In the book, The Witches: Salem 1692, the author Stacy Schiff attempts to condense a large volume of research into a cohesive narrative that tries to avoid to much speculation. There is some contention that the book does speculate into the motives of primary accusers that some reviewers have intimated are bordering on fiction. However, the author defends her arguments logically, and her inferences do seem to bridge the gaps effectively. One of the items that causes some confusion, to both the historically curious, and to the researcher is that the author has created a list of dramatis personae in which the historical figures are labeled as a cast of characters which might make the book seem fictional. While these brief introductions of the …show more content…
Jane Kamensky of the New York Times reviewed the book for the literary section of her newspaper, Kamensky was very critical of the authors arrangement and narrative. Even going so far as to claim that "By almost any measure, the Salem crisis is more gripping than it was important. The Witches, Schiff's glib, compendious and often maddening account of the events of that fateful year, does a great deal to punch up the story, but little to explore, and still less to understand its significance." (Kamensky) When looking at this from a historical point of view, Kamensky's review would seem to make The Witches: Salem 1692 an unreliable source. However, when taken in context, the book dovetails nicely with other works such as Salem Possessed by Boyer and Nissenbaum While the author of The Witches: Salem 1692, is not a trained historian, she has a team of researchers that do the fact checking and ensure that the author's information is authentic and not the mythologized claptrap that predominates popular culture. The book does not offer any new insights into the motivations or reasons that the Witch hysteria peaked as it did in Salem, the author does an excellent job at presenting the material in an easy to read and mentally digest
Salem, 1692: those dateline may be Likewise unmistakable Similarly as any to american history. Fourteen ladies What's more five men, indicted from claiming witchcraft, were hanged, Furthermore you quit offering on that one more, a Mamoncillo who rejected will plead, might have been pounded on death, An day’s ride starting with Boston, On An Lesseps province of a minor British province — the fringe of the periphery, starting with those point of view of London, let from claiming Paris or canton. “The populace from claiming new England in 1692 might fit under Yankee stadium today,” Stacy Schiff composes. Furthermore yet those plague of witches that blockaded Salem Also its environs that quite a while need spawned more than 500 books, almost 1,000
In contrast to Boynton’s work, Chadwick Hansen’s Witchcraft at Salem concentrates only on the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. It is a valuable source due to the fact that Hansen earned a Ph.D. American History from Yale and the University of Minnesota, giving him a wealth of knowledge in the subject that this source focuses on. Additionally, the content is rich with insight as well as with primary sources such as transcripts from the trials, copies of the town’s historical documents, and drawings from Salem during the
There is a certain polarity that comes with the territory in witchcraft. In most witch trials, there was a sense of “he said, she said”, one side claiming one thing and the other disagreeing. This seemed to flow into the realm of historical thought on the matter. There is a dividing line of external and internal interpretations on the subject of the witch trials, especially including the trials in Salem. However, I argue that the line between the external and internal interpretations of the witch trials is blurred, the sides often bleeding into each
The book by Rosalyn Schanzers Witches! The absolutely true tale of disaster in salem gives information about the salem witch trials. The surroundings of the trials(such as weather)changed from winter all the way through spring 1692.They also were very paranoid of a lot of things. Such as witches and the devil. The main theories i will state are Reasons for the witch hunts.
In Document B, Demos presents that most of the accusers of witches were single females in their younger years of age. In the late 1600s, women were extremely dependent upon men for their financial stability, overall safety, and mental/emotional well being. In an interpretation of this document, it can be assumed that these younger female women were seeking family ties and protection in a harsher time period. On the same hand, Document C, a most likely extremely biased account, recounts the “bewitched actions” of Bridget Bishop, a witch, upon the afflicted. Samuel Parris, the examiner of Bishop, seems to shed a negative light on Bishop.
Throughout History, women have long struggled and fought for the same equality, justice, and rights as males in society. Historians have two opposing views of what life was like in Puritan society. One side argues that Puritan society was a golden age for women as they worked alongside their husbands, had an important role in the household. However, opposing historians argue that Puritan women were inferior to men in the society for five main reasons. Women were inferior because they were supposed to be silent company, they only received half the inheritance of their brothers, they were meant to have and take care of the children, they received harsher punishment for their wrongs, and they had to follow strict rules.
