The Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

Held Captive

In The Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, the Wampanoag Indians capture Mary, an English Puritan woman, and hold her prisoner for three months. Faced with many tribulations during her captivity, Mary turns to God to help her bear them. Mary's tribulations with the Indians make her feel as if she is suffering because of her Puritan beliefs. I feel that Mary grows morally from these cultural shocking tribulations, but since one of her purposes is to spread Christianity, she gives all the credit to God by using bible verses.

Although Mary's purpose in this text is to demonize Indians, in my opinion, Mary humanizes them instead. Mary uses her experiences with Wampanoag Indians to attempt to demonize them, but essentially tells us about a culture she is not accustomed to. Through various subtexts, Mary undermines the stated purpose of her narrative and provides an effective countertext.

Mary and her Puritan Beliefs

Throughout this travel narrative, Mary turns to the scriptures of God to help her through her captivity. Growing up with Puritan beliefs, Mary knows that God already has a plan for her, and His words will guide her through her struggles with the Indians. Similarly to Job, Mary says, "and I only am escaped alone to tell the news" (485). Mary feels this way because her Puritan family has collapsed around her, and she claims to be the only one that survived the Indian attack on her village. Mary feels as if she is chosen to spread and stay true to her Puritan roots.

As a Puritan woman, Mary does not believe in bringing attention to herself. In the First Remove Mary refers to the Indians as "black creatures in the night" while she watches the Indians dance (486). Mary describes the Indians this way because, unlike her, they consider dancing a tradition. Mary feels that the Indians represent the Devil, and their dancing reminds her of Hell. Mary feels this way because the Indians are willingly brings attention to themselves by dancing. Mary is appalled while watching the Indians dance because the Puritans do not believe in any showy activities. They strived on hard work and the study of the Lord.

Mary's interactions with Indian Women

Throughout her captivity, Mary clashes more frequently with the Wampanoag women than then Wampanoag men. During the Nineteenth Remove Mary finally reveals to us the name of the mistress she continuously fights with: Weetamoo. One of Mary's master's three wives, Weetamoo spends most of her time with Mary. Mary is not fond of Weetamoo because her role as an Indian wife is much different than a wife of a Puritan preacher. Mary describes Weetamoo as "a severe and proud dame she was, bestowing every day in dressing herself neat as much time as any of the gentry of the land, powdering her hair and painting her face, going with necklaces, with jewels in her ears, and bracelets upon her hands" (505). Through Mary's description, it becomes obvious that she is against vanity and calling attention to oneself because of her strict Puritan beliefs. However, Mary's becomes jealousy of Weetamoo because of her social status and treatment from the Wampanoag tribe also becomes apparent.

On the other hand, Weetamoo's hostility towards Mary stems from Mary receiving special treatment from other Indians. Weetamoo also notices that her own husband treats Mary unlike a captive. Weetamoo's husband leaves for three weeks and places her in charge of Mary. Throughout this three week period, Weetamoo takes out her hostility that has built up towards Mary and treats her like a prisoner. During the Twelfth Remove Mary alerts us about a confrontation with Weetamoo. Weetamoo commanded Mary to carry a heavy load and Mary writes "I complained it was too heavy, whereupon she gave me a slap in the face and bade me go" (497). Mary, not use to being treated like a prisoner by other Indians, immediately labels this as suffering.

Weetamoo's hostility also stems from Mary incorporating some of her Puritan social roles into her life as captive.