Biographies Characteristics Analysis

Pocahontas and John Smith true story. The Real Story of Pocahontas: What Disney Didn't Show

Thanks to colorful Disney cartoons, the whole world knows the story of the Indian princess Pocahontas and her two lovers - Captain Smith and John Rolfe. However, was everything really like that, or did the creators of the cartoon and films about the Indian princess embellish the truth too much? And why did Pocahontas choose John Rolfe over his namesake Smith? To understand all this, it is worth learning more about the fate of Mr. Rolfe, as well as about the actor Christian Bale and other performers of this role.

The real story of Pocahontas

The Indian princess Pocahontas actually had a slightly different name - Matoaka. She was originally from the Powhatans (Powhatens) and was the daughter of Heleva - one of the many wives of the leader of the tribal union - Powhatan. Although the head of the tribal union had more than 80 children, Matoaka was his favorite, so he often followed her whims. Perhaps that is why the British called her Pocahontas - “prankster”, “mistress”.

It is believed that Matoaka was born in 1594-1595. in the Indian village of Werawocomoco (present-day Wicomico) near the Pamaunka River (now York River). About her early years nothing is known.

In 1607, white people established the settlement of Jamestown on Powhatan lands. That's how John Smith came here. Being 15 years older than Pocahontas, he managed to visit a lot of places. Smith was a traveler and adventurer who took part in several wars. For the leader's daughter, who had never been anywhere in particular, a man like John was exotic, it is not surprising that she immediately fell in love with him.

When the Indians tried to kill John Smith and his men, who had wandered into the lands of the Redskins in search of food, the girl shielded the pale-faced captain and thereby saved his life. Later, thanks to her, the colonists' relations with the Indians improved, which helped them survive their first winter in new lands.

John Smith spent another year in Jamestown, and all this time he maintained a close acquaintance with the Indian princess, who became a real blessing for the colonists. How close their relationship was - history is silent.

In the fall of 1609, Captain Smith was seriously wounded and sent home to England, and Pocahontas was informed that he had died. Some historians believe that this was the idea of ​​Smith himself, who thus wanted to end a protracted romance with a beautiful savage.

Some accuse John Smith of lying to gain attention, since before Matoaka arrived in Britain in 1616, the brave captain never mentioned this romantic story. In addition, his memoirs featured a similar story about the hero’s rescue by the daughter of the Turkish Sultan.

On the other hand, it cannot be denied that with Smith’s departure, relations between the Indians and the inhabitants of Jamestown worsened, which means he had certain influence at their princess. In addition, only Smith's story can explain why the British later kidnapped the girl and blackmailed the Powhatan leader with her in order to end the war with them.

After holding Pocahontas captive for several months, the colonists realized that by marrying her to one of the settlers, they could achieve eternal peace with the Indians. But for this you need a suitable candidate. It was John Rolfe.

Biography of John Rolfe

This man was born in 1585 in Hechem. Unlike Smith, he was not a seeker of adventure and military glory. Rolf was more of a hard-headed entrepreneur who became famous through the tobacco trade.

At that time, the struggle for a monopoly on the tobacco trade market began in Europe. Since the British climate was unfavorable for growing this plant, it became necessary to develop new lands for this in America. Among those who went into this business was young John Rolfe.

Together with his pregnant wife Sarah Hacker, he went to Jamestown in 1609 to settle there and establish a tobacco supply. However, due to bad weather, the Rolfs were stranded. During this period, Sarah gave birth to a daughter, but John's wife and daughter soon died.

However, the widower did not give up. Having found a special variety of tobacco in Bermuda, he crossed it with one that was grown in Jamestown. The new variety gained incredible popularity in England and Europe, thanks to which both the colony and John himself began to prosper.

Meanwhile, Jamestown was still uneasy because of the Indians. Only the capture of Matoaka allowed peace to be achieved for a time. For the sake of the well-being of the colony, John agreed to become the husband of an Indian princess.

Love triangle: John Smith, Pocahontas and John Rolfe

According to legend, Rolf fell in love with Matoaka at first sight and, having achieved reciprocity, married her. However, in reality, this marriage was only a business agreement, which John did not decide on until the bride converted to Christianity.

And Pocahontas didn’t feel much passion for her groom. Not because of John Smith. If the princess was in love with him, then over time this feeling went away, and the leader’s daughter married a fellow tribesman and lived with him for several years. What happened to the husband is not known; he probably died before Matoaka was captured.

For many, it remains a mystery why the proud princess agreed to marry Rolf if she did not love him. Most likely, she saw in this marriage the only chance to gain freedom.

