Captivity Narratives and the Puritan Literary Marketplace

1. Captivity Narratives and the Puritan Literary Marketplace English 516 Dr. Roggenkamp

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. Development of captivity narratives . . . Rowlandson in 1773

13. John Williams, The Redeemed Captive returning to Zion (1707) “Panther” Narrative, 1777 More examples . . .

14. Mary Jemison narrative, 1824 1853 captivity narrative More examples . . .