Mary Rowlandson
Introduction to Puritanism
Mary R. was an English Puritan who lived in New England particularly in Lancaster, on the
Massachusetts frontier. They were interested in hard work.
Puritan emerged in 17century in America as the main religion for most of the inhabitants, Native
Americans.
The base of Puritans, the substantial facts, was to read the bible, not read by the priest, by the
authorities, the bible should be read by every people, every human being, based on individual
bases. The bible was not given by someone external to the experience of this people, the bible is
a private experience. So, the bible refers to each individual and interpreted, according to him or
herself. This is very important because we can see the importance of the self, which is still
presence in the American mind.
Puritan were accompanied by other minor religions, Christian (Calvinist or Quaquers), which
were much more radicals than puritans.
Puritan believed that human being should work very hard and also paid attention to the
importance of learning, so they could have a better interpretation of the bible, they made possible
the first University in Harvard, Boston. This first University was dedicated to religious studies.
Important from this works in the 17 century we have:
1. Religious books, sermons, that were religious poetry, lesson of morality.
2. Classical books about the history of Europe, Greek and Roman history mainly.
3. Book of learning about law, medicine, eg.
Mary Rowlandson, biography:
She lived in the mid 17 Century; she had contact with early colonist, she was captured by the
Indians. She was born in England; their parents were called white and gave that name to her until
she got married. Her date of birth is unknown; in 1563 her family moved together with her to
Lancaster, were the Indians were and met.
The Indians burnt Rowlandson and her family home.
Mary Rowlandson husband died and she married again with Samuel Talcot.
She died in 1710.