In April 1614, the colonist and the princess got married. The bride's father did not attend the ceremony, but gave gifts through his brother and son.

A year later, Mrs. Rolfe gave birth to a son, Thomas. Thanks to the marriage, peace reigned between the colonists and the Indians for many years, and Jamestown began to prosper. However, huge royal taxes prevented the city from developing. To persuade the king to reduce them, in 1616 John Rolfe, along with his wife and son, went to England. On this trip, Pocahontas played the role of an exotic curiosity who was supposed to win the favor of the monarch.

Rolf was right - his wife created a real sensation at court. However, she herself was no less surprised when she learned that John Smith, whom she considered dead, was alive.

According to legend, Pocahontas found herself between two fires: she had to choose between two men, and, out of duty, she remained with her husband.

Smith himself claimed that when they met, Matoaka asked to be called her daughter, and he praised her very much. But eyewitnesses testified to the contrary: Mrs. Rolfe called Smith a vile deceiver and kicked him out. They did not meet again, and a few months later Pocahontas fell ill with smallpox and died.

After her death, John Rolfe left two-year-old Thomas in the care of relatives while he returned to America. A year and a half later, he remarried the colonist Jane Pierce. From this marriage a daughter, Elizabeth, was born.

With the death of Matoaka, relations with the Indians began to deteriorate. According to one legend, Rolf was killed by the Powhatans in 1622, as revenge for the capture and death of Pocahontas.

The fate of Thomas Rolfe

After the death of his mother, the boy also fell ill with smallpox, so he was left by his father in England. The child managed to survive, but John did not want to take him in and left him in the care of his brother Henry. The boy never saw his father again.

It is believed that Pocahontas’ son returned to America at the age of 21, but his fate in the next 6 years is unknown. He later married Jane Poythress. The couple had only one daughter, Jane.

The last written mention of John Rolfe's son dates back to 1658, and he is believed to have died in 1680.

Film history of the character

The legend about the noble daughter of a leader who fell in love with a Briton has been filmed several times. This happened for the first time in 1953. The movie was called “Captain John Smith and Pocahontas.” In this film, the plot was built around the couple Smith and the princess, so Rolf was a minor character.

2 years later, in the film magazine TV Reader's Digest, the issue of America's First Great Lady was dedicated to the story of Matoaka. In it, John Rolfe acted as a noble man who became an obstacle to the love of Smith and Pocahontas.

In 1998, the Disney studio released the cartoon Pocahontas 2: A Journey to New World».

The traditional story has been changed. Matoaka arrives in England to protect his lands from the machinations of Ratcliffe, who convinced the king that the Indians had gold. Rolf helps her get used to the new world, with whom she sincerely falls in love, and in his company returns to America, rejecting the advances of John Smith.

In 2005, the film “New World” was shot, in which the love story of the leader’s daughter was told in a traditional form.

John Rolfe: biography, filmography of the performer of this role Christian Bale

The first two film adaptations of the story of Pocahontas, filmed in the 50s, did not gain much popularity. But the film “New World” became the best of its kind.

In it, the role of a loving colonist was played by Christian Bale, already a fairly well-known actor at that time. John Rolfe turned out to be very sincere, and many believe that Bale played better than John Smith.

Christian Bale was born in 1974 in Britain in the family of a pilot and a circus performer. They moved endlessly from country to country. Already at the age of 9, young Christian starred in advertising. This actor first became known to domestic audiences thanks to the film “Mio, My Mio,” in which he played Yum-Yum. In subsequent years, Christian Bale starred a lot in costume television projects (Treasure Island, Little Women, Portrait of a Lady, etc.). Real fame came to him with roles in “American Psycho” and “Equilibrium.”

Later, Bale managed to consolidate his success thanks to the birth of Batman in the film trilogy. Moreover, Christian’s performance is recognized as one of the best in the entire history of the character’s existence.

In addition to Batman, during his career Bale managed to create a lot of characters on the screen. interesting images: John Connor, Moses, Michael Burry and John Rolfe. has more than 40 projects, and he does not plan to stop there. In 2017, with the participation of the actor, the film Hostiles will be released about an American captain accompanying the dying Cheyenne leader on the way to the lands of his ancestors.

Other actors who play John Rolfe

In addition to Bale, other artists played Pocahontas' husband. The first performer of this role was the hero of science fiction films of the 50s - Robert Clark. In "America's First Great Lady" John Rolfe was played by John Stevenson. And in the Disney cartoon, Pocahontas' lover was voiced by the famous Hollywood playboy, Billy Zane ("Titanic", "Sniper").

