Printing, Captivity Narratives, and the Puritan Literary Marketplace

English 441Dr. Roggenkamp

Why is history of printing technology and publishing important? “Age of print” coincides with

era of discovery, exploration, settlement of “New World”

Print a major factor in publicizing “New World” & forming perceptions (stories) about it

“Official” history is printed history—story of America

Image: Cristofor Co lombo, De insulis in mari Indico nuper

inventis, 1494.

Where did books come from in British North America?

At first, imported only Phenomenally expensive Printing technology even more

expensive First printing press in North America:

Mexico (1540) But first English press not until 1638:

Cambridge, Mass (Harvard U) FYI: First surviving publication: The

Bay Psalm Book, 1640 Image: Whole Books of Psalmes, Cambridge, Mass, 1640

Why is the literature of British North America all about religion? 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

1660s: A First Literary “Boom” New kind of literary marketplace starts

to develop 1660s First “best-sellers” in America Prices start to come down slightly Genres: captivity narratives,

sensational and vivid jeremiads—both the result of and a contributor to new popular marketplace

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

Michael Wigglesworth, The Day of Doom (1662)

“Adulterers and Whoremongers Were there, with all unchast: There Covetous, and Revenous, That Riches got too fast: Who us'd vile ways themselves to raise

t‘ estates and worldly wealth, Oppression by, or Knavery, By force, or fraud, or stealth.”

Best-sellers! New England Primer Sermons

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

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

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

Captivity Narrative: Basic Formula 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

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 Captive’s ultimate redemption likened

to regeneration of soul

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

Development of captivity narratives . . . Rowlandson in 1773

More examples . . . John Williams, The

Redeemed Captive returning to Zion (1707)

“Panther” Narrative, 1777

More examples . . . Mary Jemison

Narrative, 1824 1853 Captivity

Narrative