Mary Rowlandson Captivity Narrative Examples

Throughout history we have seen many forms of literature. Captivity narratives are one of the many forms that literature that began in early America. They have had a large impact on many readers. As early as the seventeenth century captivity narratives have been read and shared among many (Showalter.) A captivity narrative is a documented experience of being held captive, often by a group or person of another culture or nation (Captivity Narrative.) The captivity narratives that first came about as a result of Indian tribes taking Europeans captive in early America (Captivity Narrative.) The reasons for taking a captive included being able to trade, ransom, adopt, or imprison the person that was captured (Captivity Narrative.) Captivity

Mary Rowlandson. In this narrative Mary Rowlandson writes about her time as a captive in 1675. Mary was taken during King Philips war. This took place in Lancaster and was written at first for herself and later taken public. Mrs. Rowlandson writes continually about the goodness of god and her faith. In her heart she truly believed that the only way she survived the “ravenous beasts” in her words, was by the grace of god. She also truly believed that her being captured was a test from god. She explained her survival by stating scripture from the bible “"And I only am escaped alone to tell the News" (Job 1.15).” She was the only one that was taken alive from her house and she had to have faith in order to survive. She was the only one to stay alive from her home, but was taken captive with twenty- four others (Rowlandson). After about twelve weeks Mary Rowlandson was able to set up for her ransom and was exchanged back to her husband. Mary Rowlandson stated “But to return again to my going home, where we may see a remarkable change of providence” she went home with a new look on her life. She ended her narrative by stating her salvation was thanks to god. This narrative was one of the first to go public and give insight on being