Analysis Of Salem Possessed: The Social Origins Of Witchcraft

In order to understand the outbreak of the witchcraft hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, authors of Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft, explore the social and economic divisions and tensions within Salem and the surrounding communities. Both Boyer and Nissenbaum have a strong background in history. Paul Boyer (1935-2012) was the Merle Curti Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as a cultural and intellectual historian who authored several other books. Stephen Nissenbaum was a Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst who authored several other books as well. In Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of

While Salem Village remained an agricultural community, Salem Town transformed into a mercantile town. These factions created strained relations and high levels of anxiety among the residents which led to accusations of witchcraft. Tensions exacerbated as Salem “experienced two different economic systems, two different ways of life, at unavoidably close range” (437). Within Salem Village, witchcraft accusations steadily increased as “the first twelve witches were either residents of the Village or persons who lived just beyond its borders” (435). However, witchcraft was not confined to a specific, geographic location as it spread beyond Salem Village and into other geographic boundaries. In fact, the majority of the people accused of witchcraft came from the surrounding villages. The outgrowth of conflicts and bitter disputes between the people of the rising mercantile class and the people of the land-based economy continuously led to witchcraft accusations. The accusations were not limited to farming communities, but also extended to political representatives and people higher up on the social ladder. For example, Boyer and Nissenbaum mention the accusation of Daniel Andrew and Phillip English who were two elected Salem Town selectman. As more

Carlson claims that the notorious events that created the outbreak of witchcraft hysteria in Salem correspond with the physical and neurological symptoms displayed by the residents of the town. However, Carlson’s argument lacks conviction as she fails to explain why other related family members and other communities were not affected by the epidemic. If this was truly an epidemic, the unexplained symptoms would have spread across the entire population, and eve the world, affecting millions of people. Epidemics put the entire human population at risk, not just select groups of people. Also, the majority of the accused were women which fails to explain why an epidemic would only affect women and not the male population as well. Attempting to blame the hysteria on an epidemic seems a little too simplistic. Furthermore, Carlson’s argument does not explain why the witchcraft hysteria faded as the economic conditions improved. As soon as the socioeconomic conditions and tensions improved, the witchcraft accusations seemed to fade. Therefore, in Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft, Boyer and