Mary Rowlandson Analysis

Mary Rowlandson was an English woman born in 1636. Her parents were John and Joan White. They had moved to Massachusetts in the year of 1639. They were a Puritan family and strongly devoted to their religion. Mary Rowlandson was especially devoted. She went through what is called King Philip’s War. The Indians following Metacomet raided the homes of Plymouth. During this war about 5,000 Indians were killed and about 2,500 colonists were killed. Mary was moved and sold, along with many others including her children, by the Indians(213). The Indians beat, starved, tortured, dehydrated, and killed the colonists that they took. Some of the Indians were not abusive towards their “property” or slaves. Some were gentle and helped the colonists in their time of need.
She often compares herself to people in the Bible. When she was younger she had trouble with spiritual accounts. For this she brings up 2 Corinthian 12. 9. This scripture tells that God's grace is enough for her. Then later she brings up Job 1. 15 that says “And I only am escaped alone to tell the News(221).” This scripture is significant to Mary because she feels as though she was alive because she was chosen to tell of the events that occurred during King Philip's War. Mary Rowlandson also compares herself to David in Psalms 27. 13. I had fainted, unless I had believed. She is talking about when she arrived in the Indian town, Wenimesset. Mary saw that it was filled with Pagans, who she considered her enemies (223). In her thirteenth remove Mary compared herself with Job once again, Have pitty upon me, have pitty upon me, O ye my Frends, for the Hand of the Lord has touched me. She states, “I thought I had been quite blinded...that by the morning, I had recovered my sight again(234).” Mary feels like she is blessed because when things start going downhill she is picked back