Witchcraft at Salem

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Theory on the Salem Witch Trials
Review: Chadwick Hansen's "Witchcraft at Salem" gives an interesting if controversial account of the infamous Salem Witch Trials that took place in Salem. Massachusetts in 1692. Hansen essentially claims that at least some of the accused persons who were tried and eventually hanged for witchcraft were, in fact, practicing witches.

Using contemporary accounts and the trial documents, Hansen relates the usual details of the rise and fall of the terrible dealings that took place that year in Salem Village. It chronicles how early in the year two young girls, the daughter and niece of Samuel Parris, the local minister, inexplicably fell ill and began experiencing terrible "fits" and suffering visions of nocurnal visitations by what the girls claimed were local witches. The girls had reportedly been experimenting with simple egg yolk divination, under the guide of the Parris' slave Tituba, a mixed-blood Arawak Indian from Barbados (not a full blooded African as has often been reported) to tell the identity of their future husbands. After being being accused of being a witch by the girls and beaten by Reverand Parris, Tituba confessed to not only being a witch, but having made a pact with the Devil himself. Tituba then went on to implicate two other women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. From there, the trials would sprial out of control into a bloodbath as neighbor accused neighbor and old jealousies lead to vengence. In all 19 people would be executed and at least 4 others would die as a result of the trials.

There has been much written on this popular subject, much of it contrary to each other in their theories of the origins and causes of the witchcraze. Theories have ranged from hysteria, food poisoning, to outright lies and falsehood. Hensen takes the view that several of the accused, notably Tituba, Bridget Bishop, and the Rev. George Burroghs (and perhaps others) were in fact practicing some form of witchcraft. He claims that while there is no direct evidence of Diabolic witchcraft or pacts with the Devil, several of these individuals could have been practicing forms of folk magic that would have opened them up to accusations. Tituba may have helped the girls perform a harmless form of divination by floating egg yolks in a glass of water to tell the girls romantic futures, though this type of thing was probably not uncommon in 17th century New England. Bridget Bishop was said to have had "poppets" hidden in her house, which could have been used as a form of image magic, and George Burroughs, a former minister in Salem, was rumored to have studied the occult, perhaps a bit too eagerly for his fellow townsfolk. Hensen's arguements are interesting but open to debate. Most other scholars who have written on this subject tend to dispute these theories citing lack of credible evidence to sustain the belief that any such witchery truly was taking place. While some of these individuals may have had some shady dealings or secretly practiced folk magic, one thing is certain, they were not witches. Despite this, Hensen does leave the door slightly cracked to the possibility of something more sinister going on in Salem then is generally admitted, which does make for some interesting reading.

Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: Hansen claims to be original in stating that witchcraft really can be effective in a society that, like 1692 Salem, is convinced of its effectiveness. Of couse, in 1937 this view was already put forward by anthropologist Evans-Pritchard in his Witchcraft, Oracles And Magic Among The Azande. Hansen relies on (pathological) hysteria as the explanation of the accusing girls' behaviour, and sees judges, jurors and the mass of the population as neurotics. He offers no explanation as to why an epidemic of hysteria and neuroticism could break out, but is keen to rule out the repressiveness of Salem's Puritan society. Besides, he virtually eliminates fraud and intra-village rivalry as causes, though much of the evidence he presents suggests the opposite. A biased book at best. However, one has to bear in mind that it was written in 1969, well before the past decade witnessed new insights gaining ground. This is underlined by the fact that Hansen's bibliography mentions Margaret Murray's book, which is nowadays only read by would-be and/or do-it-yourself witches and not by serious students of the subject, as a "most important" work.

Rating:
Summary: Witchcraft in Truth
Review: Professor Hansen has greatly added to scholarly debate with this work. His thesis on the cause of the hysteria in Salem in 1692 is adequately summed up by the author as follows:

"The direct cause of these fits, in the courtroom or out of it was, of course, not witchcraft itself, but the afflicted person's fear of witchcraft."

This thesis is bolstered by Hansen's use of evidence demonstrating that withcraft was indeed practiced in New England at the time and was actually practiced by two or three of those condemned as witches. The hysteria is a product of the belief common in the culture that witchcraft could indeed harm and kill.

Despite the Puritan culture in which the trials arose, it appeared not uncommon for those in the Salem area to practice some "white" magic involving charms. While such evidence does not make one a witch, but only a product of a supersticious society, evidence of the use of such magics was used by the tribunals in support of their prosecutions of malefic witchraft in Salem. It was malefic witchcraft (that magic intended to harm the person or property of another) which was of concern to the tribunals in Salem.

What particularly struck me was Hansen's defense of Cotton Mather. Mather has been pilloried by most historians as a major pivotal cause in stirring up what quickly became a witch hunt. Hansen argues, and provides significant support, that Mather consistently urged caution regarding the use of "spectral" evidence. Once he became aware that the tribunals were relying heavily on spectral evidence, he urged that a member of the clergy be placed on the tribunals so that this evidence could be properly weighed. The author contends that Mather's only real fault is that he trusted the judgment of the tribunal because he respected each member as friend and as competent to judge such cases. Nonetheless, the tribunals acted more as prosecutor than an independent trier of fact.

In sum, the author's approach is unique and refreshing. This book is a worthy work of scholarship and is an easy read. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Witchcraft in Truth
Review: Professor Hansen has greatly added to scholarly debate with this work. His thesis on the cause of the hysteria in Salem in 1692 is adequately summed up by the author as follows:

"The direct cause of these fits, in the courtroom or out of it was, of course, not witchcraft itself, but the afflicted person's fear of witchcraft."

This thesis is bolstered by Hansen's use of evidence demonstrating that withcraft was indeed practiced in New England at the time and was actually practiced by two or three of those condemned as witches. The hysteria is a product of the belief common in the culture that witchcraft could indeed harm and kill.

Despite the Puritan culture in which the trials arose, it appeared not uncommon for those in the Salem area to practice some "white" magic involving charms. While such evidence does not make one a witch, but only a product of a supersticious society, evidence of the use of such magics was used by the tribunals in support of their prosecutions of malefic witchraft in Salem. It was malefic witchcraft (that magic intended to harm the person or property of another) which was of concern to the tribunals in Salem.

What particularly struck me was Hansen's defense of Cotton Mather. Mather has been pilloried by most historians as a major pivotal cause in stirring up what quickly became a witch hunt. Hansen argues, and provides significant support, that Mather consistently urged caution regarding the use of "spectral" evidence. Once he became aware that the tribunals were relying heavily on spectral evidence, he urged that a member of the clergy be placed on the tribunals so that this evidence could be properly weighed. The author contends that Mather's only real fault is that he trusted the judgment of the tribunal because he respected each member as friend and as competent to judge such cases. Nonetheless, the tribunals acted more as prosecutor than an independent trier of fact.

In sum, the author's approach is unique and refreshing. This book is a worthy work of scholarship and is an easy read. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: This is one of the most scholarly, interesting books I have ever read on this subject. Too many people will settle for sensationalism and never understand the real story.