My Dearest Niece Sarah,
I fear that this will be the last time you will ever hear from me. In fact, by the time you get this, I will probably be dead. You see, I live in Topsfield , but in the nearby town of Salem, the Salem Witchcraft Trials are going on. The Salem Witchcraft Trials are a series of trials of accused witches. Some people have already been hanged and I have recently been accused of witchcraft. You see, on March 21st, 1692, I was accused of putting young girls under spells by Ann Putnam Sr. and Abigail Williams. I was also accused by many other young girls, and even some older, married, seemingly sensible women. I believe that Ann accused me of this ridiculous crime because of the land dispute in our town. For over fifty years, the Nurse's and the Putnam's have been fighting over one piece of land. My father and Ann's father started this feud in 1639 and this is Ann's way of ending it. Also, us Nurse's are resented because we keep mostly to ourselves. Throughout the whole witchcraft accusations, our family has been staying away from the "bewitched" girls. The townspeople thought this was rude and that it proved my guilt. As you know, my dear mother was accused of witchcraft many a year ago, and two of my sister's have been accused before as well. The people in this town seem to have the notion that this craft is passed down through generations. In addition to this, the Putnam's head the Pro-Parris committee- they think that our minister should stay. But, my husband, Francis, is very much an outspoken member of the church. He leads the Anti-Parris committee. This is another reason why Ann is making up these ridiculous charges. I think that the people in this town are just looking for a scapegoat, or a person to blame things on when in reality it has nothing to do with that person. On March 24th, I was questioned by the authorities and I told them that I was praying for the victims, and that the other women accused were innocent. Well, I don't think they liked what I had to say, because they sent me to a jail in Boston. When I got there, I underwent an examination to look for a mark that would mean I was a witch. While I was being held in the jail, I learned that my lovely neighbors back in Topsfield, the Porter's, had written a formal letter proclaiming my innocence.
The Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts can be considered a horrendous period in American history, yet is also viewed as the turning point in what was considered acceptable in a contemporary society. In a documentation of a trial against a woman named Sarah Good, the reader is able to see the way in which such an accusation was treated and how society as a whole reacted to such a claim. Sarah Good fell victim to the witchcraft hysteria because she was different, and that fear of her divergence from the Puritan lifestyle led to her eventual demise.
My research question has to do with how puritan women are represented by the tried witches, and with background information on what Bishop was accused of as well as the fact the judge did not believe her, I am able to refute the logic of why she was executed. Bishop was not committing any actual crimes (by law) which means she was simply going against social norms. For example, Bishop was accused of murdering children, however there was not evidence found on where those bodies were, or exactly who she killed. There was no proof of any of her accusations being true, accept for the dolls she had in her house. In fact, once these “poppets” were found, “Bishop’s fate was sealed, and she was hanged in June 1692” (Associated Press A3). It seems as if the court wanted used the only source of proof they could find to hang her. The reputation Bishop gained throughout her court hearings scared the people of Salem because she never conformed to the female Puritan way of
The floor creaks between each one of their pauses. The silence is deadly. Should I dishonor my lord? The pressure I just can’t stop pacing back and fourth, my skin is tender and sweaty. Salem’s gone mad! All the women be crying witchcraft! But the only one that bewitching is that whore Abigail Williams. Reverend Parris caught her in the forest leading the young ones into the depths of sin, yet I am the one to blame. Its as if I’ve gone crazy myself. They all be believing the devil is loose in Salem. But the Lord may not shine through the unfaithful. She be confessing that my Elizabeth Proctor be practicing witchcraft. I will not believe none of it. She is the biggest sinner in the house of the lord, a liar. How may she call heaven? She may think God sleeps, but God sees everything. God knows a sinner.
Numerous individuals may be quick to accuse others of wrong doings that are not necessarily the truth. In this matter, it is evident in the Salem Witch Trails, which happened in 1692, where individuals accused their own neighbors of witchcraft because of unforeseen death or sickness. Moreover, it led to 200 innocent human-beings that were accused of worshiping the devil’s work, which led to 19 helpless individuals who were hanged because of these untruthful allegations. Furthermore, the Salem Witch Trails were a historical event that is due to lack of knowledge, selfishness, and inhumanity.
