Our Pocahontases

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Our Pocahontases

• Prof. Michael Householder
• September 20, 2007

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My Pocahontas
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Poca-fever

• Captain Smith and Pocahontas had a very mad
  affairWhen her Daddy tried to kill him, she said
  "Daddy-O don't you dare"He give me fever - with
  his kisses, fever when he holds me tightFever -
  I'm his Missus, Oh daddy won't you treat him
  right.
• Eddie Cooley/John Davenport

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Timeline

• 1580 John Smith born
• C. 1595-6 Pocahontas born
• May 1607 Smith and English colonists settle at
  Jamestown
• December 1607 Smith ambushed and taken captive
  by Algonquians under the Powhatan Confederacy

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John Smith
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Smiths Captivity
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Timeline

• Late December 1607 The traditional story of
  Pocahontas intervention on Smiths behalf. He
  is 28 she is 11-12.
• January 1608 Smith returns to Jamestown
  Pocahontas brings food.
• August 1608 Smiths A True Relation is
  published tells of his captivity, but not of
  Pocahontas rescue.

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Smiths nonpareil

• Powhatan understanding we detaine certaine
  Salvages, sent his Daughter, a child of tenne
  years old which, not only for feature,
  countenance, and proportion, much exceedeth any
  of the rest of his people but for wit and
  spirit, the only Nonpareil of his Country. This
  hee sent by his most trustie messenger, called
  Rawhunt, as much exceeding in deformitie of
  person but of a subtill wit and crafty
  understanding. True Relation (1608)

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Smiths narrative of the rescue
Having feasted him after their best barbarous
manner they could, a long consultation was held,
but the conclusion was, two great stones were
brought before Powhatan then as many as could
layd hands on him, dragged him to them, and
theron laid his head, and being ready with their
clubs, to beate out his braines, Pocahontas the
Kings dearest daughter, when no intreaty could
prevaile, got his head in her armes, and laid her
owne upon his to save him from death. (The
General History of Virginia, 1624)
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Engraving by Robert Vaughan
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Timeline

• September 1609 Smith severely injured and
  returns to England (he never returns to Virginia)
• April 1613 Captain Samuel Argall kidnaps
  Pocahontas

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Argall kidnaps Pocahontas
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Timeline

• April 1614 Having converted to Christianity,
  Pocahontas (now Rebecca) marries John Rolfe
• 1615 Thomas Rolfe born

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John Rolfes Pocahontas
Let therefore this my well advised protestation
be a sufficient witness to condemn herein if my
chiefest intent and purpose be not to strive,
with all my power of body and mind, no way led
with the unbridled desire of carnal affection
but for the good of this plantation, for the
honor of our country, for the glory of God, for
my own salvation, and for the converting to the
true knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, an
unbelieving creature, namely Pocahontas. (From
Ralph Hamor, A True Discourse of the Present
State of Virginia, 1615)
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More sweet talk from Rolfe
Nor was I ignorant of the heavy displeasure
which almighty God conceived against the sons of
Levy and Israel for marrying strange wives, nor
of the inconveniences which may thereby arise,
which made me look about warily and with good
circumspection, into the grounds and principal
agitations, which thus should provoke me to be in
love with one whose education hath been rude, her
manners barbarous, her generation accursed, and
so discrepant in all nurtriture from myself that
oftentimes, with fear and trembling, I have ended
my private controversy with this surely these
are wicked instigations, hatched by him who
seeketh and delighteth in mans destruction.
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Timeline

• June 1616 Rolfe family (plus several other
  Powhatan representatives) arrives in England
• While in London, Rebecca Rolfe is received at
  court, views Ben Jonsons masque The Vision of
  Delight, and has her portrait engraved.

