The Salem Witchcraft Trials

What were the Salem Witchcraft Trials?

“’Younder divine man! That saint on earth, as the people uphold him to be, and as – I must needs say – he really looks! Who, now, that saw him pass in the procession, would think how little while it is since he went forth out of his study – chewing a Hebrew text of Scripture in his mouth, I warrant- to take an airing in the forest! Aha! We know what that means, Hester Prynne!’” (218)

“’Dost though think I have been to the forest some many times, and have yet no skill to judge who else has been there? Yea, though no leaf of the wild garlands which they wore while they danced be left in their hair! I know thee, Hester, for I behold the token. We may all see it in the sunshine! And it glows like a red flame in the dark. Thou wearest it openly, so there need be no questions about that. But this minister! Let me tell thee in thin ear! When the Black Man sees one of his own servants, signed and sealed, so shy of owning hath bound as is Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, he hath a way of ordering matters so that the mark shall be disclosed in open daylight, to the eyes of all the world!’”(219).

The Salem Witchcraft Trials

Activities of a Witch

Speaking in different tongues

• Pearl to Dimmesdale on the scaffold

Predicting / Influencing deaths and natural disasters

• Second scaffold scene
• Mistress Hibbins

Sexual Acts

• Hester and Dimmesdale

• Began in Salem, Massachusetts around January of 1692 and did not end until about May of 1693

• Started by a group of teenage girls

• The accused witches would be sent to jail before being tried. If they were found guilty they were to be hung

• By the end of the trials 32 people died, whether they were hung or died in prison.

• Over 200 people were imprisoned for being accused of witchcraft

Secret Meetings in the forest

• Mistress Hibbins
• Hester and Dimmesdale
• Pearl

The Devil's Presence

The Black Book and other rituals

• Mistress Hibbins
• Story Pearl is told
• Dimmesdale after forest scene
• "'Did I make a contract with him in he forest, and sign it with my own blood?'"(200)

An End to the Madness

• Sympathy brought out by Mary Easty and Martha Corey

• Afflicted girls lose credibility

• Courts disbanded on October 29

Typical Trial

Reverend Samuel Parris

Ties to Nathaniel Hawthorne

Signs that you were a Witch

Witchcraft Present in

"The Scarlet Letter"

The Instigators

Abigail Williams

Deformities and blemishes

• Arthur Dimmesdale
• Roger Chillingworth
• Hester Prynne

• Born in Salem, Massachusetts

• Great-great grandfather is John Hathorne

• Hathorne conducted preliminary examinations

Typical Trial

1. A warrent would be put out for you arrest

2. Would undergo preliminary examinations

3. Trial at the emergency Court of Oyer and Terminer

4. If you were found guilty you would be hung

Elizabeth 'Betty' Parris

• Physical signs and roles in society

• The devil's tempting

• Suspicious activities

• Characters it is seen in: Hester, Pearl, Chillingworth, Dimmesdale, and Mistress Hibbins

Lack of emotion

Mary Walcott

Mary Warren

Elizabeth Booth

Susannah Sheldon

Sarah Churchill

Elizabeth Hubbard

Role in society

• Mistress Hibbins
• Roger Chillingworth