One night in the minute New England town of Salem, Massachusetts, three young girls and a slave from Barbados were caught dancing naked in the forest around an immense kettle. This wasn't something that girls normally did in the 1600s and was also socially unacceptable. These girls, Abigail Williams, Betty Parris, Mercy Lewis, and Tituba were immediately accused of being witches just because they were dancing. To get themselves off the hook, the girls pointed their fingers at other women in the town of practicing witchcraft. They indicted some women because their names popped into their heads, but one particular girl, Abigail Williams, accused a woman named Elizabeth Proctor because she had lust for her husband, John Proctor. Abigail Williams and John Proctor had already had an affair. However, unlike Abigail, John wanted to leave that horrible mistake in the past and forget about her. Abigail also did not like other women in Salem because they called her names. They knew of her lust for men, so Abigail took the initiative and they were also charged.
In his article, “Why I Wrote The Crucible,” Arthur Miller speaks of the 1950’s “which nobody seems to remember clearly”- a time of fearful insanity and unrest. Anyone could be accused. Showing excessive opposition ensured prosecution. Most shrunk back from disputing the McCarthy hearings for fear of their safety. Now, this period of panic is viewed as absurd. As Miller describes Hitler as being almost comical to his generation, the modern generation sees the Salem witch trials as foolish scuffles between ignorant people. The actual events were much different as perceived. Just as a feud with a neighbor seems trivial to those not involved but of intense frustration to the embroiled , the trials were not silly and insignificant. The trials were more about personal issues between rivals than witchcraft itself- the witchcraft was a weapon for Salemites to obtain revenge on their enemies. A tool Miller uses to show the reader this emotion is Rebecca Nurse, seventy-year-old grandmother, wife, and respected member of Salem society. Miller modifies her character in his play. Some facts remain true in the play, others are altered, and some have been neglected altogether. What did he change, and what did he regret to? Why did Miller take such liberties with Rebecca’s character in his play?
When Beth begins to scream loudly, Putnam is quick to state that she is bewitched while the doctor states that she is ill, and cannot bear loud noises from the church. Putnam affirms: "The Psalm! She cannot bear to hear the Lord 's name… That is a notorious sign of witchcraft!" (Miller 30) Which is responded with: "There is hard sickness here… so please to keep the quiet." (Miller 31). This, and other examples, show that societies will attribute their own ideas as absolute truth inside of religion. By doing this, oppression is created with the justification of religion, when in fact the origin of these understandings often have nothing to do with religion. Parris, a strong influence in the oppression that Salem is facing, is also guilty of this act. His constant oppression, especially towards John Proctor, has some base in distorted religious beliefs. Parris attempts to defend the accusation being made towards the woman by saying: "Cain were an upright man, and yet he did kill Abel." (Miller 95). Proctor replies with: "Aye, God tells us that. But who tells us Rebecca Nurse murdered seven babies by sending out her spirit on them?" (Miller 95). John Proctor plainly affirms that the accusations being made should not be considered absolute truth, and that defending them with religion, as was being done, is incorrect. The belief that any accusation made by one of the girls was inside religion was misguided and oppressive, notably to the victims of the accusations.
Kent, Deborah. Witchcraft Trials: Fear, Betrayal, and Death in Salem. Library ed. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2009. Print.
In today’s times, witches are the green complexed, big nosed ladies who ride around on broomsticks at Halloween. Back in the 1600’s, witches looked like average people, but they worked alongside the devil. Salem, Massachusetts, was a religious town of Puritans. They were strong believers in God, and had believed that witches were the devils workers. Everything was usual in Salem in 1692, until, 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigale Williams had sudden outbursts of screaming, contortions and convulsions, the doctor came and diagnosed witchcraft (Blumberg, Jess) And from this time on, the people of Salem believed there were witches all around them.
Reverend Parris’ fear of losing his job provokes him to cry witch. Reverend Parris’ daughter feigns to be in a coma. When the doctor bade Susanna tell Reverend Parris that he “might look to unnatural things for the cause of it” (9), he denies that possibility because he fears that rumors of witchcraft under his roof would help his “many enemies” (10) to drive him from his pulpit. Later, by supporting the Salem witch trials, Reverend Parris secures his position in the church. When John Proctor brings a deposition to court signed by Mary Warren that calls Abigail and her girls’ frauds, Reverend Parris urgently tells Judge Danforth that “they’ve come to overthrow the court” (88). When Mary Warren cannot faint in court, Reverend Parris accuses her of being “a trick to blind the court” (107). After Abigail pretends that Mary Warren is attacking her, Reverend Parris spurs on the accusations by telling her to “cast the Devil out” (118). Reverend Parris fears that if Abigail becomes exposed he will be punished for supporting an illegitimate court procedure. When execution day arrives, Reverend Parris fears that the “rebellion in Andover” (127) over hangings will occur similarly in Salem. Reverend Parris pleads to Hathorne that “. . . it were another sort that we hanged till now . . . these people have great weight yet in the town” (127). Reverend Parris’ last attempt at preserv...
