Enchantress Tests Essay, Research Paper

The Salem witchery tests resulted from a clime of repression, spiritual intolerance, and societal hierarchy combined with fanatism and the subjugation of adult females. The Puritan leaders used the tests as a manner to command the community and to forestall alteration in the rigorous societal hierarchy. The tests ensured that the instructions of the church would be followed anyone non following the church was merely accused of being a enchantress and punished consequently. Witchcraft was considered a offense, and penalty was terrible. The first recorded incidents of Witchcraft originated in the head of a immature misss who would purportedly utilize crystal balls to seek and foretell their hereafter. These immature misss turned to patterns outside the church in order to interrupt the humdrum of their lives. Therefore, they were unfastened to listening to the slaves, like Tituba. Tituba was a slave whom practised a signifier of luck stating based on juju. However, luck relation was in direct struggle with puritan political orientation, which forbid the act because merely God can foretell the hereafter. Therefor, anyone caught looking into the hereafter was a evildoer. & # 8220 ; God who reveals all things in his ain good clip does non allow his Providence to be tempted. Merely the Satan will crouch to such devices, therefor to try by charming agencies to see into the hereafter is to traffic with the devil. & # 8221 ;

Witchcraft was a rebellion against good, and therefor a wickedness in the bible and punished as a capital offense. Tests were held in order to continue the societal hierarchy, but the tests shortly began to be aided and effected by differences among the villagers. In Salem no 1 was immune to the increasing societal tensenesss and ill will, non even the church. At separate times, two curates, reverends James Bayler and George Burroughs chose to go forth the parish instead than be subjected to spying and the highly bitter clime. The tenseness over land was turning fast. In 1632, the general tribunal granted governor Endicott three hundred estates of land. With subsequent land grants to others, the boundaries and boundary lines which told the people who owned what land was in difference. Another land job was caused by overcrowding in the New England communities. Salem was a haven community that had been settled early and most of the land within its boundary lines belonged to the first coevals colonists. In the 1650 s, boundary differences between Salem occupants and those of environing towns increased. As a consequence of a deficit of land, most 2nd and 3rd coevals Salem kids lived as grownups on subdivided land or moved on. The boies and girls who stayed in Salem to farm found themselves with a lower income than their parents. & # 8220 ; The ensuing tensenesss were Heightened by the concentration of land ownership in the custodies of a comparative few. & # 8221 ; The result was a clime of utmost animus that lead to strife, and it was this tenseness that lead the Puritans to utilize the tests to get land from their neighbors.

The tests were a agencies to keep the rigorous societal hierarchy. A major beginning of societal tenseness and struggle was caused by the husbandmans. The husbandmans outside town petitioned for their ain curate and for their ain house of worship. They had two grounds for their petitions. One, they were far from town, and two they were discontent with town direction. Their petition was granted and this lead to a separate parish for the husbandmans who would no longer worship with the merchandisers. Tension increased between the two groups, and the merchandisers were going more comfortable while the husbandmans were happening it progressively hard to do a life. The husbandmans wanted to halt the turning prosperity of the merchandisers. So based on the fact that upon strong belief all enchantresss lost their land and wealth husbandmans accused merchandisers in order to assist switch things in their favor.

Another ground for the tests was fanatism, People became so irrationally consumed by their beliefs that they became easy convinced that the Devil was fiddling with their society. Reverend A Mudge stated this when he said, & # 8220 ; We know that there was a fearful sort of insanity possessing at the clip the heads of the people, including those in authorization, refering what was a enchantress, . & # 8221 ; This fanatism destroyed the bosom of the Puritan community. Alternatively of integrity, discord and discontent were prevailing. Fear was so rampant that people named others as enchantresss before they themselves could be branded. & # 8220 ; To get away accusals, people turned accusers and therefore lied against the lives of neighbors and friends. Trying safety from the wrath of the storm was afforded by confession, & # 8221 ; The dry nature of falsely impeaching neighbors and friends was that lying was a wickedness, and for a community which prides itself on its rigorous attachment to Gods word so that its people may populate everlastingly in Eden, the same people were willing to transgress and direct others to their decease in order to continue their being on Earth.