Interesting facts

Many Americans and Britons proudly call themselves descendants of Pocahontas. However, most of them are wrong. The fact is that in the 30s of the 17th century. Thomas Rolfe's namesake lived in England. In 1632 he married the British woman Elizabeth Washington. This couple had 5 children. Their numerous descendants consider themselves the heirs of Pocahontas. But, according to documents, this man lived in England in 1642, while the real Thomas Rolfe at that time lived thousands of kilometers away in Virginia, which is documented.

And Edith Wilson - the wives of two US presidents - are considered direct descendants of Pocahontas.

Before The New World, Christian Bale participated in another project related to the story of an Indian princess. He voiced one of the sailors in the cartoon "Pocahontas."

Unfortunately, the real fate of John Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas was not nearly as romantic as shown in the Disney cartoon or in The New World. But if it weren’t for her, then there would be nothing to inspire writers and artists who created beautiful masterpieces based on her, which the whole world admires to this day.

A portrait of Pocahontas a year before her death, in England. Although Simon Van de Pass gave her a European look, she was a purebred young Algonquian Powhatan girl, and all high-status Indian women wore tattoos on their faces.

1585, watercolor images of women. Here we see full lips, dark skin, black eyes and hair, as well as facial tattoos. Close-up Algonquian Women was written by John White, ten years before the birth of Pocahontas. He accompanied the English expedition to the Powhatan lands in 1585 and captured more accurate images of women facial features, including traditional tattoos, which may be closer in essence to the real thing appearance Pocahontas, based on her ethnic background. The image created by de Pass was openly propaganda in nature.

Names given by the Powhatans: Amonute (translation unknown), Matoaka (Bright Stream Between the Hills), Pocahontas (Little Playful One).

English baptismal name: Rebecca. She was also sometimes called "Lady Rebecca".

Marriage: Her first husband was Cocoum (Powhatan) in 1610. At that time, Pocahontas was 15 years old, and this was the age when girls were married off. The first marriage lasted three years; early English chronicles do not mention children from this marriage. It is likely that information about children was deliberately removed from " official documents"for propaganda purposes.

Her second marriage was to John Rolfe, an English widower, in 1614. There are no historical records of a divorce from Kokoum and, most likely, Pocahontas was married to Powhatan at the time of her abduction by the colonists in 1613. John Rolfe and Pocahontas had a son, Thomas.

So, Pocahontas (Matoaka) years of life: 1595(?)-1617. Beloved daughter of Chief Powhatan, leader of an alliance of 32 Indian nations, the Powhatan Confederacy, as it was called by 17th century English colonists in the New World of Virginia (Tsenacommacah (Sen-ah-cóm-ma-cah) as it was called Indian communities). The main historical information about Pocahontas came to us from English sources colonial era. There is very little information about it except in the writings of adventurer John Smith, who first mentioned it in his report to the Virginia Company in London (a capitalist enterprise that hoped to export goods from Virginia to Europe, in addition to seizing land from the Indians). He described in detail the story of young Pocahontas, emphasizing her decisive role in saving his life when Powhatan ordered his execution, as well as the subsequent relief for the famine and the defense of Fort James (Jamestown). His stories about the influence of Pocahontas on Powhatan may of course be exaggerated. Pocahontas was presented as John Smith's "savior" in records from 1624, after her death. (His story of being rescued by a "fair lady" was repeated many times in later works. Smith's rescuers were usually " beautiful ladies"high social status who turned a blind eye to the baseness of his own). Smith's notes on Pocahontas contain highlights of her life during her youth, when she was friendly towards the English settlers. (Many Indians believed that the image of Pocahontas became an “icon for assimilation”).

In 1613, a girl visiting the Patawomecks was kidnapped by the British. This happened thanks to the conspiracy of the chief Japazaus with Samuel Argall (the captain of the ship). The name given to Pocahontas at baptism is not accidental. Rebecca is a biblical character, the wife of Isaac, who left her native people

for the sake of my husband. In 1614, Pocahontas married John Rolfe.

