowlandson's ransom?
On May 2, 1676 (New Style calendar), Rowlandson was ransomed for £20, raised by the women of Boston in a public subscription and paid by John Hoar of Concord at Redemption Rock in Princeton, Massachusetts.
Introduction
Mary Rowlandson’s narrative is one of the most well-known captivity narratives in early American literature. Rowlandson was taken captive by the Wampanoags after a raid in Lancaster in 1676. Published in 1682, her narrative offers a small glimpse of what she experienced during her eleven weeks in captivity.
Discussion Questions
Consider Rowlandson’s narrative in the context of Puritanism, such as the concept of the elect, John Winthrop’s “city on a hill,” or the use of typology. How does Rowlandson’s narrative engage with these ideas? How might her work extend the conversation of other Puritan writers like Winthrop, William Bradford, or Anne Bradstreet?
The Preface to the READER
IT was on Tuesday, Feb 1. 1675.
INTRODUCTION
The sovereignty and goodness of GOD, together with the faithfulness of his promises displayed, being a narrative of the captivity and restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, commended by her, to all that desires to know the Lord’s doings to, and dealings with her. Especially to her dear children and relations.
THE FIRST REMOVE
Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures, with our bodies wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies. About a mile we went that night, up upon a hill within sight of the town, where they intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house (deserted by the English before, for fear of the Indians).
THE SECOND REMOVE
But now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the town, and travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness, I knew not whither.
THE THIRD REMOVE
The morning being come, they prepared to go on their way. One of the Indians got up upon a horse, and they set me up behind him, with my poor sick babe in my lap. A very wearisome and tedious day I had of it; what with my own wound, and my child’s being so exceeding sick, and in a lamentable condition with her wound.
Gender Roles
Racial Stereotypes
Religion
Sensationalism
Enslaved Person Narratives and Indigenous Captivity Narratives
Literary Theories
Women's History Questions on Captivity Narratives
Specific Women in Captivity Narratives
- These are some women captives—some are famous (or infamous), some less well-known. Mary White Rowlandson: She lived from about 1637 to 1711 and was a captive in 1675 for almost three months. Hers was the first of the captivity narratives to be published in America and went through numerous editions. Her treatment of the Indigenous people is often s...
Bibliography