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Witch hunts in the crucible
Witch hunts in the crucible
Emergence of witch hunting
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Witch hunts in the crucible
Witch hunts in the crucible
Emergence of witch hunting
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Thus, he forced the court to hold him in contempt. Yet, he did not force them into the punishment they chose. On September 19, Giles Corey died from being pressed to death with heavy stones for two excruciating days. This was the final straw of the Salem witchcraft trials.
Giles Corey is one of the most notable victims of the Salem Witch Trials. Corey was born in Northampton, England, in 1621. After marrying his first wife, Margaret, the two migrated to the Thirteen Colonies, settling in Massachusetts Bay. In 1659, Corey relocated to the Village of Salem and soon thereafter, became a successful and well-known farmer.
The results of the trial in Stamford was that Mercy Disborough was temporarily convicted of witchcraft while Goody Clawson was acquitted. The consequences for Mercy Disborough were that despite months and jail and continued peer accusation, she was acquitted. The consequences for the townspeople are blurrier, but it is evident that persistent hysteria was not one of them. The results of the trial in Stamford were largely reigned in from the massive hysteria and mass convictions associated with contemporary witch trials by the law.
The judges allowed spectral evidence to be used in court, which means that they could use accusations from the Invisible World, such as they could claim that an accused’s apparitions had appeared or that the accused’s specter had pricked them. The text states, “to be sure, a number of people had always been leery about the use of spectral evidence in court, and a few brave souls were not afraid to say so out loud. But when the new court was formed, these skeptics were in the minority. The majority still agreed with Willard; spectral evidence provided unvarnished proof that someone was a witch. ”(Schanzer 77), which shows that most people believe that they should believe in things they cannot see, which led to the innocent being accused and condemned.
Mr. Giles Corey, one of the most upstanding members of our community, has been allegedly accused of withholding information from the official courts. He “...has six hundred acres, and timber in addition….” (Miller 1316). Mr. Giles Corey is over an astounding eighty years of age and in no condition whatsoever to be held in the jailhouse. His third wife in this lifetime, Goody Martha Corey, has been accused as a witch.
Have you ever wondered what it's like being wrongfully accused of a dramatic crime? If you have, hearing Sarah Good's story might enlighten you. On March 1, 1692, three women were arrested on accounts of witchcraft in Salem. Around 200 men, women, and children were accused of witchcraft and killed in this horrific time. Sarah Good had a horrible reputation that lead to, in my opinion, a wrongful accusation of witchcraft.
Was The Crucible historically accurate? It was loosely accurate. A lot of the stories were definitely over dramatized. There were outrageous accusations on almost everyone. Here is how it all started.
Most accused witches seemed doomed from the start because the people who questioned the witches had already predetermined what they thought was the verdict. "Only one suspect was brought into the room at a time, but even before the defendants spoke a single word, it was obvious that the magistrates thought all three of them were witches" (Schanzer 32). Even when the defendant got any sort of protection, the judges overlooked the real evidence and continued to believe the fake stuff. " Only one person came forth to defend Good. When one of the girls accused Good of stabbing her with a knife and produced a broken knife tip to prove it, a man came forward showing that it was his knife from which the tip had been broken in the presence of the accusing girl.
Also, people thought they themselves would be accused, so they kept accusing more people. They would not be able to defend themselves from the devil. Therefore, they were most likely witches. For example, 110 of the 134 that were accused were women. If one confessed they were set free.
In Act 2, he even states to Elizabeth “It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice. Life, woman, life is God's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it… it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride” (Miller 234). This realization of what people will do to survive and that no one was actually affiliated with witchcraft supports both his leaving of the court system in Salem and his questioning of the Bibles
Ignorance of medical and scientific explanations: Puritan attitudes towards the witch trials were largely governed by the authoritative figures present at the time. Any medical explanation given was disregarded, thus showcasing how the villagers’ views could be easily manipulated. They chose to only consider two possible extremes for the cause of this outbreak; either the women were possessed or they were fabricating such behaviors. Chadwick Hansen describes the behavior of the bewitched being a 'neurotic syndrome '. It was known patients experiencing this disorder turned "their mental worries into physical symptoms such as blindness, paralysis of various parts of the body, choking, fainting, or attacks of pain"(The
Giles Corey was the only person to be pressed to death during the salem Witch Trials and he is also the only person in US history. She was 60 years old when she was hung. Punishment for being accused of being a witch was being hung or drowned. Lasted from 1692 to 1693.
The first four colonies of America were, New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Rhode Island, following with Connecticut. John Winthrop, Thomas Hooker, Roger Williams, along with Anne Hutchinson, were few of the founders of the first colonies. Centered around religion, after escaping religious persecution, these colonies based the way they lived their lives around the Bible, Church, along with the New testament. The Puritans emphasized religious obligations and followed strict guidelines pertaining to the Bible. They broke away from the church of England and became their own religion following the teachings of the Bible as well as the Old Testament.
Back in the late sixteen hundreds the people during that time are very strict on religion. During the time a colony in the Americas called the puritans believed in witchcraft. People that are accused are guilty till proven innocent. In the Crucible it portrays injustice by how Danforth is not following court that is ruled by religion, Abigail intimidating the court, and the accused not having proper court rights. The following reasons will explain why the crucible is injustice.
Abigail and a group of girls went to court and blame 200 people. Abigail went to court, and told them that Elizabeth Proctor was practicing witchcraft, and got her arrested. When John Proctor went to court, the girls pretended that he was the devil. Giles tries to explain to the court how Abigail is pure evil, and trying to get revenge: “Aye, how she is solemn and goes to hang people!” (3.1.875).