What is rowlandson trying to communicate to the reader by quoting deuteronomy 32:39 in "narrative of the captivity and restoration of Mrs Mary rowlandson"?
By quoting Deuteronomy 32:39 in "Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs Mary Rowlandson," Mary Rowlandson is trying to communicate several messages to the reader.
1. First, she is asserting her strong religious faith. The quote from Deuteronomy is a biblical passage that proclaims God's sovereignty and power over life and death. By including this quote, Rowlandson is emphasizing that her Christian faith sustained her during her captivity and restoration, and that she sees her experiences as part of God's plan for her life.
2. Rowlandson is also expressing her belief in divine judgment. The quote from Deuteronomy speaks of God's ability to bring vengeance upon his enemies. By referencing this passage, Rowlandson may be suggesting that her captors, the Native Americans, are deserving of God's wrath for their actions. This implies that she sees her own suffering as a form of divine punishment for her captors.
3. Additionally, Rowlandson may be trying to make sense of her own personal turmoil and suffering by affirming her conviction in God's ultimate control. The passage from Deuteronomy reassures her that, even in the midst of her captivity, God has power over life and death, and ultimately, she is at His mercy.
Overall, by quoting Deuteronomy 32:39, Rowlandson is conveying her profound faith in God, her belief in divine judgment, and her attempts to find meaning and solace in her experiences of captivity and restoration.