The True Story of the Captivity and Liberation of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

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The first edition of A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682)

The true story of captivity and liberation of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (Engl. A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson or The Sovereignty and Goodness of God ) is a first time published in 1682 Report by Mary Rowlandson , who the literary genre " Captivity narrative " falls. It is divided into 20 “removes”.

Historical background

From 1675 to 1676, the so-called King Philip's War ruled New England . This conflict came about because the white settlers had pushed their way further and further into the land of the Indians and took it into their possession, although they had no right to do so. At that time, both sides would have preferred a future without the other population group.

When these areas were taken over, about ten percent of the colonists were killed and about 12,000 buildings destroyed. Due to the superiority of the colonists through the possession of firearms, they succeeded in defeating the Indians. For them this war ended not only in defeat, but also in the loss of a quarter of their men.

content

On February 10, 1675, Lancaster, Massachusetts was attacked by Indians. Numerous houses were destroyed and set on fire, killing or injuring many settlers. However, prisoners were also taken, including Mary Rowlandson and three of her children. Separated from the two elders, Mary Rowlandson is only allowed to stay with her youngest daughter, six-year-old Sarah.

Mary Rowlandson and her daughter sustained wounds in the attack on their village, causing both of them to experience a physically painful period early in captivity. After a while they reach the village of Wenimesset, where Mary Rowlandson meets another British prisoner. Robert Pepper helps her treat her wound so that it heals faster and better. During her week-long stay in this Indian village, Mary Rowlandson is getting better and better, but her daughter is not. Her condition is worsening day by day, so her death is inevitable. At the same time, Mary Rowlandson is sold to another Indian named Quannopin. But the latter leaves little Sarah buried in the absence of her mother, which makes her suffer even more from her grief. A small consolation is the brief reunion with her older daughter, who was also held captive in Wenimesset at the time. She also meets her captive son, who is allowed to visit her from a neighboring village.

During this period of mourning, the attacks by the Indians continue. Among other things, they also attack Medfield. From this attack, the Indians bring some items from the colonists, including a Bible. One of the Indians gave this to Mary Rowlandson, in which she found hope again.

Now it goes further west. After a rather leisurely march, Rowlandson notices that things are moving faster after a few days. She suspects that the colonists can't be far to save them. After the Indians and their prisoners have crossed the Baquaug River, the settlers come into view. However, they are unable to cross the river. So the time in captivity continues and the march continues to the northwest to meet the Indian King Philip . On the way to him, Mary Rowlandson is once again allowed to see her son for a short time, from which she can draw strength and hope again.

As planned, she and her owners come to the place where King Philip is staying. During this time Mary Rowlandson went to knitting and sewing to make clothes for the Indians. In return, she receives food or other valuable items that she can continue to exchange. After staying with King Philip, she has to follow her owners who go on a hike for several days. In doing so, she always has the hope that she will soon be sold to the colonists. But the Indians are not ready for it yet. Still deep in the wilderness, Mary Rowlandson encounters another prisoner named Thomas Read. From this she learns that her husband is doing well, which gives her new strength. She also meets her son here again.

After a while, their owners set off in the other direction, the direction of civilization . Their transfer is to be negotiated in Wachuset. Once there, she meets King Philip again, who promises her that she should be free again within the next two weeks. A message is also sent to Boston stating that Mary Rowlandson is free to buy for £ 20. With the Indians still continuing their attacks on white settlements, Mary Rowlandson has to follow her owners back into the wilderness, as it is safer there. But soon her release will be negotiated further and after a few days she will be allowed to leave after the price has been paid for her.

After about twelve weeks in the wild, Mary Rowlandson is able to return to civilization. Reunited with her husband, they live with a friend for a while until their two children are also released from captivity.

subjects

Religion and belief

Since the protagonist is a very religious woman who followed the belief of the Puritans , it is understandable that the themes of punishment and repentance are taken up again and again. Mary Rowlandson speaks several times of the fact that it was God's will that she got into this situation and that there is also a God-given reason for it. Reading the Bible also helped her to reduce the suffering during her imprisonment as she was comforted by faith. Because through this she is able to perceive this situation as a test of God. She affirms this, realizing that God is thinking of her in a way.

Bible quotes

Mary Rowlandson recites quotations from the Bible very often. This is related to their beliefs. It is also a way for them to see repentance, as it is clear to them that God wanted them in this situation. Since this is also a puritanical teaching, these quotations show that God can be very strict on the one hand. On the other hand, the Puritans are also convinced of his love and protection. The fact that Mary Rowlandson uses the Bible to help reproduce her experiences is understandable from a religious point of view, since the Puritans have a great deal of reference to the biblical history of Israel. The Bible passages also help her to give hope and strength, as she finds a sense of her fate in them and has confidence in a happy ending. Finally, it is also a certain spiritual lesson for themselves, but also for the puritan readership, who experience the strength of God through this.

