Pocahontas Archetype

Early America was founded on the ideas of the early English colonies combined with the beliefs of the indigenous people. Conflicts between native tribes and Europeans characterized the colonial period and significantly impacted both the natives and the Europeans. Political strife, in addition to economic and territorial tensions, was commonplace among the indigenous and the colonists. Pocahontas, the princess of the local Powhatan tribe, played a pivotal role in this early contact between European and Indigenous American cultures. She often fostered peace between the English colonists and the Powhatans by befriending the colonists and eventually marrying one of them. As a result of her position as an emissary and sort of “moderator” between

In this dichotomy, the princess version of Pocahontas represents the “civilized” and pure woman who helped the Jamestown colonists, served as a model for the success of the European civilizing mission, and willingly embraced English culture. In contrast, the image of “the Squaw” embodies the savage and primitive archetype of Native American women as viewed by European society during Pocahontas’ life. In this archetype, Pocahontas is depicted as a darker, sexually active, and essentially barbaric woman.

The collocation of the “Princess-Squaw” dichotomy created by Green has led to increased cultural tensions among Native Americans (Green 703). Specifically, female Native American authors have consistently offered alternate readings of Pocahontas’ story in an effort to dignify their native people and reclaim their history from the propagated Anglo version. In these alternate readings Pocahontas only assists the colonists under duress or holds a condescending attitude towards them similar to the one that the Europeans of her day held towards the indigenous Powhatans (Downs