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Portrait by Simon van de Passe (1616)
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Two views of her appearance

• She did not only accustome her selfe to
  civilitie, but still carried her selfe as the
  Daughter of a King, and was accordingly
  respected. (Samuel Purchas)
• With her tricking up her high style and
  titles, you might think her and her worshipful
  husband to be somebody, if you do not know that
  the poor company of Virginia, out of their
  poverty, are fain to allow four pounds a week for
  her maintenance. (John Chamberlain)

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Smith visits Lady Rolfe

• Hearing shee was at Branford with divers of my
  friends, I went to see her After a modest
  salutation, without any word, she turned about,
  obscured her face, as not seeming well contented
  and in that humour her husband, with divers
  others, we all left her two or three houres,
  repenting my selfe to have writ she could speake
  English. (Smith, The General History of
  Virginia)

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Lady Rolfe chastises Smith

• You did promise Powhatan what was yours should
  bee his, and he the like to you you called him
  father being in his land a stranger, and by the
  same reason so must I doe you. Were you not
  afraid to come into my fathers Countrie, and
  caused feare in him and all his people (but mee)
  and feare you here I should call you father I
  tell you then I will, and you shall call mee
  childe, and so I will bee for ever and ever your
  Countrieman. (Smith, General History of
  Virginia, 1624)

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Timeline

• March 1617 Returning to Virginia, Amonute /
  Matoaks / Pocahontas / Rebecca Rolfe dies.
• 1622 John Rolfe dies.
• 1631 John Smith dies.
• mid-1630s Thomas Rolfe returns to Virginia
• 1646 Thomas Rolfe joins colonial militia

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Cultural Work of Pocahontas Myth

• The Noble Indian Princess
• The First Christian
• The Mother of Us All
• Love in the Woods
• Avatar of Multicultural Princess Power
• And now.?

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The Noble Indian Princess
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The First Christian
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The Mother of Us All
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Love in the Woods

• James Nelson Barker, The Indian Princess (1808)
• George Washington Parke Custis, Pocahontas (1830)
• John Brougham, Po-ca-hon-tas (1855)
• Jamestown (film, 1913)

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From The Indian Princess
SMITH At hazard of her own dear life she saved
me. Een the warm friendship of the prince had
faild, And death, inevitable death, hung over
me. POC (bashfully) My brother, speak not
so. ROLFE What gentleness! What sweet
simplicity! What angel softness! Rolfe goes to
her. She, timidly, but with evident pleasure,
receives his attentions. During this scene the
princess discovers the first advances of love in
a heart of perfect simplicity. Smith, c.,
converse apart. (Act 2, scene 2)
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From The Indian Princess
ROBIN Ay, bless you, I knew I should creep into
your heart at last, my little dusky
divinity. NIMA Divinity! Whats that? ROBIN
Divinityits aO its a pretty title that we
lords of the creation bestow upon our playthings.
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Love in the Woods, Disney Style
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Avatar of Multicultural Princess Power
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Avatar of Multicultural Princess Power
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Terrence Malicks The New World
John Smith (Colin Farrell) shares a moment with
Pocahontas (QOrianka Kilcher)
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Whats new in The New World?

• How does the film handle the source material?
• How does it re-interpret the Pocahontas legend?
• How does it addressnarratively and
  cinematicallythe storys themes?

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Malicks The New World

• Badlands (1973)
• Days of Heaven (1978)
• The Thin Red Line (1998)

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Pocahontas age
Is QOrianka Kilcher persuasive as an 11-year-old
Pocahontas? Is she persuasive as a 21-year-old
Lady Rebecca?
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Smiths character
Who is this brooding, lovesick puppy?
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Rolfes motives
Christian Bale as John Rolfe. A man in mourning?
Entranced by dusky beauty? Serving God and
country?
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Cross-cultural encounter
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Cross-cultural encounter
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Cross-cultural encounter
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Love in the grass
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Say it in Algonquian
Kekaten pokahontas patiaguagh ningh tanks
manotyens neer mowchick rawrenock audowgh. Bid
Pocahontas bring hither two little Baskets, and I
will give her white beads to make a chaine.
(Map of Virginia, 1612) Noe wammaw ause. I
love you. (William Wood, New Englands
Prospect, 1634) Cowammaunsh. I love you.
(Roger Williams, A Key into the Language of
America, 1643)
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Love in the garden of England
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Conclusion Loving in Virginia

• The continuing reanimation of Pocahontas

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Conclusion Loving in Virginia

• Marriage/parenthood as the undiscovered country?

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Conclusion Loving in Virginia

• Another anniversary

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Conclusion Loving in Virginia

• The power of love in the national imagination

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Happy Valentines Day