LITR 5535: American Romanticism

Student Presentation on Reading Selections, fall 2003

9/2/03

Reader / Discussion Leader: Mary Arnold

"Elements that are pre-cursor to the Gothic Novel"

Mary: brought up the idea that John Smith's readings and Narratives reminded her of potential pre-cursors of the gothic thread introduced with Hawthorne's, Young Goodman Brown, and of course, other texts written by Hawthorne.

John Smith's Biography and Narratives written 200 years before the first gothic novel appeared in the early 1820s. But prior to this date in time there was a movement in literary patterned that slowly progressed to create the gothic writings in the American Renaissance and the Romantic movement of the 19^th century.

Mary read a passage from John Smith’s captivity narrative (page 50) in which he uses gothic elements to describe the Native Americans and their community.  Phrases such as “strange and fearful conjurations,” “great grim fellow all painted over with coal mingled with oil, and many snakes’ and weasels’ skins stuffed with moss,” “hellish voice,” “three more such like devils,” “those fiends danced,” all evoke terror in the reader.  Smith also uses colors associated with the gothic (black, white, red) in his narration.

Mary then referred to Bedford’s definition of Gothic hero as someone who is “typically a man known more for his power and his charisma than for his personal goodness (192). 

Discussion question:  How does John Smith in his narrative fit the characteristics of a gothic hero?

Discussion Comments:

(Discussion Recorder: Nancy Gordy)

Smith was very stubborn and opinionated and always getting into trouble with following orders from his superiors. He operated with an independent spirit and stride, like the gothic hero.

Jan:  I had never heard any bad things about Smith before.  The publications of him are written so as to promote him as the English/American conqueror.

Gothic hero always gets in trouble. He has difficulties with abiding by accepted rules of conduct.  He gets involved in bad situations, but at heart is usually a good guy type.

Smith was a good storyteller; he uses intricate descriptions but fashions them in such a way as to embellish them to sell into popular reading in England.

Smith presents the Native Americans to English public as savages, “devils,” but rather weak – he says it took 30 – 40 Indians to guard him.

The reliability of Smith’s narration was called into question.  Smith was obviously self-promoting himself.  He makes his adventures sound more interesting and perhaps more dangerous and terrifying than they really were.  This was perhaps to play up to English expectations of propaganda: the Indians as pagan savages.

Also Smith stretches credibility by writing three different versions of his captivity by Powhatan.  Another romantic element, the Pocahantas relationship, which was romanticized further by Disney movies.

In summary, John Smith describes his captivity narrative in the genre of Gothic novels with his use of terror and supernatural elements.  He also presents himself as the quintessential gothic hero: the man alone who must overcome ‘evil’ to save the community from harm; fiercely independent, and is above normal laws and social constraints.