I believe since Danforth and Proctor, being such highly valued men in the society, did not respect me, the community – being the sheep they were at the time – did not either. I am sure you all know of the history of Salem, how Abigail and her minions grouped with Danforth’s stubbornness destroyed the town. Many people believe this was my fault also. They think that if I had only told someone, anyone, what I saw that night – of Abigail, Betty and the rest, or if I had talked to Betty into confessing the truth – none of this would have happened. No one would have died.
Because of their sins, the townsfolk have guilt and blame others to free themselves of it. People call out names for the witch-hunt on behalf of God; but in reality, they blame others to avoid dealing with their guilt. These accusations make the townspeople turn on their neighbors and friends, ultimately adding to the intensity of the witch trials. In contrast to the townsfolk, Giles deals with his guilt. He asks Reverend Hale to resolve his curiosity about what his wife Martha might be reading behind his back, but instead rouses the town’s suspicion of Martha being a witch.
With their religious beliefs, beliefs in God, and the way they practiced the bible, the Puritans strongly believed in the Devil. During the year of 1692, a series of trials that punished people who were accused of practicing witchcraft broke out in Salem, Massachusetts that is now known as the Salem Witch Trials. Due to the fear of the Devil creeping around, innocent people were convicted of supposedly practicing witchcraft. Many were tried in court, but it was illogical because the people obviously were not witches, and they would not confess to witchcraft either even if it would save their life. The reason they would not confess to witchcraft was because the convicted people knew they were not witches, and confessing to it would be a lie, and a sin in God’s eyes.
The causes for both the Salem Witch trials and McCarthyism were both based on the fanaticism of just a single person. The initial reason as to what sparked the Salem Witch trials was that, reverend Parris had noticed that he was losing more people in his church and that the attendance was decreasing by the moment! (Douglas Linder) Consequently, he made himself as well as others believe that his church was the church through which god spreads his blessing, and now, god's community is cursed by witches. Given that it was a puritan’s community back then, the people seemed to have believed so easily and gave into thinking that witches were behind this. Henceforth, Mr. Parris made it exceptionally clear that if you are against the church, then you are truly well amongst the dead.
Puritan society came down hard on lawbreakers and held to strict traditions set on the interpretations of the bible by the Magistrates. Some may argue that Hester was “let off the hook” because, in Puritanical law, anyone who committed adultery would have been put to death (The Book of the General Lawes and Libertyes Concerning the Inhabitants of the Massachusetts…pg.8). Either way, members of the society in The Scarlet Letter vehemently followed laws that may have impeded on their free will out of the fear of punishment, loss of status socially and spiritually, and in order to preserve tradition. Mainly, Puritans obeyed oppressive laws because, like most people, they wanted to avoid punishment, especially in Puritan society because most of those punishments consisted of death. People in Hester Prynne’s society were scared for their lives and some couldn’t even trust their families not to turn them in for an offence.
To Kill a Mockingbird Tom Robinson’s Trial I looked around nervously while the people of Maycomb entered the courtroom. I knew that I was innocent and Atticus as well thought that. My only worry was the word of a white man even white trash as Mr. Ewell was more credible than the word of a black. Mr. Tate the town’s sheriff was called to the stand to testify. Mr. Tate said that on the night of November 21 I raped Mayella Ewell in her house, I don’t remember what day that was because I don’t keep track and don’t have the best of memories.
While the movie expresses the combative relationship between Benjamin Martin and Colonel Tavington, it also portrays the feelings of aggravation and despair that come with the loss of a family member to the war effort and the events that follow it. The Patriot also shows the division between the loyalists and the patriots. While most in the South Carolina General Assembly voted to support the Continental Army, Captain James Wilkins doesn’t, later joining the British Army. By the time Wilkins is commanded to set the church in the captured Charlestown on fire, the struggle between duty and morals is seen. However, although Wilkins was acquainted with those who lived in Charlestown, the loyalist mentality was strong enough to allow for him to kill those he knew for Britain.
Within this text the individuals interactions with others and the world around them are shown to present certain enrichments and limitations within their own personal experiences of belonging. Strict religious morality of Salem in the 17th Centaury determined that the sinful behaviour of an individual was concerning for the community as a whole. If a individual refused conformity with the social norms and codes of behaviour of the community their actions are deemed of satanic worship. Within Act One it is mentioned that Thomas Putnam felt that his name had been ‘smirched in the village’ causing him to feel as if anyone holding the Putnam name did not and would not belong. Putnam is a prime example of someone who will use the Witch trials to help with his own personal vendettas against the people he sees to have limited his chance of belonging which in turn limits any further chance of him belonging.
This was a problem for the leaders of Rome because their religion was polytheistic, meaning more than one god. In the Roman empire the emperor was known to be a god as well as treated like one so this idea of having a religion that was monotheistic showed fear to the Roman’s king. King’s hated this idea some much that made is legal to persecute Christians and make the religion illegal to practice. “The clergy successfully preached the doctrine of patience; the active virtue of society were discouraged; and the last remains of military spirit were buried in the cloister; a large portion of public and private wealth was consecrated to the… demands of charity and devotion. .
The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 The Salem Witchcraft Trials are so famous that people say it as if it’s one word: Salemwitchcraft. But do people really know what went on in Salem? During the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 in a few terror-filled months, nearly 200 people were condemned as witches. Historically witches are not the funny mischievous Samanthas of the 1960s show Bewitched, nor are they the cartoon green warted witches on brooms that you see so often on Halloween decorations. Historically witchcraft has been thought of as violent horrible things.