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

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

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

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

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