The Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

The Narrative of the Captivity and proceeds of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, arguably the most famous internment tale of the American Indian-English genre, is considered a common illustration of the thematic style and purpose of the English captivity narrative. As the captivity genre leant itself to nationalist agendas (Snader 66), Rowlandsons narrative seems to echo other captivity narratives in its bias in favor of English colonial power. Rowlandsons tale is easy propaganda her depiction of indigenous American brutality and violence in the mid-1600s is eloquent and moving, and her writing is infused with rich imagery and apt testimony that defines her religious interpretation of the thirteen-week captivity. Yet can a more comprehensive understanding of Rowlandsons relationship to Indians exist in a closer reading of her narrative? As captivity materials . . . are notorious for blending the real and the highly fictive (Namias 23), can we infer the real colonial relationships of this cap tivity in applying a modern understanding of economic, political and pagan transformations of American Indians? Mary Rowlandson was captive under King Phillipss wifes sister, and varying other Algonquian masters from February 20, 1676 through May 2, 1676. She preserve her narrative as the war was slipping away from the Indians (Calloway 93) and published it with popular acclaim. In the context of this tumultuous time, it would be a grave mistake to burn the clear indications that this narrative was intended primarily as a record of the authors spiritual practices and to assume a specific existential and example stance in the world (Ebersole 20). Rowlandsons intentions for the narrative no doubt served religious and political aim... ...ivity. Charlottesville and capital of the United Kingdom University of Virginia, 1995.Richter, Daniel K. Facing East from Indian Country A Nave History of Early America. Cambridge Massachusetts and London, England Harvard, 2001. Namias, June. Whit e Captives Gender and Ethnicity on the American Frontier. Chapel Hill & London University of North Carolina, 1993.Rowlandson, Mary. The Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 6 th ed., Nine Baym, General Editor. New York, New York W.W. Norton & Co., 2003.Snader, Joe. Caught Between Worlds British Captivity Narratives in Fact and Fiction. Lexington , KY University of Kentucky, 2000.Vaughan, Alden T., Clark, Edward W. Puritans Among the Indians Accounts of Captivity and Redemption. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London England Belknap, Harvard, 1981.