Finding witches seemed to become a crusade. It seemed to me as if they were out to slater women that stood out. There was an end to all this. When men started to stand up for their wives and daughters the Salem hysteria began to take a turn. The Salem witch trial and the role of a woman during this era were difficult.
There was a gender imbalance during this time which was basically starting some of the women being accused. This article was saying that the whole reason of the witch-hunt has been attributed variously to the religious, economic, demographic, social and political changes of the late sixteenth century. Moreover, it is often assumed that these changes must somehow account for the womanhood of most of the witch-hunt’s victims. The article overall view was that the expectation that ‘bad’ witches would be female, then, seems to have been established long before the beginning of the Elizabethan witch-hunt and to have merely persisted into the early modern period. Its origins can have had nothing to do with the economic or other problems of the later sixteenth century and that a universal explanation for why the ‘witch-craze’ happened when it did will probably always escape us, for there are too many unknowable
Many people were also accusing Ultima of being a witch since she didn’t use the power of the lord to cure people and instead used “magic” to do her bidding In Bless Me, Ultima, Ultima was pushed away from the people in the town because many believed she was a witch. They were merely mislead by others thinking that she used her powers for evil when she actually was at peace with the earth, maintained a religious catholic image by attending masses and praying, and using her herbs to cure the people of the curses placed by witches. The first day she made her appearance at church, people expressed their opinions in whispers. Some said “es una mujer que no ha pecado” (pg 33), she is a women who hasn’t sinned; one even called her a “hechicera, bruja (pg 33), a sorcerer or witch. Even after she cured Lucas of the curse the witches put on him, people were still skeptical saying “Hechicera, Bruja” (pg 104).
The lack of power that women have in Salem sets the stage for hysteria. The female characters long for a voice in the community, and attempt to gain one by using their court powers to blame those around them and lying to gain attention from the community. Due to the very little power women have in Salem, the women find the need to blame others in order to be heard. While Abigail is being accused of performing witchcraft, she tries to blame Tituba. Abigail states, “Sometimes I wake and find myself standing in the open doorway and not a sitch on my body!
A balance to this was seen as white witches and black witches were both seen to exist. White witches were described as wise men and women, or cunning folk however black witches were understood to influence events both positively and negatively. Concern grew about being able to trust black witches fromthe 1550s, although specific dates also indicate times when persecution increased and decreased like the time when Matthew Hopkins 'Witchfinder general' intiated a heavy movement of persuction within the 1640s. Witchcraft was seen as dangerous and threatening to the people of this time, for example it was associated with heresy which is speaking out against the religious beliefs during that particular time period which was an offence you could be hanged for. 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.
When the trials began, many accused others of witchcraft and this lead to them accusing even more. The new news of the entire witchcraft epidemic in Salem left many disturbed and trying to eliminate the bad of the town. The novel allows the reader to reflect on the life of the Salem people and understand the happenings. One example is the reflection of the lives of teenage girls in the puritan society, sent by God to marry and have a family, lacking the happiness of teen hood. Thus, explaining a
Tensions increased in the communities because people wanted ownership of land. Certain families wanted to own more land, so they accused others of witchcraft so they could be executed. Women were mostly accused of witchcraft rather than men. Male dominance and social structures couldn’t be changed, and Puritans feared women being in power. Witches were described as “outspoken” and were said to be widows who received land and money from their dead husbands.
The Puritan community in The Crucible was vulnerable in many ways and susceptible to irrational and panicky accusations of the Salem Witch Hunts because of their strict and constricting ways. The children in the community are treated very poorly and less than everyone else in the town. As the Salem Witch Hunts were essentially started by the children the fact that they were treated as lesser beings contributed to the communities demise. “He (Reverend Parris) regarded them as young adults, an until this strange crisis he, like the rest of Salem, never conceived that the children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at their sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak,” (Miller 3). Miller foreshadows the Witch Hunts to come.
(83) John Proctor and a select group of the persecuted people from Salem were against the teachings of the church, thus leading to them being persecuted by Rev. Parris and the church. The Church of Salem and more specifically Rev. Parris were disliked by the community, because of the strict rules and judgment of the church on the individuals of the community. The Crucible, by Author Miller conveys the message of fear and paranoia of witchcraft in the town of Salem, Massachusetts.
Many of the accusers were men. Men who probably tried to put women in their places. Puritan society didn’t allow freedom of speech. It was within their society not to say anything bad about anything especially the church. Many of the witches who were accused were because of assaultive speeches against someone or church beliefs.