For two years after their marriage they lived on the Rolf plantation, near Henrico. On January 30, 1615, their son was born - Thomas Rolfe. In 1616, the Virginia Company in London was hired by Pocahontas to work as a “celebrity” (Virginia at that time needed large investments). John Rolfe, Pocahontas, their son Thomas and eleven other Indians went to England. On June 12 they arrived at the port of Plymouth, then moved to London. In London, the girl became a real “star”, where she was presented as an envoy of the New World. She even attended a reception with the king and brought huge profits for the company. At the beginning of 1617, at one of the receptions, Pocahontas accidentally met John Smith. As Smith himself later wrote, their conversation was very cool. For the Virginia company, this trip brought a lot of money, but it cost Pocahontas her life. She died in 1617 at Grevesend, where she went ashore on her way home. John Rolfe wrote that before her death, Pocahontas told him: “Everyone dies someday, the main thing is that our son lives.” St. George's Church, where she was buried, became a temple to Pocahontas, as a tribute to the memory of the “mother of American history.” The exact location of her grave is unknown, but a monument to the now famous girl was erected next to Gravesend Church.

Now I would like to present to your attention an excerpt from thesis. She joined the ranks of Doña Marina and Squanto; the first was a guide and translator for Cortez, the second taught the pilgrims how to grow corn and served as their envoy. Their lives and deaths are noteworthy because they played a critical role in determining the course of colonization in the Americas. It's safe to say that the colonization of the area that became known as Virginia would not have been as successful for the British if not for Pocahontas. Unlike the Spaniards, who came with an army of conquistadors and priests, the English resorted to diplomacy in anticipation of reinforcements from their densely populated homeland. Sensing danger, they used extreme kidnapping tactics on April 13, 1613, and demanded a ransom for Pocahontas.

To found Jamestown in 1607, the British chose an unfortunate location: lowland, swamp, malaria. And in addition to this, they were ill-equipped for basic survival. Instead of planting crops and digging wells, most colonists preferred to search for gold and other precious metals.

The first years were difficult; they were known to go hungry in July and August. In the summer of 1608, corn supplemented their meager diet. Wine supplies ran low, and the British began to drink brackish water from the James River, which led to numerous cases of typhoid fever, dysentery, and poisoning. The situation was so catastrophic that many colonists began to seek salvation in Indian cities. And the Indians helped them.

With the help of several Patawomecks, Pocahontas was kidnapped by Captain Samuel Argall on April 13, 1613. The records of Ralph Hamor testify to how the girl was lured onto the ship and kidnapped. For their assistance in the kidnapping, this Patavomek couple received an iron teapot from the captain. Through them, Argall conveyed a message to Powhatan about the kidnapping and ransom conditions. From that moment on, the British began to use Pocahontas as a political hostage. Powhatan paid part of the ransom and promised to give the rest when his daughter was released. A three-month lull reigned between the British and Powhatan; judging by the records of Ralph Hamor, Powhatan was in confusion. The British took advantage of this and presented even higher demands to the leader, insisting that Powhatan surrender all English weapons, all tools, hand over all deserters and fill the ship with corn as compensation.

Governor Dale, taking advantage of the leader's indecisiveness, went even further. Accompanied by 50 people and Pocahontas, the governor went up the river, penetrating the lands of the Powhatan confederacy. Chief Powhatan was unable to meet with Dale; his brother, Opechancanough (1554-1646), a Powhatan tribal chief, did. Dale made a number of demands and sailed freely down the river, unhindered by the overwhelming number of warriors awaiting command from their superiors. A key factor in survival in the ensuing struggle was again the use of Pocahontas as a hostage. After negotiations with Opechancanogue, resolution of the hostage situation was delayed. One could easily blame Powhatan for deliberately putting Pocahontas in danger by allowing her to act as an intermediary. However, such an argument ignores the possibility that this was in fulfillment of her duties as a chief's daughter, and Powhatan may not have expected such betrayal from a promising trading partner. John Smith sufficiently appreciated the importance of learning the local language to practice trade and diplomacy. Smith followed standard practice of sending to Virginia as servants to study their language and customs in various local communities. Apparently, Pocahontas served in a similar way as a child. She often accompanied her father's emissaries when they sent food to the English, and gained some insight into their language. However, Powhatan did not use his daughter when he was on bad terms with the English. He removed his daughter from contact with the British for a period from childhood to adulthood. Pocahontas' kidnapping was not a direct result of Powhatan sending her to the English. John Smith testifies to this fact, stating that she was found and stolen by an English merchant ship in 1613. In the period leading up to her abduction, Pocahontas did not serve as a potential intermediary or was in any threatening situations.

