Alan Taylor begins his notation on Virginia’s colonization by mentioning the ambitious hopes for expansion within the Spanish, French, and especially, English empire. After giving a brief bit of background on the explorations of Spain and France, Taylor shifts the attention to England and explains how England gained courage through their conquering of Ireland to re-discover what is now, Virginia (the colony was supposedly named after “virgin” Queen Elizabeth the I) (Taylor 118). The information Taylor gives about England’s socioeconomic status is important in understanding the history of colonial Virginia. Aside from the details he gives regarding England’s desire for expansion of imperial wealth, Taylor also notes on the landscape and welfare of England during this time period; basically, English citizens were striving to get out of their country due to the disease, poverty, crime, and other sorts of plague that overtook their”city of extremes” (Taylor 122). Thus, when colonists offered to migrate to Virginia, the English were overjoyed at the opportunity because new land meant more trade, more resources, and more room to export the booming population of England. The only uncertainty that came with this new and remarkable solution revolved around the original natives of the land, of whom George Percy and John Smith referred to as “Savages;” the narratives of colonists like Percy and Smith can be easily compared to that of American Colonies, by Alan Taylor. Wheres Taylor understands the perspective from an English colonizer’s standpoint during the colonization of Virginia, the narratives from George Percy and John Smith give us authentic and specific stories from actual English settlers’ point of views. However, both texts are authentic in the fact that they portray an English influence as well as show England’s prejudice towards different cultures.
The first attempt to colonize Virginia was in 1585 under the supervision of Sir Walter Ralegh. Unfortunately, these hundred eager settlers landed on a small island known as Roanoke and realized quickly that this geographic location was incapable of growing crops and was not a beneficiary place for trade and commerce (Taylor 123-124). After a small amount of time, the colonists proved they were unable to live and grow in Roanoke, and Sir Ralegh decided, with the aid of John White, to relocate their sprouting colony to Chesapeake Bay. After a series of more struggles including the Spanish Armada, the Croatoan mystery, and lack of contact with overseas countries, England took their final voyage to Chesapeake Bay and at last were successful (Taylor 124-125). Taylor claims that in 1604 through a peace treaty with Spain, England was given more freedom to trade and spread capital wealth, and during this time a group of colonizers in London were granted a charter by King James I to “colonize and govern Virginia” (130). The determined crew left for “Jamestown” on December 20th, 1606, according to Master George Percy who served for one year as head of the Virginia colony (Taylor 130).
George Percy’s narrative appears to be in written in apologia/defensive form, if one were to categorize it. He begins his “observations” as he calls it, by vividly recounting of the traits and customs of the Native Americans’. The goal, therefore, that succumbs George Percy during his expedition in 1606 is to spread civil government and banish any sort of nonsensical ideals of the native persons in Virginia. Take this section from Percy’s personal account as an example: “One of the Savages standing in the midst singing, beating one hand against another, all the rest dancing about him shouting, howling, and stamping against the ground with many Anticke tricks and faces, making noise like so many Wolves or Devils” (Tyler 12). In conveying his observations of the Native American peoples, Percy shadows his individual thought on the customs of the Indians and possibly his own dissatisfaction of them. Another picture Percy gives us of the Native Americans involves him witnessing the Indians practice some sort of ritual with tobacco; after explaining how they sit in a circle of tobacco and lift their hands up to the sun, he states that, “they began to pray, making many Devillish gestures with a Hellish noise, foaming at the mouth, staring with their eyes, wagging with their heads in such a fashion it was deformitie as it was monstrous to behold” (Tyler 20). Percy could have been writing this narrative for just English colonizers during this time, but I think he had sincerity in his thoughts, meaning that he intended for any audience to read about the geographical route of his travels as well as his socioeconomic mission to expand his civilization. In correspondence, one of the first few details that Taylor tells about the Natives in his narrative surrounds the social positions of the Indians’ economy.
Taylor claims men and women had separate, but relatively equal roles in society, and though there was a head chief named Powhatan, his power was an “elaborate kinship network that gathered and redistributed tribute” (127). In a way Taylor reveals that his narrative comes from a somewhat “English point of view; for instance, this section of the text ends by claiming that when English colonizers reached Virginia and observed the Native’s culture, they initially saw many of the Indian’s ways as “cowardly and ineffective” (Taylor 127). The Indians, on the other hand, regarded the English as possible allies, intrigued by their elaborate and sophisticated weaponry. According to Taylor, however, an alliance between the Native Americans and the English colonists was seemingly impossible because the English were so strongly convinced that their traditional culture was the best and only way to live. Since the Natives were not monotheistic, did not wear elegant clothing, and did not give women a submissive position in society, the English thought of them as savages (Taylor 128). Lastly, John Smith’s narrative presents a final example of how most English colonizers viewed Native Americans but with a slightly different perspective.
Smith was president of the Virginia colony from 1608-1609 (Tyler 28). In December of 1607, he was captured by some Native Americans, and was almost executed until Pocahontas saved his life (Tyler 28). After his presidency, Smith was practically forced to leave the colony, and he ended up spending the last of his years in England where he served as a “prolific writer” (Tyler 28). The accounts of his experiences with the Native Americans, however, are significant to note when talking about historical Virginia. John Smith’s narrative could have been as a promotional narrative, because the text has a persuasive tone from the beginning; for instance, Smith seems persistent on assuring the reader that him and his fellow explorers made it to their destination safely and without harm, when this probably wasn’t entirely true (Tyler 32). Even though Smith had multiple negative interactions with the Natives, his descriptions of their culture carried a more positive note than George Percy’s accounts of Virginia did. Smith reflects on several accounts where four or five “savages” would meet him and his people to trade and guide them through the lands (Tyler 33). John Smith notes many times in which the Native Americans nurtured, helped or “refreshed” him when he was stuck in individual turmoil (such as on page 36 when Smith writes about the famine and sickness that overcame them while they were traveling). The language of Smith’s narrative continues to maintain a promotional essence to it, depicting a decent society within the Native Americans’ culture and plentiful sources for economical and geographical development.
The narratives of George Percy and John Smith were particularly interesting to read, especially juxtaposed to each other. George Percy’s accounts are fairly predictable if you ask me- typical British settler during the 17th century, devoted to capitalism and eager to spread his own ideas of nationalism. Reading Taylor’s chapter on colonial Virginia before reading Percy’s narrative was a smart choice; Taylor offered me certain implications about English settlers coming to Virginia that prepared me for what I was about to read from George Percy. John Smith, on the other hand, surprised me with his literary accounts. Smith’s tale of his travels is formatted in an entertaining way; he introduces himself to the reader from the beginning and creates a conversation with the reader so that he can thoroughly describe his experiences. Smith also alludes to God more often than Percy throughout his narrative, and ultimately carries a lighter tone within his speech. Most surprisingly of all, Smith’s accounts seem accepting of the Indian culture, and in a way present a new outlook on English colonization of Virginia.
I like the comparative view of these two narratives! John Smith had a knack for narrative and story-telling, which is perhaps why he remains such a durable voice in representations of early America. He was not only an explorer, but a mythologizer–even if his favorite myth to expound upon was the mythical figure and adventures of John Smith himself!
In terms of formatting, can you make use of the linking feature to take us to a bio of the main authors?