The tests were intended to command craze over enchantresss, but alternatively escalated it because people could now utilize the tests as a agency of commanding others. There was know belief of guiltless until proved guilty in their Torahs, alternatively puritan jurisprudence shapers felt that even members of the church could be found guilty of witchery. To command the spread of enchantresss, a community of watchfulness was created to run down and prosecute all suspected enchantresss. Not all villagers agreed with the watchfulness attack, Cotton Mather was troubled by this Fanaticism. He believed that the people were to zealous in their chase of enchantresss and in their beliefs, and therefore they were Hysterical. He stated, & # 8220 ; But that which most of all threaten us in our present Circumstances, is misconstruing, and so the animus whereunto the witchery now regain, has enchanted us. & # 8221 ; Cotton Mather realised how this irrational thought spread the thought of witchery among the Puritans. This unreason was common among both the people and governments. Peoples became so fierce that the tests became a agency of showing their beliefs. The tests were the branch of their zealousness. It provided them with an mercantile establishment to keep their positions and to show their defeat over personal or familial bad luck. Alternatively of the tests halting the craze, they increased it. They used the enchantress tests to recover and maintain control. It is stated in Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England that, & # 8220 ; the map of the county tribunal was to keep societal control & # 8221 ; The governments in the tribunals ( Judgess ) were so inexorable in their beliefs that they made people change their testimony when they were on test. The slave Tituba ( fortune Teller ) realised this and gave testimony that would pleas the Judgess. Since she confessed her wickednesss, her life was spared. The tests served to keep societal control.

Besides fanatism, repression of new thoughts played a major function in the rise of the Salem witchery tests. The governments used the fright of the tests to command the people and to stamp down differing positions and beliefs. The tests were a tool to command the people and to forestall alteration in the puritan life style. It was imperative to the governments that the carinate society remain unchanged. For illustration, anyone belittling the life style of the Puritan community would be accused of witchery. The Salem witches themselves believed that the Satan s spokesmen promised them release from the psychological and societal rigidnesss of the times. They were besides assured a comfortable life in New England. The accused enchantresss believed that the Satan sought to subvert the Church. The Devil in Massachusetts provinces, & # 8220 ; The Satan s spokesmen promised release from the psychological and societal rigidnesss of theocracy, and a more abundant life in the new land. Once the church had been overthrown all would be good. & # 8221 ; When this occurred, the enchantresss would be free of shame, opinion and any limitations. The enchantresss confessed to these beliefs. Therefore, the tests were a agencies of quashing these beliefs since they punished anyone who was believed to be a enchantress.

When immature stripling misss rebelled against the rough limitations placed upon them by society, society used the witchery tests to keep control. Rehearsing witchery was a manner to let go of defeats in the really carinate Puritan society. The tests restrained any positions that conflicted with the puritan faith. The slave Tituba showed the immature misss of Salem fast ones and enchantments similar to voodoo. This was against Puritan faith since Puritans believe that God Doesn t license people to look in

to the hereafter. Therefor, the people of Salem put Tituba on test along with her thoughts. This set an illustration to the town that anyone rehearsing different beliefs would be put on test. The tests were used to stamp down new thoughts that conflicted with puritan political orientation. They ensured that the pattern of the puritan faith would stay unchanged. Therefore, the Judgess used the tests to stamp down rebellion and to maintain society invariable.

The tests were besides used to maintain the societal hierarchy integral. The functionaries wanted to maintain each category invariable with no upward mobility. The Puritan point of position was that God had ordained the category construction. Therefore, people must stay at the degree where God placed them at birth. Carol Karlsen provinces in The Devil in the Shape of a Woman, & # 8220 ; The connexions between economic struggle and witchery represent well-trod land of historians. & # 8221 ; During the late 1680 s through the 1690 s people were traveling up socially. Peoples resented this and used the tests to halt it. Peoples progressing socially were accused of witchery and placed on test. They were found guilty and sentenced to gaol or executing by hanging. Therefore, the tests were used as a hindrance to people seeking to raise their societal position. One group particularly singled out for witchery were the mercantile group. Mercantile capitalist economy was even called witchery. These people were booming freeloaders, comfortable landlords, and comfortable merchandisers. Their prosperity caused a power battle between the traditional husbandmans and themselves. The witchery tests were used by the farming community as a method of reconstructing order among the societal groups. If person became comfortable, the husbandmans would impeach the comfortable person of witchery so that this individual couldn t rise in the societal category. The tests were used to keep the societal order of the husbandmans and to forestall the merchandisers from lifting socially. They were a agency of showing the husbandmans defeats and a agencies to command the upward mobility of the successful merchandisers. The societal tensenesss between the merchandisers and the husbandmans was a ground for the witchery tests.

Social tensenesss besides led to Bridget Bishop being called a enchantress. For illustration, Bridget Bishop defied public sentiment by have oning vermilion and non the somber apparels worn by the Puritan community. The clergyman mudge provinces in the book Witch Hill: A History of Salem Witchcraft provinces, & # 8220 ; She, after this, defied public sentiment, by her frock and behavior, more freely than ever. & # 8221 ; This deficiency of a rigorous attachment to the Puritan doctrine led to Bridget being put on test as a enchantress. Puritans did non believe in raising their societal degree or showing different thoughts. Any evildoing led to societal tenseness. Witchcraft was a offense that was punishable by imprisonment and/ or decease. The governments used the tests to quash the people by transfusing fright in them. Therefore, the people were deterred from rolling from puritan philosophy and the church remained the dominant force in the community.