To continue to assert that Powhatan remains guilty of the kidnapping of his daughter is to assert the guilt of the victim of a crime committed by the British with the assistance of several Patawomeck opportunists. Immediately after this, John Rolfe proposed to Governor Dale, he asked for Pocahontas' hand and permission to marry her. At this time Pocahontas was in adolescence (around sixteen or seventeen years old, according to some accounts) and Rolf was a widower with a child, so the marriage was more political than based on love or physical attraction. This is confirmed by Hamor, who called the aforementioned union of a friend a “sham marriage.” However, this behavior contradicts Hamor's previous statement that John Rolfe was "a gentleman of strict behavior and good manners." Own words John Rolfe seem more paradoxical than the same thing said by Hamor, since the divine, which is the sacred marriage, should not be used for material purposes. Both agreed that the marriage was to ensure the "prosperity of the Plantation." These sentiments may seem contradictory modern ideas about marriage; however, this was in accordance with the institution of marriage in English society

According to Smith, Rolfe was not the first English colonist with the idea of ​​marrying Pocahontas to ensure better relations with the Powhatans. Smith speaks of her as providing provisions for the British at their fort at Jamestown, against her father's wishes. Some scholars believe that her "rebellious nature" was nothing more than an invention of Smith, but let us say it here, since it is not at all main question. This is one of those occasions where she was vulnerable to the whims of the English, even if it was by her will. At this time it was said that many colonists "could make themselves kings by marrying Pocahontas." After dispelling the myths that it was possible to become such a "happy colonist", Smith discounted the possibility of achieving such high status through marriage to Pocahontas. He also believed that her father would not have elevated her to such a position. high position neither Smith nor any other Englishman. This assumption was confirmed by her actual marriage to John Rolfe. This holy alliance was not recognized by the Virginia Indians during the Opechancanogue Rebellion of 1622, in which Rolfe was one of the casualties.

John Rolfe's marriage to Pocahontas and her baptism marked the beginning of acculturation, making the girl a "correctly thinking savage." In addition, the baptism of Pocahontas and the concomitant adoption of Christianity contributed to her further anglicization, since she was baptized as “Lady Rebecca.” As is always the case, acculturation is not the same as assimilation. Pocahontas was not accepted by the English as if she were English. This is evidenced by the fact that her Indian name was used more often and was preferred to the one she received at baptism. The memoirs of her English contemporaries are proof of this fact. Interestingly, Pocahontas was either about to get married or was already married to a warrior named Kokoum at the time of her capture. If the latter is true, then she is the first actual Virginia woman to have two husbands. However, this fact was not significant for Christians of that (or any other) time, since pagan marriage was annulled at baptism. This was implied both in Christian teaching and in English.

Reverend Alexander Whitaker's judgment on Pocahontas's marriage and transformation is characteristic of cultural imperialism. There is no mention of class or racial differences married. Whitaker assumes that the "man of God" is, however, only the English, praising Pocahontas for renouncing "her idolatrous country" and professing faith in Jesus Christ. That is, the missionary impulse takes precedence over all others. His judgment may be similar to that of the Church of England, which would later have the same intolerance for interracial marriages between Europeans and Africans in the Virginia Colony. One could interpret this marriage as the beginning of a process of whitening of Virginia's native people that continues to this day. Technically, Pocahontas was not the first Native American Virginian to intermarry with a white man. Existed whole line unacknowledged connections between the English and Virginia Indians since 1607. However, Pocahontas, in parallel with Doña Marina, is played important role, as they are known for being the first mothers of American European-Indian hybrids, at least in their region. Other reports from the time echo Whitaker's sentiments.

Hamor was less supportive of the marriage than some of his comrades. He describes this union, which was one of God's sanctified ones, as "one example of bad breeding, barbarous manners, and the influence of a cursed generation, beneficial only to the prosperity of the plantation." Such an angry statement speaks to the priority of race over class in the society of colonial Virginia, serving as an example for subsequent generations. The fact that Rolf is a commoner married to a princess seems less important issue in the colonies than in the metropolis. In the case where a British commoner marries an "Indian princess", only the fact of racial correspondence is taken into account, but not class. This marriage is an example of colonial class-racial dynamics, perhaps the result of the influence of a frontier mentality. This could be interpreted as one of the prerequisites for a sense of white superiority among the lower strata of the white population - among those for whom the elite non-white society is on the same level as the average white male.

June 16, 1614 in a letter addressed to cousin and fellow priest Whitaker reported that the colony remained stable. In addition, despite opposition from the Americans, it was possible to expand the Virginia Company, which began producing tobacco products for sale. According to Hamor, the marriage between Pocahontas and John Rolfe brought additional benefits, as Rebecca taught her husband the Powhatan method of preparing tobacco. It was this factor that allowed Virginia tobacco to successfully compete in the European market. Tobacco as a cash crop strengthened the economy of the colony, thus strengthening the colony itself, and luring all large quantity

the British try their luck in Virginia.

