Had the adults of Salem not believed the girls who were accusing social outcasts of witchcraft, no mass hysteria would have occurred. The power of suggestion is only as strong as the person making the suggestion. For this reason, a person with power or in a position of power has started many of the accusations that have lead to mass hysterias in the past. Sociologists Robert E Bartholomew and Erich Goode suggest that excessive discipline contributes to mass hysteria by limiting the individual’s ability to act and express oneself. When an individual in power makes the initial suggestion, the people who can’t express themselves act out in a manner, which has been deemed acceptable by the suggestion (Bartholomew and Goode).
Many try to explain or rationalize the bizarre happenings of the witch hunts and the causes that contributed to them. To understand the trials and how they came to be, we must first examine the ideals and views of the people surrounding the events. Although religious beliefs were the most influential factor, socioeconomic tensions, and ergot poisoning are also strongly supported theories The Ergot Poisoning Theory The Salem witch trials have fascinated historians for centuries, largely because of their bizarre nature and the great uncertainty that surrounds them. One of the most intensely debated topics is the question of why the girls began to accuse seemingly random townspeople of witchcraft. However, there is little evidence to support any theory, and consequently historians
Black witchcraft was believed to be inherited from the female side as women were seen as inferior to men and more likely to fall to temptation to the devil, for example 90% of those charged were women. A common charge for black witches was for bringing harm to people or property that they made possible by making a pact with Satan and having access to his invisible power. Those who were charged with witchcraft were often not random accusations but more an excuse to victimise women who were seen as "different" within that community, and over 50% of those charged were acquitted. However witches could be acquitted alive or dead as many tests
(Witch Hunts) Witches were thought to be consults of the devil who gave up their bodies and led others away from the church for the devil in exchange for otherworldly power. In addition to this women were marked as being sexually voracious, the origin of this mindset being the Garden of Eden. (Witchcraft and Midwifery) It was also believed that because women were weaker than men and had fewer rights, they were more likely to succumb to the devil in order to obtain their wishes. (Witch Hunts) In this respect they were “...by nature instruments of Satan -- they [were] by nature carnal, a structural defect rooted in the original creation.” (Steven Katz, Gendercide Watch: European Witch-Hunts) Because of the influential role religion held in European communities, these associations women held were powerful instruments in their accusations. Still tying into religious influences, the very physical appearance of a woman could lead to the belief that she is a witch.
The girls did this to keep the attention off of them and avoid punishment. These harsh accusations on innocent people caused twenty deaths in their village. Abigail then became one of the many “witnesses” in the court. As soon as someone starts to suspect her of being a witch or performing witchcraft, she always manages to turn the blame back on them, whether it’s through lying or exaggerating a mysterious action. For example, she outs the blame on Tituba, who confesses to performing witchcraft.
They discover the power of sisterhood and begin to attract attention to their actions and when the Royal Commission of the Status of Woman steps in to make a report on the status of woman in Canada, laws begin to change, and debates on these new laws begin to occur. The women of 1970 want to have control over their own bodies and to be their own person, and there are debates on whether or not that should be granted. For as long as has been recorded, woman have been portrayed as objects – unequal to men – and had very little rights as a person, but the 1970’s were a major turning point in women’s history. In the 1970’s sexism was typical, and accepted by many – in the work fields, at home, in politics, and in society. It was seen that a women belonged at home with the kids, and that her work was in the kitchen.
Of mice and men is essentially a microcosm of the socio-economic problems faced throughout the great depression in America. The only definitive representation of women throughout the novella is Curley’s wife. Steinbeck was quite cruel in the way he portrayed Curleys wife in the novel, not even giving her a name or identity – this is because he is trying to get across to the reader the patriarchal society that this was. Curley’s wife appears three times in the book; the first time is in chapter 2 where the reader gets the initial impression that she is a “tart”. The second time we see her is in chapter 4 where we gain knowledge of her temperamental side.
The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter share many themes that are still present in today’s society, such as the use of public humiliation as a punishment. Because of their sins, both John Proctor and Hester Prynne were alienated and punished by their peers and town leaders. The public humiliation that they faced helped shape the characters in the eyes of the reader and affected the way that they behaved and acted. The most obvious theme contained in both texts is sin. In The Scarlet Letter, the sin that has been committed is adultery where Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale conceive an illegitimate child, a daughter named Pearl.
Due to the sexual content of the book it was banned from many high schools. It sold well, many societies read it and it had lot of opinions. Margret Atwood was a feminist and she tried using handmaid’s tale to describe how women are been treated unfairly. In the handmaid’s tale we were told how women were taken from their families and transported into a state called Gilead. We were also told how these women were trained to be handmaids in order to bear children for men.
Michael Mclaughlin LIT 3383-001 September 13th, 2012 Topic #1 - Concerns in the representation of Women A Few Concerns About the Historical Representation of Women Several concerns could be discussed when one considers the representation of Women throughout history. I will be touching on three specifically I found interesting through our current reading. In Muriel Rukeyser's "Along History" I see women represented as frivolous creatures, lacking substance. In Muriel Rukeyser's "Myth" we see the power of gendered language and perspective, and how history has been written by man. Finally, in Stevie Smith's "How cruel is the story of eve" we see the biblical blaming of women for the downfall of man and the curse of pain associated with child birth.