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Abigail Williams Motivation In The Salem Witch Trials Of 1692

795 Words4 Pages

Hardly any occasion has charmed the creative mind and mixed discussion quite like the Salem witch trials of 1692. As shadows moved upon the Salem scene, neurosis grasped the hearts of the Puritan people, prompting the oppression of the people blamed for rehearsing black magic. However, amid the mayhem and craziness, an inquiry continues: What truly fueled this dark chapter in American history? Delving beyond the surface, this essay contends that the sinister brew fueling the lies with the girls who testified at the heart of the storm, their motivations were far from pure, falsifying their truth. The afflicted girls, such as Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam Jr., acted out during the trials due to peer pressure, and a desire for attention and …show more content…

An explanation for the actions of the girls is that they wanted to impress someone in power like Abigail, they may have been afraid of her and what she could have done to them. Ann Putnam, Jr. later confessed in 1706 to her involvement in the trials, she remorsed that her actions were motivated by ignorance rather than evil, suggesting the influence of peer pressure and manipulation of the mind by those in positions of power (Caporael). The girls were motivated by jealousy, they accused older women like Lady Phips, the governor's wife, who had more stability and respect in the community (Caporael). Younger individuals may have felt overlooked, leading them to seek validation through dramatic scenes like “seeing things” and accusing others of witchcraft. The girls knew that they could trick the court and people, practically getting away with murder. “This did little to untangle the situation; within days, the bewitched girls named four more members of the community, including a fine upstanding woman, Rebecca Nurse.”(Maslon). “...Abigail Williams, exhibited bizarre and seemingly unprovoked behavior: seizures, trances, blasphemous screaming.” …show more content…

The sudden onset of symptoms in multiple individuals without a clear medical diagnosis causes high suspicion. Without concrete medical evidence to support their claims, we begin to speculate that the girls might be exaggerating their symptoms for attention or other motives. While some attribute the girls' behavior to ergot poisoning, Ergot poisoning typically results from consuming grains contaminated with the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which produces toxic alkaloids. Ergot poisoning can cause symptoms such as convulsions, hallucinations, and erratic behavior (Howlett). Moreover, ergot was located in rye, a grain that has been said to be the reason for the ergot poisoning, during this time this grain was one of the main sources of food (Weller). It can be said that the trials were the most active in the summer. Summer rye is more prone to the development of the sclerotia than winter rye..”(Howlett). While ergot poisoning may seem like a plausible explanation for the girls' symptoms, it's crucial to acknowledge other

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