The Witch Hammer: The Purpose Of The Witch's Hammer

These witches were believed to “wrought calamities, and illness by shooting objects into the bodies of their victims or by stealing their heart. ”[24] Considered to be socially deviant activity witchcraft was mostly the extension of the male ideology that viewed women as being

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

Class Discussion). “Witch-hunting is woman-hunting or at least it is the hunting of women who do not fulfill the male view of how women ought to conduct themselves” (Blécourt, William de, The Making of the Female Witch, Pg. 294). The story of Adam and Eve is a main theory that is shown through the work of many authors because Eve is perceived as unleashing evil to the world. The reasoning behind this is in the story, Eve is

The witch and the victim. None other.” (93). This quote demonstrates the doubtful evidence for witchcraft. Nobody can prove anything unless someone confesses.

Salem, meaning “peace”, was a Puritan haven in the late 1600’s, with a large concentration of Puritans in that area. In 1692, a historical outbreak appeared, with the accusations of innocent people being witches thrown about. The cause of these witch trials is widely argued on, but the most sensible and correct theory is that the townspeople’s Puritan beliefs had influenced this witch craze. Their strong belief in that Satan was the cause for all evil and all unknown fueled accusations fueled their actions, while the Puritans’ proof for persecution was in the Geneva bible. The Puritans of Salem also saw witches as the devil’s servants and could easily spot a witch for certain symptoms. With their radical ideas and firm social system, the Puritans were their own cause for the Salem Witch Trials.

The Witches were able to project themselves as innocent beings before attack an unsuspecting victim. Of course, the only sources Mather’s had to back up his arguments were his spiritual faith, the Bible, and court

Fear and disease led to an appalling number of incarcerations and even hangings of unfortunate men, women, and children who were wrongly accused of witchcraft. Suspected witches were often middle-aged women who were usually economically secluded or lacking in family and were also lacking in social

It was believed that if the girls were really witches then they wouldn't be able to talk about religion. The young girls would have the recite it without hesitating or making mistakes, and of course, without having screaming fits and falling to the floor. Any hesitation or mistakes, even if the girl was only nervous, would indicate that she was working with the devil. Although, if the girls were successful, that doesn't mean that they're off the hook. A man named George Burroughs recited it perfectly, but was still hanged.

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

Most of the citizens in Stamford did not want any witches or supernatural things around them, for their fear of the devil. Richard Godbeer gave the reader specific scenarios about witchcraft, to show how apposed people were to it despite it being so

As the play goes on, they make many claims of several different women being witches. This causes Salem to worry even more. Everyone claimed a witch of someone they didn’t like to get something that person had. Although at first the witch

"The story of witchcraft is primarily the story of women . . . ." Karlsen argues for the relevance and importance of women’s roles in the panic of witchcraft fear in 17th Century American society. She subtly contests that specific interests were at work in the shaping of witchcraft accusations; book elaborates that a specific type of woman risked accusation based on her demographic representation in society. Karlsen further elaborates on her theme with,

Misunderstood Magic can be real to some people and fictional to others. It could be used to describe a feeling, or it could mean an action. There is a form of magic known as witchcraft. The art of witchcraft can range from simple activities like burning incense for protection to complex and eerie acts like summoning the dead. Society defines those who participate in these types of acts as witches.

Most people accused of witchcraft were poor or had low status. These people were viewed as safe targets for accusations due to their low status on social castes. People

Witches are women thought to possess evil powers. Ursula Southeil, famously known as Mother Shipton, was a witch with a large reputation. She was described as ugly and very disfigured. She was called Hag Face by the locals and her father was believed to be the Devil. Although her misfortunate appearance, she was often thought of as the female Nostradamus. She predicted the Spanish Armada, the Great Plague, and some assume the internet: “around the world thoughts shall fly in the twinkling of an eye.” For her sake, Mother Shipton died a normal death and was said to be buried on unholy ground near the outer edges of York in 1561.