Nearly anyone from the New England has heard of the famous Salem Witch Trials. A year of persecution, leading to the accusation of nearly 200 citizens of all ages. No one was safe; men, women, children, even pets stood trial and 20 were hung for the supposed crime of witchcraft (Blumberg). 1692 was a year of witch hunting. Most today blame the trials on hysteria, or perhaps a bad case of paranoia.
How two little girls (Abigail and Betty) where the first to suffer from fits of hysterical outbreaks and how many accusers came forward and described how they or their animals had been bewitched. It mentions the court cases and how there were more woman than men accused of practicing witch craft. It also states how historians believe the girls were faking their fits from the start. Also mentions how religious Salem was at the time which influenced the trials. •
In his book, “A Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft (1702),” clergyman John Hale comes forth to confront the recent events going on at the time. Initially, Hale alludes to the questionable actions and activities of the townspeople being accused of witchcrafts, and being imprisoned as punishment. In addition, he discloses how everyone suspicious will be accused, not even young children are safe from the hands of this fate. Hale’s purpose of publishing this book was to describe the incident of the Witch Trials, and to reveal his experience of the trials, since his own wife was accused. By employing a didactic tone, Hale relays the actions of the past that targeted the Puritans and those wrongly accused of witchcrafts, so this occurrence
She appeals to the readers with actual details that are raw and unnerving leaving the reader stunned with the 1692 events and how that year started a dreadful chapter in history for the town of Salem. She explains how boredom, rivalries, disputes, personal differences, cold weather, and ergot poisoning were some of the theories in order to show what historians have shared for years about what brought on the mass hysteria to the town. She shares with the readers how truly horrific, whatever the cause was, it had been for the towns people, “America’s tiny reign of terror, Salem represents one of the rare moments in our enlightened past when the candles are knocked out and everyone seems to be groping about in the dark, the place where all good stories begin.” The words of understanding and attempt to find the truth Schiff conveys by having each reason support the one before. She also gives the readers something to familiarize with by referencing Halloween, “Historical truths emerge only with time, after which they are ours, particularly on Halloween, to
“Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you,” (Act I, 160). She was the first person in the play to accuse a person of seeing people summon spirits of the Devil. This caused a massive, wide-scale witch hunt to take place; families torn apart, mothers, fathers, and even children murdered for what was considered to be the greater good. Now, others began to accuse people of witchcraft and people who had been lifelong friends to each other now had no choice other than to point fingers at each other or be put to death. Widespread panic and unreasonable action was sweeping through everyone in Salem, all because of a little lie by
Analyzing Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum's book, Salem Possessed leads to the exploration of the pre-existing social and economic divisions within the Salem Village community, as an entrance point to understanding the accusations of witchcraft in 1692. Salem Village and Salem Town were politically a single unit, but socially as well as economically the two were diverse and because of this, it caused a rivalry. Salem Village had a lot of farmland, poorer people and was more rural as well as conservative. ; the Village was led by the Putnam family. Salem Town was more sophisticated, nautical, and prosperous, with wealthier and more respected people; They were interested in the mercantile and political life of Salem Town and were led primarily
Much of what happens in Salem still resembles some things we see in society today. The word of one man can change people’s ideas and images of another without conclusive evidence. What people fear the most can sometimes bind us together, even if it is not
The novel A Delusion of Satan written by Frances Hill describes the history of the Salem Witch Trials (“Salem”) in 1692, the causes and effects of the witch hysteria, and the biographies of major characters associated with the trials. In the novel, Hill started out explaining the Puritans’ beliefs and customs, the gender roles of men and women in Salem and why women were easily accused of being witches and practicing witchcraft in the 17th century. During that time, women were easily accused of practicing witchcraft because they were viewed as physically, politically and spiritually weaker than men. Men were perceived as the power, status, and worthy in the society, and they dominated women’s behavior and social status. In the 17th century,
Anyone could accuse someone of witchcraft, and they would be taken seriously, people would often make up reasons for these accusations, and they were believed. The Crucible accurately portrays how the Salem Witch Trials changed Salem Massachusetts and the lives of its residents. A perfect example