Up to this point, the Virginia Colony had not suffered significant losses from attacks by the Powhatan Confederacy. Using Pocahontas as a political tool ensured that this would continue until the Indians were destroyed. Until then, it was in the colonists' interests to increase their numbers in the region. The most attractive option was to hire servants from England, many of whom were willing to risk their lives to fulfill their contract and amass a fortune. Before 1630, everyone had a good chance of becoming rich. The management system provided masters with 50 acres for each servant, and the colonies continued to expand. This was not the only method of motivation for potential colonists, as the Virginia Company received an ideal ambassador in Pocahontas. In June 1616, Rolf arrived in London, where Pocahontas became a living icon. She was the epitome of the “right-thinking savage,” who renounced paganism, converted to Christianity, worked for the good of the colony, and supported the Virginia Company. The Virginia Company in London attracted to Pocahontas everyone's attention and introduced her to high society. In addition to attending social events such as dinners and games, Pocahontas took part in a lottery sponsored by the Virginia Company. (Each winning ticket allowed one hundred acres to be allocated for every 12 pounds, 10 shillings, 5 pence of the buyer's share). The level of involvement in this is greater than most historians realize. Active participation

Pocahontas's sale of her native lands - a treasonous act against her people - is what made her an icon, an accomplice to the colonization of Virginia. It can be argued that the British would have been able to colonize Virginia without the use of Pocahontas, but this argument is not as valid., as evidence suggests otherwise. The kidnapping of Pocahontas took place, and Powhatan's ability to rule his people was diminished as a result. This turn of events would even provoke a rebellion equal in scale or even greater than that raised by Opechancanogue in 1622.

Records show that Pocahontas died on March 21, 1617 as "Rebecca Rothe, wife of Thomas Rothe, nobleman," and was buried in Gravesend, England. If John Smith's calculations were accurate, she was about twenty-two or twenty-three years old. The burial of Pocahontas in England also contributes to the British appropriation of her in an even more complete sense. Despite the Great Fire of London in 1666, which destroyed all routes to the exact location of Pocahontas' grave in St. George's Church Church, her fame continues to attract travelers from all over the world.

In life, Rebecca Rolfe was the personification of the ideal "right-thinking savage," and in death she became what many people call a "good Indian." St George's Church and the town of Gravesend are cashing in on the tourism and fame that Pocahontas' grave has brought them. In some ways, it continues to serve the purposes of the British, their descendants in Virginia, and those who came later. The most famous descendants of the union of Pocahontas and John Rolfe are among the first families of Virginia. They are a privileged group in Virginia whose role is particularly prominent in politics, particularly in the government's determination of who is a member of the white race.

Translation for the website "Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island" -WR. Text editing: Kristina Makhova.

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Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

Pocahontas
Pocahontas
Portrait from an engraving of 1616
Birth name:
A place of death:
Father:
Spouse:

John Rolfe (1585-1622)

Children:

son: Thomas Rolfe (1615-80)

To the cinema

  • "Pocahontas" is an American animated film from 1995.
  • “Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World” is a 1998 American animated film.
  • “New World” - 2005 film.

Write a review about the article "Pocahontas"

Literature

  • Philip L. Barbour. Pocahontas and Her World. - Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1970. - ISBN 0-7091-2188-1.

