Mary the Christian Woman
Rowlandson’s narrative was not just motivated by cultural prejudice. It was also carefully crafted to preserve and bolster her reputation as an upright Puritan woman. In order to maintain and increase her standing in Puritan society, it was essential Rowlandson demonstrating how she had remained true to the expectations of her culture even in the most testing circumstances. One of the significant ways Rowlandson achieved this was by emphasizing her continued faith in God even in the most testing circumstances of her captivity.
Rowlandson portrays her captivity as a trial set by God- and one that she passed. Her endurance is in contrast to a young woman called Joslin who is killed by her captors when she becomes hysterical. Rowlandson implies this loss of control equates to a loss of faith. Rowlandson, on the other hand, clings to her belief and so prevails, whatever the challenges. She carefully describes two occasions when she risked physical harm for her religion, once by refusing to work on the Sabbath and another by openly reading her Bible. These occasions allow Rowlandson to depict herself as the epitome of a godly woman.
Rowlandson also had to make it clear she had not transgressed her culture’s social norms in other ways- mainly regarding proper behavior. To survive, amongst the Indians, Rowlandson had to make clothes to trade for extra food. However, the ideal Puritan wife did not dabble in commerce. So, Rowlandson glosses over the trade aspect, by making her clothes making appear to be a casual obligation to her captors- and any rewards purely incidental.
Finally, there was the question of her virtue, for Rowlandson spent eleven weeks away from her husband in the company of ‘savages.’ Rowlandson quickly disabused any readers of the idea that her honor may have been compromised that assuring them that her otherwise unprincipled captors had never treated her dishonorably. This statement- whether it was true or not- was made entirely for the sake of Rowlandson’s reputation. For in Puritan society, even forced sex would have destroyed her social standing.
Equally curious is the way Rowlandson downplays the role of Native American women, making their position conform to the norms of European society. Rowlandson’s mistress, Weetamoo is a case in point. Weetamoo was a military and political leader in her own right. However, Rowlandson defines her social standing by her husband and brother in law, Metacom. The Squaw Sachem is depicted as a spoiled European gentlewoman, preening over her face paint and beads and ill-treating her servants (Rowlandson) rather than as an important woman in her own right. It is almost as if Rowlandson- or her male editors- were afraid that such a ‘heathen’ concept as equality could challenge the status quo of their own culture.
Where do we get our stuff? Here are our Sources:
King Philip’s war, History.com, 2009
King Philips war, Jason W Warren, Encyclopedia Britannica, September 28, 2017
Mary Rowlandson, Encyclopedia Britannica, March 31, 2014
“Summary of ‘a Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson’ – the Role of Women in Her Removes”, Jade Gracie. May 27, 2019.