Sign of god

As Mary Rowlandson followed the Puritan faith, she too looked out for a sign from God. A sign that she would have to remain in captivity for longer was when the Indians were able to cross the river but the colonists could not. Also seeing her son several times, who was also in captivity, was a benevolent sign from God for her, as was the gift of a Bible that she received from an Indian. She also saw the benefits of the Indians, such as crossing the river on a raft, as a sign from God, since only he can want her good. So in every situation their gratitude went to God and not to the Indians.

wilderness

Thomas Shepard, a 17th century Puritan pastor, preached that, unlike Puritan society, the wilderness is a mess. It is a place full of darkness that is not observed by God. So it is understandable that the wilderness is always a contemporary term in Mary Rowlandson's narrative. Because the further it is from civilization, the more it is in the unknown - the wilderness, the land of enemies.

literature

  • Linda Colley: Captives: Britain, Empire and the World 1600- 1850 ; Jonathan Cape, 2002, ISBN 0-385-72146-3 .
  • David Downing: Streams of Scripture Comfort: Mary Rowlandson's Typological Use of the Bible. In: Early American Literature. 3/1980, pp. 252-259.
  • Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe: The Practice of Piety . The University of North Carolina Press, 1982, ISBN 0-8078-4145-5 .
  • Ulla Haselstein: The gift of civilization . Fink, 2000, ISBN 3-7705-3518-9 .
  • Nathaniel Philbrick : Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War . Viking, New York City, USA 2006, ISBN 0-670-03760-5 .
    • German by Norbert Juraschitz: Mayflower: Departure into the new world . Karl Blessing Verlag, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-89667-229-0 .
  • Neal Salisbury: The Indians of New England . Indiana University Press, 1982, ISBN 0-253-32981-7 .
  • Billy J. Stratton: Buried in Shades of Night: Contested Voices, Indian Captivity, and the Legacy of King Philip's War . The University of Arizona Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0-8165-3028-1 .
  • Mary Rowlandson: The Sovereignty and Goodness of God . Ed. Neal Salisbury. Bedford Books 1997, ISBN 0-312-11151-7 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Linda Colley: Captives - Britain, Empire and the World 1600-1850 . Jonathan Cape, 2002, p. 144.
  2. ↑ Nathaniel Philbrick: Mayflower: Departure into the New World . Karl Blessing Verlag, 2006, p. 329.
  3. ^ Neal Salisbury: The Indians of New England . Indiana University Press, 1982, p. 33.
  4. ^ Mary Rowlandson: The Sovereignty and Goodness of God . Ed. Neal Salisbury. Bedford Books 1997.
  5. ^ Billy J. Stratton: Buried in Shades of Night: Contested Voices, Indian Captivity, and the Legacy of King Philip's War . The University of Arizona Press, 2013, p. 60.
  6. ^ Mary Rowlandson: The Sovereignty and Goodness of God . Ed. Neal Salisbury. Bedford Books 1997.
  7. ^ Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe: The Practice of Piety . The University of Nirth Carolina Press, 1982, p. 260.
  8. ↑ Ulla Haselstein: The gift of civilization . Fink, 2000, p. 68.
  9. ^ Billy J. Stratton: Buried in Shades of Night: Contested Voices, Indian Captivity, and the Legacy of King Philip's War . The University of Arizona Press, 2013, p. 62.
  10. ^ Billy J. Stratton: Buried in Shades of Night: Contested Voices, Indian Captivity, and the Legacy of King Philip's War . The University of Arizona Press, 2013, p. 80.
  11. ↑ Ulla Haselstein: The gift of civilization . Fink, 2000. S: 62
  12. ↑ Ulla Haselstein: The gift of civilization . Fink, 2000, p. 71.
  13. ^ David Downing: Streams of Scripture Comfort: Mary Rowlandson's Typological Use of the Bible . University of North Carolina Press, 1980, p. 2.
  14. ↑ Nathaniel Philbrick: Mayflower: Departure into the New World . Karl Blessing Verlag, 2006, p. 333.
  15. ^ Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe: The Practice of Piety . The University of Nirth Carolina Press, 1982, p. 260.
  16. ↑ Ulla Haselstein: The gift of civilization . Fink, 2000, p. 74.
  17. ^ Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe: The Practice of Piety . The University of Nirth Carolina Press, 1982, p. 257.
  18. ^ Billy J. Stratton: Buried in Shades of Night: Contested Voices, Indian Captivity, and the Legacy of King Philip's War . The University of Arizona Press, 2013, p. 53.