Religious intolerance was besides a cardinal ground for the tests in Salem. The tests even helped the spiritual figures in the Puritan community. During this clip, a spiritual resurgence or so called & # 8220 ; Little Awakening & # 8221 ; was taking topographic point. The Puritan leaders stopped the resurgence by holding the misss blame their supernatural trial to a Godhead beginning instead than a diabolic beginning. The book Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft provinces, & # 8220 ; By promoting and even working the unusual behavior of the immature people in their communities ; both curates had managed to turn a potentially detrimental state of affairs to their ain benefits. & # 8221 ; The Puritans did non accept any other sort of spiritual pattern. Merely the Puritan faith was allowed in the town of Salem. The witchery tests were used for spiritual sophistication of the community. The church clergy were able to utilize the tests as a device to free the community of enemies to the church. The tests resulted in the church curates assailing their enemies. Therefor, the tests were used against anyone with opposing positions of any sort. The witchery tests benefited the clergy and the church functionaries by seting all their antagonists on test. The tests were used to command people s spiritual patterns and assist the curate maintain control.

Along with spiritual intolerance the tests were most significantly used to maintain adult females oppressed. It is asked in Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England, & # 8220 ; Why were adult females ( and particularly adult females over the age of 40 ) singled out and punished so disproportionately? & # 8221 ; The Puritan work forces exercised enormous control over their adult females. Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-Century New England provinces, & # 8220 ; it is possible to construe witch-hunting as a agency of reaffirming this authorization at a clip when some adult females were proving these restraints, and wen adult females without hubbies or male siblings inherits property. & # 8221 ; Females were accused of being enchantresss for having their ain concerns, non go toing church, being a Friend, being outspoken, and for having belongings. Womans who had risen to the top of the societal ladder were frequently charged with witchery. Social tensenesss once more played an of import function in the witchery tests in Salem. The Puritans believed that God ordained the category construction ; hence, adult females should non lift on the societal ladder. The Devil in The Shape of a Women provinces, & # 8220 ; submissiveness, a quality expected in puritan society Nor was it common among enchantresss, most of whom were unquestionably assertive. & # 8221 ; The tests enabled puritan work forces to maintain puritan adult females submissive and to forestall upward societal mobility of adult females. If a adult female became excessively self-asserting or rose on the societal graduated table she would be brought to test. At this clip, Puritan adult females were deriving control over at that place ain lives. Consequently adult females were blamed as enchantresss more frequently so work forces. Most significantly, the tests were used to put adult females over 40 on test. These adult females were at a point in there lives where they could no longer execute the major function of a adult female. These adult females could no longer bare kids and hence no longer benefited puritan society. It is stated in The Devil in The Shape of a Women, & # 8220 ; Whether a widow remained a widow or remarried, whether she held on to her agencies of support or release them, she competed with her boies for cherished resources. & # 8221 ; Besides, work forces resented that some adult females could populate entirely without the demand of a adult male. This was non the recognized societal construction. Hence the tests reflected the feelings of the work forces in puritan society. Quaker adult females were put on test because they believed in the right to female religious leading. They felt that there was no demand for an appointed ministry because adult females and work forces could learn each other the & # 8220 ; divine truths & # 8221 ; . This went against the Puritan beliefs by doing adult females equal to work forces in the instruction of God. Thus, Quaker adult females were put on test. Puting these adult females on test put there positions on test, therefore the tests suppressed Quaker adult females and kept the male dominated Puritan society intact.

The Salem witchery tests were caused by the overpowering demand to command the puritan people. The societal construction and male laterality could non be allowed to alter. Curates benefited from witchery, it gave them an alibi to set any enemy of the church, intending anyone with differing positions, on test. This led to the strengthening of the puritan positions go forthing their society unchanged. Keeping society loyal to the church and the societal hierarchy unchanged were the factors taking to the proliferation of witchery tests.

Bibliography

1 ) Carol F. Karlsen, The Devil in the form of a Woman New York: Random House, Inc. , 1987

2 ) David D. Hall, Witch-Hunting in Seventeenth-century New England Boston: North-eastern University Press, 1991

3 ) Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1973

4 ) Reverend Z. A. Mudge, Witch Hill: A History of Salem Witchcraft New York: Carlton and Lanahan, 1870

5 ) Marion L. Starkey, The Devil in Massachusetts Garden City: Alfred A. Knopf, 1949

6 ) Cotton Mather, The Wonders of the Invincible Universe: being an history of the tryals of several enchantresss recently executed in New England: and of several singular wonders therein happening New York: Random House, Inc. 1987

7 ) Elliot, Charles W. Mysteries of Glimpses of the Supernatural New York: Harper and Brothers, 1852.

8 ) Phillips, Jan The Craft of the Wise Ms. January/February 1993: 78-79