Richard Bushman, author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, and Linda Newell and Valeen Avery, authors of Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, wrote concerning the beginnings of polygamy in the Church of the Latter Day Saints. The two pieces take from the same reservoir of historical information, as evidenced by several of the exact same quotes, for example: “I have placed my life in your hands therefore do not in an evil hour betray me to my enemies” (Bushman, 95) (Avery, 438). However the perspectives and the interpretations of personal accounts and research varies dramatically between the two pieces. The portrayal of Joseph Smith in relation to polygamy displays the authors’ different opinions.
Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith disparages Joseph from the very beginning of chapter seven. The authors suggest that Smith practiced and taught polygamy even though he was aware that it might destroy his people and cause his own death. Smith’s continuation of the practice while knowing the consequences seems to imply that he knew he was doing something wrong, especially since he initially kept Emma from knowing about his other wives. The authors also conjecture about the causes for Smith to institute polygamy. They mention rumors such as that Smith was a “brilliant imposter”, that he had an “insatiable sexual drive”, and that “Emma was frigid and unresponsive” (Avery, 97). None of these speculations were discredited, leaving the readers to wonder if Smith really was an egotistical selfish womanizer. The bare presence of these rumors in a historical piece displays the low opinion that the writers had concerning Smith on the subject of polygamy.
Both pieces of literature concede that historians don’t agree on the number of wives Joseph had. They both put forth different figures. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith suggests 27, 48 or 84, which are really high. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling presents that the number of wives probably ranged between 28 and 33, a conservative estimate in comparison to the other book’s numbers.
Bushman treats Joseph Smith more kindly. He presents the idea that Smith felt forced to marry additional women because an angel threatened to slay him with a sword. By Bushman’s accounts Smith is to be pitied; he is risking his marriage, his followers, and his freedom to follow God’s will and marry more women. The author specifically mentions that Smith did not marry women for their bodies and that his bond with them was “impersonal” (Bushman, 440). This suggests that Smith simply treated a marriage with his other wives as a business transaction and that nothing too untoward occurred. Bushman does not judge Smith harshly for proposing and partaking in polygamy; he takes a more understanding stance to the issue.
On a side note, I find it very interesting that the historical piece, which is extremely critical of Joseph Smith and plural marriages was written by women; whereas, a male wrote the book which treats Smith more gently concerning polygamy.
Questions:
1) Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling discusses at length Joseph Smith’s reluctance to take on plural wives. Morman Enigma: Emma Hale Smith mentions how Emma must have felt on various occasions. However historical proof of feelings and emotions is lacking and what exists can be open to interpretation. In your opinion how does an author prove the thoughts and feelings of another person? How much evidence is needed to support the author’s proposal? Is it impossible to prove conclusively people’s thoughts and emotions (such as Emma and Joseph Smith’s on polygamy)?
2) A strong bond exists between Emma and Joseph. Emma was the most influential person in Joseph’s life. They cared for each other deeply as evidenced by small actions such as Joseph asking a family to let Emma to take care of their daughter in order to cheer Emma up. If Joseph Smith believed that his and Emma’s marriage would end at death, then why did he wait so long to seal Emma “for time and all eternity”?
Perhaps Smith waited so long to seal Emma and himself together for all of eternity, even though this would mean their marriage would end at death, as he wanted to be sure of Emma’s continued faith in the Mormon Church. Smith’s commandments were, of course, the center of and reason for the church’s existence. As portrayed in the reading, Joseph Smith truly believed that he was receiving God’s will; Smith considered his religious revelations, including the marriage revelation, divine commandments rather than a human creations. According to Bushman, for Smith the “doctrines, plans, programs, and claims were…the mandates of heaven” (Bushman 437). When Emma refused to comply with the marriage mandate, she violated Smith’s deep conviction that he was the personal messenger of God, sent to earth to begin again the true church. Emma rejected, in Joseph Smith’s viewpoint, God’s Word. Consequently, despite her important role in the foundation of Mormonism, she dishonored the Mormon Church. Since endowment, or sealing, was a high honor given to pious Mormons, conceivably Smith waited to seal himself to Emma until he was certain that she still believed in his message, that she was a true Mormon believer who would accept God’s commandments without question. His affection and love for her had no role (or weight) in his waiting, only his religious beliefs, which were extremely strong.
