Mary Rowlandson vs Anne Bradstreet
Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet are two women with different stories and one similar faith. Their similar faith in God and passion for writing allowed the two women to survive the contrast of hardships each woman had to endure. Furthermore, in this essay, I will compare and contrast the lives and faith of Rowlandson and Bradstreet. In the story “Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson” written by Mary Rowlandson herself, we read that she is taken captive by a group of Indians. Rowlandson was torn away from husband, children, and town. Everything she had ever known was taken away from her in an instant and she was taken to unfamiliar territory with her youngest daughter in tow. If being took captive wasn’t enough, later on we read that her daughter is dying. How does she deal with all of this? This is a question every reader is faced with. The answer is nothing but simple in the eyes of Rowlandson. Her strong Puritan beliefs helped her through every struggle she faced. Big or small. “… but God was with me in a wonderful manner, carrying me along, and bearing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail.”(Rowlandson 2nd Remove). Similar to that of Rowlandson, Bradstreet sought comfort through her Puritan belief. Bradstreet moved to a new colony with her husband. However, this move was not without hardships. When Bradstreet and her family made the big move to America in 1630, many fellow travelers died, and Bradstreet herself developed small pox as paralysis took over her joints. But with “…the belief that God had not abandoned [her] helped her survive the hardships of the colony.”(annebradstreet.com)
While both ladies experienced differences, they are very similar in their ways of dealing with things, especially loneliness. Once Mary Rowlandson’s youngest daughter died, she was left alone with the Indians. No loved ones surrounded her; it was just herself in this unfamiliar, scary territory. She turned to God, and his word to help
While both ladies experienced differences, they are very similar in their ways of dealing with things, especially loneliness. Once Mary Rowlandson’s youngest daughter died, she was left alone with the Indians. No loved ones surrounded her; it was just herself in this unfamiliar, scary territory. She turned to God, and his word to help
Cited: Rowlandson, Mary. Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. Project Gutenberg, 2009. Web. Annebradstreet.com. N.P., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. <http://www.annebradstreet.com/>. Lewis, Jone Johnson. "About Anne Bradstreet 's Poetry." about.com. N.p., n.d.Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://womenshistory.about.com/od/bradstreetanne/a/ anne_bradstreet.htm>.