From Pilgrims to From Pilgrims to ProgressProgress

Preparing for the Penny Dreadful ProjectPreparing for the Penny Dreadful Project Mrs. HintonMrs. Hinton English 10 English 10

Montevallo High SchoolMontevallo High School

Read “A Narrative of the Captivity”Read “A Narrative of the Captivity”

Question 1: What is the historical connection Question 1: What is the historical connection between Metcomb’s raids and Mary between Metcomb’s raids and Mary Rowlandson’s story?Rowlandson’s story?

Question 2: Is Mary Rowlandson’s side of the Question 2: Is Mary Rowlandson’s side of the story a reliable sense of what really happened?story a reliable sense of what really happened?

Question 3: If a Native American were to tell the Question 3: If a Native American were to tell the story of the same incident, would their story of the same incident, would their

stories be the same?stories be the same?

Biblical AllusionBiblical Allusion

Definition – Allusion is simply a reference. Definition – Allusion is simply a reference. Mary Rowlandson makes references (or Mary Rowlandson makes references (or allusionsallusions) to the Bible. ) to the Bible.

How many Biblical allusions can you find in the How many Biblical allusions can you find in the story?story?

Write three Biblical allusions she uses. (5 min.)Write three Biblical allusions she uses. (5 min.)

What is a tabloid?What is a tabloid? A A tabloidtabloid is a newspaper industry is a newspaper industry

term which refers to a smaller term which refers to a smaller newspaper format per spread; to a newspaper format per spread; to a weekly or semi-weekly alternative weekly or semi-weekly alternative newspaper that focuses on local-newspaper that focuses on local-interest stories and entertainment, interest stories and entertainment, often distributed for free); often distributed for free);

or to a newspaper that tends to or to a newspaper that tends to emphasise sensational crime emphasise sensational crime stories, gossip columns repeating stories, gossip columns repeating scandalous innuendos about the scandalous innuendos about the personal lives of celebrities and personal lives of celebrities and sports stars.sports stars.

(Wikipedia)(Wikipedia)

What is a captivity narrative?What is a captivity narrative?

American Indian captivity narratives, stories of American Indian captivity narratives, stories of men and, particularly, women of men and, particularly, women of EuropeanEuropean descent who were captured by descent who were captured by Native AmericansNative Americans, were popular in both , were popular in both America and Europe from the 17th century America and Europe from the 17th century until the close of the American until the close of the American frontierfrontier late in late in the 19th century. the 19th century. Mary Mary RowlandsonRowlandson's memoir 's memoir A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary RowlandsonMrs. Mary Rowlandson is a classic example of is a classic example of the genre. the genre. (Wikipedia)(Wikipedia)

Are captivity narratives historical? Are captivity narratives historical?

American captivity narratives were often American captivity narratives were often based on true events, but they frequently based on true events, but they frequently contained fictional elements as well, and some contained fictional elements as well, and some were entirely fictional, created because the were entirely fictional, created because the stories were popular. As a result, historians stories were popular. As a result, historians treat captivity narratives with caution, and treat captivity narratives with caution, and many of them are regarded more as many of them are regarded more as folklorefolklore or or ideology than history. (Wikipedia) ideology than history. (Wikipedia)

What is a captivity narrative?What is a captivity narrative?According to Richard Slotkin, "In [a captivity narrative] a single According to Richard Slotkin, "In [a captivity narrative] a single

individual, usually a woman, stands passively under the strokes of evil, individual, usually a woman, stands passively under the strokes of evil, awaiting rescue by the grace of God. The sufferer represents the whole, awaiting rescue by the grace of God. The sufferer represents the whole, chastened body of Puritan society; and the temporary bondage of the chastened body of Puritan society; and the temporary bondage of the captive to the Indian is dual paradigm-- of the bondage of the soul to the captive to the Indian is dual paradigm-- of the bondage of the soul to the flesh and the temptations arising from original sin, and of the self-exile of flesh and the temptations arising from original sin, and of the self-exile of the English Israel from England. the English Israel from England.

In the Indian's devilish clutches, the captive had to meet and reject In the Indian's devilish clutches, the captive had to meet and reject the temptation of Indian marriage and/or the Indian's "cannibal" Eucharist. the temptation of Indian marriage and/or the Indian's "cannibal" Eucharist.

To partake of the Indian's love or of his equivalent of bread and To partake of the Indian's love or of his equivalent of bread and wine was to debase, to un-English the very soul. The captive's ultimate wine was to debase, to un-English the very soul. The captive's ultimate redemption by the grace of Christ and the efforts of the Puritan magistrates redemption by the grace of Christ and the efforts of the Puritan magistrates is likened to the regeneration of the soul in conversion. is likened to the regeneration of the soul in conversion.

The ordeal is at once threatful of pain and evil and promising of The ordeal is at once threatful of pain and evil and promising of ultimate salvation. Through the captive's proxy, the promise of a similar ultimate salvation. Through the captive's proxy, the promise of a similar salvation could be offered to the faithful among the reading public, while salvation could be offered to the faithful among the reading public, while the captive's torments remained to harrow the hearts of those not yet the captive's torments remained to harrow the hearts of those not yet awakened to their fallen nature" (awakened to their fallen nature" (Regeneration Through ViolenceRegeneration Through Violence))

What was the purpose?What was the purpose?

Religious expression Religious expression Justification of westward expansion Justification of westward expansion Nineteenth-century: cultural symbol of American Nineteenth-century: cultural symbol of American

national heritage national heritage Popular literature Popular literature Reinforcement of stereotypes Reinforcement of stereotypes

a. Spanish: Indians as brutish beasts  a. Spanish: Indians as brutish beasts  b. French: Indians as souls needing redemption  b. French: Indians as souls needing redemption  c. English in Virginia: innocent exotics  c. English in Virginia: innocent exotics  d. Puritans: Satanic threat to religious utopiad. Puritans: Satanic threat to religious utopia

ThemesThemes Fears of cannibalism Fears of cannibalism Fears of scalping Fears of scalping Hunter-predator myth: captive is caught between Hunter-predator myth: captive is caught between

savagery and civilization savagery and civilization Judea capta,Judea capta, for Puritans: Israel suffering under for Puritans: Israel suffering under

Babylonian captivity. (include Biblical allusion)Babylonian captivity. (include Biblical allusion) Freudian view: captivity becomes adoption Freudian view: captivity becomes adoption

(Puritan/Indian friendship development)(Puritan/Indian friendship development) Myths Myths

a. Myth of Love in the Woods a. Myth of Love in the Woods (Pocahontas and John Smith) (Pocahontas and John Smith)

b. Myth of Good Companions in the Wilderness b. Myth of Good Companions in the Wilderness (Cooper's Natty Bumppo and Chingachgook) (Cooper's Natty Bumppo and Chingachgook)

Pattern of the captivity narrativePattern of the captivity narrative

Separation: attack and Separation: attack and capture capture

Torment, ordeals of physical Torment, ordeals of physical and mental suffering and mental suffering

Transformation Transformation (accommodation, adoption)(accommodation, adoption)

Return (escape, release, or Return (escape, release, or redemption)redemption)

NOWNOW

Imagine you are a Puritan in Imagine you are a Puritan in 1677 who was captured during 1677 who was captured during King Phillip’s War. You King Phillip’s War. You remained captive for five days remained captive for five days before release. Write a journal before release. Write a journal that graphically describes each that graphically describes each day of your horrific ordeal – day of your horrific ordeal – starting with your capture until starting with your capture until your release.your release.