Notes

Links

Excerpt characterizing Pocahontas

And Pierre now deserved the passionate love of the Italian only because he aroused in him best sides his souls and admired them.
During the last period of Pierre's stay in Oryol, his old freemason acquaintance, Count Villarsky, came to see him, the same one who introduced him to the lodge in 1807. Villarsky was married to a rich Russian woman who had large estates in the Oryol province, and occupied a temporary position in the city in the food department.
Having learned that Bezukhov was in Orel, Villarsky, although he had never been briefly acquainted with him, came to him with those statements of friendship and intimacy that people usually express to each other when meeting in the desert. Villarsky was bored in Orel and was happy to meet a person of the same circle as himself and with the same, as he believed, interests.
But, to his surprise, Villarsky soon noticed that Pierre was very far behind real life and had fallen, as he himself defined Pierre, into apathy and selfishness.
“Vous vous encroutez, mon cher,” he told him. Despite this, Villarsky was now more pleasant with Pierre than before, and he visited him every day. For Pierre, looking at Villarsky and listening to him now, it was strange and incredible to think that he himself had very recently been the same.
Villarsky was married family man, busy with the affairs of his wife’s estate, and service, and family. He believed that all these activities were a hindrance in life and that they were all despicable because they were aimed at the personal good of him and his family. Military, administrative, political, and Masonic considerations constantly absorbed his attention. And Pierre, without trying to change his view, without condemning him, with his now constantly quiet, joyful mockery, admired this strange phenomenon, so familiar to him.
In his relations with Villarsky, with the princess, with the doctor, with all the people with whom he now met, in Pierre there was new feature, which earned him the favor of all people: this is a recognition of the ability of each person to think, feel and look at things in his own way; recognition of the impossibility of words to dissuade a person. This legitimate characteristic of every person, which previously worried and irritated Pierre, now formed the basis of the participation and interest that he took in people. The difference, sometimes the complete contradiction of people's views with their lives and with each other, pleased Pierre and aroused in him a mocking and gentle smile.
In practical matters, Pierre suddenly now felt that he had a center of gravity that he did not have before. Previously, every money question, especially requests for money, to which he, as a very rich man, was subjected very often, led him into hopeless unrest and bewilderment. “To give or not to give?” - he asked himself. “I have it, but he needs it. But someone else needs it even more. Who needs it more? Or maybe both are deceivers? And from all these assumptions he had previously not found any way out and gave to everyone while he had something to give. He had been in exactly the same bewilderment before with every question concerning his condition, when one said that it was necessary to do this, and the other - another.
Now, to his surprise, he found that in all these questions there were no more doubts and perplexities. A judge now appeared in him, according to some laws unknown to himself, deciding what was necessary and what should not be done.

So, last week another series of my “costume” posts came to its finale, dedicated to “Downton Abbey” (in case you missed it, don’t worry - full meeting essays from 27 posts on), which was completed by my grand-final costume competition.

And while its winner is preparing a “dossier” for my work on a mini-analysis of her style and appearance, I have an excellent opportunity and a reason to return another “favor” left over from the last costume competition. Then, more than a year ago, you and I chose the best “crazy” heroines, one of which was this girl.


However, I was not able to prepare a well-deserved mini-analysis for her then, because... The winner, unfortunately, never contacted me and did not send materials. And preparing a style concept “on the fly”, without sufficient information about the client, even in the shortest format, is not always effective. But still...

Even with a small number of photographs, I still have something useful to say about this type (and its design), especially since just the other day I had the opportunity to solve a couple of sartorial problems for a client with a similar appearance.

So, analyzing the girl’s appearance even from those few angles in the photos I have, it is impossible not to note that her coloring, type of contrast and facial features take her appearance away from Central European latitudes, adding “exotic” notes. And even with minimal imagination, looking at our participant, it’s easy to imagine that she could be from exotic Peru or Bolivia:


And if you stretch your imagination a little more , then you can see in this girl the modern embodiment of Pocahontas:


I admit that discovering that such a portrait is “hidden” in the client’s appearance can greatly facilitate the stylist’s work;) Because creating literal, albeit modern, interpretations of clearly defined images is usually easier. And our geronia with its type is no exception in this case:


With such characteristics of the type, both images in the ethno-style, inspired by the costumes of South American tribes, and outfits of the modern version of the Indian princess Pocahontas can be easily achieved:


The only point: such outfits, which are as close as possible to the original, have an increased intensity, which is why they may turn out to be too catchy / pretentious / not suitable for a certain character, temperament or lifestyle (*this is why I never tire of repeating that true personal style should put you first internal content, which will be reflected in the appearance).

However, if we assume that the general concept of such a style is not alien to our heroine, then it is quite easy to regulate the degree of costume in her images, thanks to the recognition and high associativity of this style, even if the outfit contains a minimum number of characteristic elements or they are combined with neutral/modern things.

Therefore, if a girl is suitable and likes that her image will be associated with such “style anchors,” then everything will help our heroine - from national costumes to the images of her famous “type sisters” like Vanessa Hudgens, especially when every year they dress up in flocks for Coachella festival. And the only thing left ishow much -from full embodiment to characteristic accessories “scattered” along the basic outline.


