Captivity Narratives and the Puritan Literary Marketplace

English 516

Dr. Roggenkamp

Where did books come from in British North America?

At first, imported only Phenomenally expensive First printing press in North

America: Mexico (1540) But first English press not until

1638: Cambridge, Mass. (Harvard)

FYI: First surviving publication: The Bay Psalm Book, 1640

Image: Whole Books of Psalmes, Cambridge, Mass, 1640

Early Literary Trends in Puritan America

First 25 years of “American” literature (American-printed): hymnals, religious primers, theologies, sermons, almanacs

Next press in America not until 1685 in Philadelphia

Boston most “bookish” of Colonial cities through Revolution

Seat of American literature—sets pace for what is printed in America and what people in America read until mid-nineteenth century

1660s: A First Literary “Boom”

New kind of literary marketplace starts to develop 1660s

Prices start to come down slightly Genres: captivity narratives, sensational and

vivid jeremiads—both the result of and a contributor to new popular marketplace

First 50 Years of American Best-Sellers Over 1000 copies sold 1662 The Day of Doom (Wigglesworth) 1664 A Call to the Unconverted 1665 A Practice to Piety 1679 A Guide to Heaven 1681 The Pilgrim’s Progress 1682 Captivity and Restoration (Rowlandson) 1688 Essays (Sir Francis Bacon) 1699 God’s Protecting Providence 1707 Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion

Indian Captivity Narratives

Dominated popular publications from late 17th century, well into 19th century

Initially: First person, non-fictional accounts written by people who survived experience of captivity, usually English taken captive by Native Americans

Reasons: revenge, ransom, replacement of lost tribe members

Around 750 captivities 1677-1750

Real Life Endings

Ransomed for money Traded for Indians taken

captive by English Escape from captors Murder captors Assimilation and adoption

into Native culture Conversion (e.g. to Catholicism) Killed by captors Suicide

Basic Formula of Narratives Separation: Description of event leading to

captivity Trials and sufferings: Traveling deeper into

wilderness, farther away from Puritan civilization Struggle between assimilation and maintaining

separate cultural identity Growth in moral and spiritual strength Return to Puritan society to write account Allegory of Christian salvation

Captivity and the Puritan Myth of a Chosen People New Israel crossing sea to enter wilderness full

of devils Meet trials Captivity gives clues to what damnation feels

like Redemption—allegory for soul’s salvation—a

lived allegory of salvation Soul held in bondage to flesh Captive’s ultimate redemption likened to

regeneration of soul

Development of Captivity Narrative

Late 17th century: Direct religious documents; first person (Mary Rowlandson)

Early 18th century: propagandistic tracts; anti-French, anti-Catholic, anti-Indian (e.g. John Williams)

Mid to late 18th century: stylized, melodramatic; resemble newly popular sentimental novels

19th century: almost wholly fictionalized works incorporating motif of captivity

Appropriation in slave narratives, Native American narratives

Development of captivity narratives . . . Rowlandson in 1682, Boston vs. England

Development of captivity narratives . . . Rowlandson in 1773

More examples . . . John Williams, The

Redeemed Captive returning to Zion (1707)

“Panther” Narrative, 1777

More examples . . . Mary Jemison narrative,

1824

1853 captivity narrative