As we may already know, the town of Salem was subject to an epidemic of the accusations of witchcraft that lasted over ten months. Witchcraft of this time period was not taken lightly. In England alone over 40,000-60,000 people were killed after being found guilty of witchcraft. Needless to say the people found witchcraft as a virus that infected the town. The first cases started off with the daughters of Samuel Parris, the town minister, accusing his slave, Tituba, of being a witch. She claimed that she and others in the town were witches and there was even a wizard. The town broke out in hysteria in further months. Over 100 people were put in jail because of accusations. The council that were to find these people’s innocence or guilt were corrupted as well because to claim innocence meant you were guilty and if you were to claim guilt you could be redeemed. Many of the items found incriminating were pins and voodoo dolls. Many of these people faced the psychological terror of being pressured into claiming guilt to a crime, you didn’t commit in front of a committee and scared the community to death that they were going to be subjected to. Many of the witnesses to these trials were said to have undergone physical distress or act inhumanly. Many historians say to these records that since their body was put under so much strain and fear of the witchcraft that surrounded them all the time, their bodies going through strange changes such as paralysis or temporary blindness with no real cause rather than stress. But many historians also believe the witnesses were voluntarily acting and committing fraud against the others. But why was this such an enigma to understand why this small town in New England was all of a sudden becoming a cen...
The notorious witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts occurred from June through September. It is a brief, but turbulent period in history and the causes of the trials have long been a source of discussion among historians. Many try to explain or rationalize the bizarre happenings of the witch hunts and the causes that contributed to them. To understand the trials and how they came to be, we must first examine the ideals and views of the people surrounding the events. Although religious beliefs were the most influential factor, socioeconomic tensions, and ergot poisoning are also strongly supported theories. A combination of motives seems the most rational explanation of the frenzy that followed the illness of the two girls. This paper looks closely at the some of the possible causes of one of the most notable occurrences in history.
The Salem Trials took place between the 10th of June and the 22nd of 1692 and in this time nineteen people. In addition to this one man was pressed to death and over 150 people where sent to jail where four adult and one infant died. Although when compared to other witch-hunts in the Western world, it was ‘a small incident in the history of a great superstition,’ but has never lost its grip on our imagination’ . It’s because of this that over the last three centuries many historians have analysed the remaining records of the trials in order to work out what the causes and events were that led to them.
After reading Joyce Carol Oates story, “ The Night Nurse,” revenge is what is found. This story starts off by a woman by the name of Grace Burkhardt, collapsing at a shopping mall because of a reason that was unknown at the time. She is taken in an ambulance to a hospital where she undergoes an emergency surgery for a blood clot that is in her leg that could have traveled to her heart. Grace’s stay in the hospital that night was not how she expected. The worst pain a person can indure, is the one who is left out. In the beginning of the story Grace explains herself as being laid back. “I am behaving well, look how calm and civilized” (654). Grace never screamed out at the shopping mall. She tried to act as calm as possible. Even though Grace was in so much pain, she never sobbed to God or never did she ask, “Am I dying? Will I die” (654)? Shortly after the doctors took care of Grace, she went into surgery. After this is when her attitude begins to change.
Concerned citizens of Salem, if it were a good mornin' I would bid you that, however it is not. This mornin' a grave injustice is looming like the grey clouds before a storm. This morning we will bear witness to yet another brutal and senseless murder of two innocent Christians, Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor. Ladies and gentlemen, for four long months the very court that proposed to protect us from all evil has deceived us and in fact perpetuated the evil doings running rife throughout our fair town. For four long months a prodigious fear has settled itself in our very hearts, a fear of the unknown and a fear of becoming one of the accused. My friends, it must be clear to any truly Christian society that the devil be not among us in the form of witchery or wizardry, but in the manifestation of vengeance! I implore you to take a stand, to band together and to put a stop to this madness before it completely takes hold of Salem and you too are on trial for witchcraft!