American Literature

In her A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, Mary Rowlandson describes her capture by Native Americans in 1676 from Lancaster, Massachusetts and her three month trial as a prisoner of a tribe of Native Americans during King Philips War of 1675 to 1678. Though Rowlandsons narrative concentrates on relating her experiences, it is important in its reflection of the perspective and ideology of Puritan settlers during the period. In the heavy use of biblical scripture, particularly that relating her experiences to those of Job and the Israelites, Rowlandson reveals her belief that the subsequent hardship and perceived degradation of her as a person are meant to be viewed as trials to her faith. This belief, enhanced by her conviction in being chosen by God like the Israelites and the characterization of the Native Americans as Gods vengeance, Rowlandsons narrative becomes a testament to the Puritan strict faith and the application of Scripture to everyday life.

Rowlandsons frequent use of Christian scripture is a primary indicator of her Puritanism and reveals much about how she views her struggle to regain freedom as well as her captors. In her strong familiarity with the Bible, Rowlandson illustrates the Puritan relationship to the word of God. Believing in the day-by-day application of the Bible in everyday life, the Puritans saw literal interpretations of scripture in not only the political and social structures of society by within every human action. Rowlandson herself finds ample opportunity to show this belief as she is moved from one camp to another, following the necessities of her captors. Given a Bible by one of the returning warriors, Rowlandson views the appearance of the book without irony as, the wonderfull mercy of God to me in those afflictions. While at first still feeling downtrodden by the death of her daughter and the loss of her other children, Rowlandson notes little comfort but upon reading more deeply into Deuteronomy she is able to apply the words to her own experience, though we were scattered from one end of the Earth to the other, yet the Lord would bring us together, and turn all those curses upon our enemies (217). From this first reading and her initial conclusions as to the role of the natives in testing her faith, she gains much comfort but more importantly a new perspective of her life as a captive.

Rowlandsons view of the Native Americans as representative of a personal trial of faith is important in reinforcing the evidence of her Puritanism. In assigning the natives to the role of biblical antagonist as well as viewing their forcing of Rowlandson to move toward the unknown wilderness as a trial akin to the Israelites own journey through the desert, she clearly places herself within a category removed from the larger concept of human being and into a more exclusive group. She and her fellow Puritans become living martyrs for Christianity, to be tested but eventually accepted back into the graces of God after having strayed from their devotions. The Native Americans are quite removed from this definition, becoming mere pawns in Gods desire to challenge his faithful, I cannot but take notice of the strange providence of God in preserving the heathen (219). Like the Israelites, who faced the wrath of the Egyptians in Psalms, Rowlandson comes to view the continuance of the natives as proof of Gods displeasure in his people and their need to find their way back to him. It goes largely unsaid, but Rowlandson implies that once she and others come to completely devote themselves to God and his Word than the Native Americans will be defeated.

Rowlandsons perspective changes very little throughout her narrative. While she reveals the kindnesses of individual Native Americans, she cannot come to see past her belief in Gods larger plan. The importance of Scripture and the continued comparisons to Job and the Israelites allow Rowlandson to view herself as on Gods side. While God has seemed to briefly turn away from her, in the ensuing months of her captivity she relies on her perspective as a Puritan to make sense of the tragedies that unfold around her, providing not only a capture narrative but a time capsule of Puritan belief and real-world understanding.