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Captivity Narratives

Captivity Narratives. Most popular and profitable of Puritan Literature Tells the story of one individual Usually a passive participant (doesn’t fight back) Who awaits delivery from evil by a rescue from the grace of God

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Captivity Narratives

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  1. Captivity Narratives • Most popular and profitable of Puritan Literature • Tells the story of one individual • Usually a passive participant (doesn’t fight back) • Who awaits delivery from evil by a rescue from the grace of God • Faces tests and temptations—any action that might be considered “Indian” or “savage” represented a win for the Devil • Compares what happens to him/her to the trials and tribulations of Biblical characters

  2. Captivity Narratives • Between 1675-1763, approximately 1,700 Colonists were taken captive by Native Americans • Why? • Revenge • Ransom • To replace lost tribe members (usually Colonial Women were taken as wives of Native Americans to repopulate tribe)

  3. Captivity Narratives • Literary Elements • Rhetorical Purposes • Reinforced stereotypes about “savage” Indians • Reinforced Puritan belief that Satan (in the form of Indians) was threatening the religious society • Justified the killing of Indians and the taking of their lands • Other types of Captivity Narratives—Slave Narratives

  4. Mary Rowlandson • Background • King Phillip’s War: 1675-1678 • Phillip=Metacomet, Chief of Wampanoag • First Indian War after treaty between Bradford and Squanto in 1621 • Rowlandson—wife of Puritan Minister • Captivity lasted 11 weeks • Credits her survival during captivity to her sustained faith in God

  5. A Narrative of the Captivity • Book is broken into 20 removes, or journeys, the Wampanoag took MR on • First American best seller • Purpose: to thrill, to titillate, to reinforce notions of “savage Indian” • In what way would this benefit the colonists? • Themes in narrative • Fear and revulsion of New World • Adaptation is the only way to survive. • Reinforcement of negative stereotypes regarding Native Americans • But is Rowlandson’s final assessment of the tribe really a negative one??

  6. A Narrative of the Captivity--Tablework • How does Rowlandson learn to adapt and survive while with the Native Americans? Where is there evidence(textual) that she does learn to adapt? • In what ways does the tribe seem to allow Rowlandson some freedom, either mental or physical, during her captivity? What does this tell us about her captors? • Follow Rowlandson’s changing attitudes toward her captors • During initial kidnapping and 1st &3rd Removes • During 5th and 6th Removes • Ashuelot Valley *For each instance, have a marked text reference • What do you think was the primary reason for Rowlandson’s change in attitude toward her captors? Explain your answer. ANY TIME I ASK FOR TEXTUAL EVIDENCE, QUOTE THE TEXT!

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