In the Indian captivity narrative titled A Narrative of the Captivity, Sufferings, and Removes, of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, Mary discussed how her Puritan beliefs and her role as a woman helped shape her time as a captive of the Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Narragansett Indians. In 1675 during King Philip’s War, Rowlandson was taken captive and held by the Indians for eleven weeks. During this captivity, both her femininity and her culture were stripped from her. In Native American society, the roles of women varied greatly from those of the Puritans. Puritan culture consisted of strict guidelines that governed female behavior. In the wilderness with the Indians however, Mary had to adapt to a very different way of life. This narrative exemplified these vast cultural differences. Mary Rowlandson’s account of her struggles demonstrated the culture of the Puritans and the role that gender and religion played in their society. This narrative also served as a means for a woman to have a voice in Puritan society. As one of the most significant books of its time, Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative has had a lasting effect on the history of women in Colonial society.

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