ReplyDeleteThe authors attempt to prove emotions through first and secondhand accounts of what had occurred. They interpret a source’s validity by examining his or her perspectives in the situation mentioned and then analyze the mood and tone of that writing. It is near impossible to prove anyone’s thoughts on anything, since the human mindset is fluid and capable of minute changes within minutes. Each individual is also equipped with beliefs that are some stronger than others. Those convictions would be harder to dissolve while others give in under the right pressure. We can only postulate the general emotion of the sources, and their thought process on arriving at their version of what had happened.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that Smith was driven by “insatiable sexual desire” and Emma frigid. All accounts agree that there was great love between the two despite their difficulties, which seems to blow the normal quarrels out of proportion by the community that reacts to their every move. I feel that Joseph and Emma’s relationship is extremely complex and involves a mixture of more than just love. As much as he loves her, Joseph still fears her anger and personal accounts all seem to agree that Emma is an extremely headstrong individual. Joseph fulfills his role as prophet with the dexterity and charm that rarely seem to sway Emma, which must be frustrating for this powerful man. Though he loves Emma, she does not make life easy for him. However as the love of his life, Emma will always come first. I also think that they did not “seal” sooner because doing so would mean her accepting plural marriages, which seems unlikely at the time. Though the sealing does sound wonderful, Emma still must balance her morals with her love as to not regret anything.
I feel that Joseph waited so long to seal and endow Emma because he needed Emma to support and approve of polygamy. It seems that Smith used the sealing and endowment ceremonies as powerful rewards or inducements for Emma to support him. While he backed up the necessity of the ceremonies as religious the fact that he prevented them from happening so long, in regards to Emma, seems to prove that he wanted Emma to do something for him first, that is support polygamy. It says in the reading that Smith wanted Emma to be an example for other reticent Mormon wives - he wanted Emma to embody a calm and graceful acceptance to polygamy so that other women would see this and follow in her footsteps. Emma, as both pieces have pointed out, was headstrong and perhaps not as acquiescing as some of the other women Smith tried to convince. Though she was pious, it seems that Smith's argument that polygamy was a command from God was not effective at convincing Emma. Smith needed another tactic to get Emma on his side so he offered sealing and endowment. Furthermore both these ceremonies establish Emma's preeminence in her husband's life - she was sealed to him for all of eternity before any of his other wives were and she was the first woman endowed. Examining all the evidence, it seems that Smith waited so long to seal and endow Emma because he wanted to offer the two as a reward for her support.
ReplyDeleteSally claims that it is impossible to prove a human’s emotions since “the human mindset is fluid and is capable of minute changes within minutes.” I agree with this to an extent – another person will never be able to prove one’s emotions second by second, minute by minute but I think that it is possible to prove an individual’s general emotional state, though it could be difficult to do so. For example, if an author is interviewing his subject, he may base his conclusion regarding the subject’s mood on what information or stories he or she provides. What if the subject is lying? The author must take precautions and collect information from various sources before coming to any conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI think there could be various reasons as to why Joseph takes so long to seal Emma “for time and all eternity.” Because he felt so strongly that his and Emma’s marriage would end at death, Smith may have felt that it was not pertinent that they become legally sanctioned since they would be together anyways. Also, I think it is possible that Joseph may have seen Emma primarily as a friend and advisor more than a wife. She was different than the other women he married and was especially headstrong, something Smith could have appreciated or been intimidated by. I believe that there a lot of details about Joseph and Emma’s relationship that we do not, and will never, know.
Authors only have access to written accounts of a person's life through the use of diaries or journal's. Unless they sat down and talked with a person one-on-one they would not be able to tell what really happened in that person's life. When they are writing these stories the authors have to make inferences and are never absolutely sure about what Joseph felt and thought at the time of his plural marriage revelations. They also draw on the written accounts of others who may have heard second hand rumors but do not know the real facts.
ReplyDeleteJoseph could have postponed sealing his marriage with Emma because of her reluctance to accept plural marriage. She could not enter the highest level of heaven if she did not accept all the laws and commandments of God, including Joseph's revelation of plural marriage. He had to have her acceptance to perform this sacred ritual.
It is interesting to have women writers demean Smith and a male try to find some understanding of his dilemma. There could be a possibility that Smith was a lustful, egotistical, power-seeking male and used a revelations from God as a way to cover up his desires.