And here would be the end of another stylish story, but... just the other day I had the opportunity to look for two interesting sartorial solutions for a client of a very similar type, like our today’s heroine. Yes, inspired general idea image of Pocahontas, this girl asked me whether it was possible to further emphasize her within these stylistic frameworks a strong character, confidence and the ability to fight (for despite her features lacking rigidity and sharpness, she, by the way, was involved in martial arts, and is now building her own business). And as possible options, I suggested that she move away from the “boho-chic” elements and pay attention to the images of Alicia Vikander from LV, which are precisely a combination of a modern Pocahontas and a female warrior:

**True, if you have already begun to mentally try on these images for yourself, consider one important point: if you have a very fragile physique, a young/youthful face and (this may be the main thing) a not too fighting character, which is manifested in your facial expressions and gestures, then there is a good chance that the outfit will look on you like the armor behind which you are hiding , but don’t use it in battle at all.



and my combat client’s comment was like this:
Sasha, I can’t help but thank you separately for this picture - it’s just all mine - the black top “under the skin” and the white skirt in the right size and absolutely perfect shoes and even my favorite correctly colored fringe)))

Just super)))


Well, on the other hand, there is another interest Ask: Can ethnic/Pocahontas-inspired looks that are distinctly suburban in their charge be “switched” to an urban feel? Here, as an answer, I would recommend looking at some images of Miroslava Duma.


All these images are not ethnic par excellence, but they have similarities at the level of technical details (color solutions, textures, prints), and the type of the hostess adds similarity at the level of the overall charge [for comparison, imagine the same outfits on a classic Slavic blonde] .

And yes, comparing the two latest images, you can see not only certain similarities (in the general mood/energy), but also those differences that make the image of Miroslava (on the right) more urban and refined.

I think it might be relevant, so let's go through it in order...

Firstly, the colors: in the traditional ethnic image they are brighter and more vigorous and there are more of them (we remember that the standard of classical European elegance is, in principle, “colorless” images - total white, total black, total beige). Secondly, prints: ethnic or classic “block” geometry. And thirdly, the style of accessories and " general design" image, which includes, for example, hairstyle.


I don't know if last year's winner will see this post. Hope so! And in this case, I hope that I will find something for myself in it. useful ideas, despite the fact that the information about her at my disposal was minimal;)

For this, I bow out and remind you that this post is another small example of a mini-analysis, a service available today in the arsenal of my remote services. And if you want too, you can order a mini-analysis by writing me a personal message or sending a request to my work email [email protected]

My chest was heaving heavily. Sick of smallpox, Pocahontas lay in bed, exhausted. There was a cool breath through the window.
“John...” she whispered, and her husband bent over her head and carefully placed his hand on her forehead. Compared to his hand, Pocahontas was burning.
“I’m here,” he said tenderly, but she did not react.
“John,” she called pitifully again and stared blankly into his eyes. - Do you remember that small stream near which we...
It became difficult for Pocahontas to speak. She squeezed John Rolfe's hand tightly.
The sun was at its zenith; Pocahontas shuddered all over.
Her dark skin was pockmarked; blisters covered his sharp cheekbones and Indian nose. The plump lips that had previously kissed and loved continued to whisper the name. But John Rolfe understood that she was not talking to him.
“I was in such a hurry to shut you up...” she said again and smiled. John Rolfe smiled back. There was probably another person in her eyes.
Pocahontas was tossing about in delirium and fever. She clenched the edges of the blanket in her fists and spoke heatedly:
- If you ask me if I will board the ship... ask again... John.
The husband remained silent. IN next room the little son cried. Even this did not bring Pocahontas out of her delirium: she looked pleadingly at John Rolfe with her large doe eyes. Only she could look like that.
“Please,” she asked. Tears began to tremble on her eyelashes.
John Rolfe restrained himself from telling her: honey, it’s not him. It's me. Your husband. Honey, you'll get better.
“Pocahontas,” he said and trembled. -Will you come with me?
She raised her hand and gently touched his cheek. Her face brightened. She stroked thumb man's lips.
“Yes,” she said, and the last breath left her lips.

The huge sails were inflated by the wind, and the Indian wind, free and fresh, breathed in them. The ship was leaving into an unknown distance. But Pocahontas stayed with him.
He smiled tenderly at her, burying his face in his dark hair. Words were unnecessary. For the first time in many years, she felt how deeply her heart was beating, like the beating of tom-toms.
“John,” her lips parted in a smile. She ran her fingers through her golden hair.
Now everything was right.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to come to you,” she said.
Embracing, they watched the sun set into the deep blue sea...

Pocahontas, aka Matoaka, princess of the Powhatans, died at age 22 from smallpox. Her new one was carved on the tombstone and last name: Rebecca Rolfe.
The sun was setting on her native land, and stood up here in England.
John Rolfe covered the lifeless body, disfigured by smallpox, and straightened up.
My Pocahontas never existed.
After all, she didn't belong to me.