The Importance Of The Supernatural And Witchcraft

In response to The Hammer of Witches and the papal bull issued by Pope Innocent VIII, major witch hunts broke out in Europe. Moreover, these were aided by new technology, the printing press, which helped to spread the mania, even across the Atlantic to America. It is not surprising that the witch hunt started around the13-15th century. During this time, Europe was overpopulated and in a poor condition with dirty streets, crime and diseases everywhere. There had to be a scapegoat for all of the mess which the church decided was witchcraft. A complex social matrix was created once an accusation was made: the accusers would try to prove the source of what had been troubling them, and ideally to gain control over that source by forcing her to back away and remove the

All participants in the witch-hunt were influenced by the society that existed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Salem operated as a theocracy, a government ruled by and subject to religious authority. In a theocracy, people's sins are not forgiven, so that when they commit an indiscretion, they are left feeling guilty. "The witch-hunt was....a long overdue

When in reality, there were no witches, it was all false notations of Abigail's’ lie that lead into something greater than it should have been.“It were only sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried spirits, spirits” (Mary Warren, Act 3, p. 100)

Suddenly people seemed very paranoid and soon residents were placing blame on one another and accusing each other of witchcraft. In a fifteen month period between 1691 and 1692 nearly twelve dozen people were accused of witchcraft in or near Salem (Norton, p8).

After Mary Warren tried to reveal Abigail’s lies, Abigail still manages to convince the court that Mary is the one guilty of witchcraft. To save her own life, Mary declares to Judge Danforth, “It were only sport in the beginning, sir, but then the whole world cried spirits, spirits, and I -- I promise, you, Mr. Danforth, I only thought I saw them but I did not” (Miller 110). Mary didn’t actually see spirits; she has been told she did, which resulted in her belief. Society can affect someone’s mental processes, as observed in Mary. Mary needed to confess to witchcraft in order to save her life. Her confession was done in front of a crowd, which had required a great deal of fortitude, considering it was a false accusation. Mary Warren’s true courage made her rise above the other citizens in Salem and become a confident

However, when the husband comes home and seen Branch “still lying on the for, her eyes red from crying and her hands clasped as if held in place by an invisible force.” (p.15). when the husband, Daniel, seen Branch in such a state he recalls when his daughter his eldest, Joanna, similar torment and had yet to get over the event. Nevertheless, Branch continued to stay stiff and crying on the floor even after a midwife, Sara Bates, seen to her. When relief came to her in short bursts she stated, “…whilst out in the field gathering herbs she had been seized with a pinching and pricking at her breast” (p. 16). During Katherine’s fits, she would fall into trances, became stiff, cried and shook, as such she began to see spectral visions of the witches who had bewitched her in both human and animal forms. Thus, these bouts of fits Katherine Branch had after picking herbs caused the witch scare to settle in Stamford, Connecticut because in her spectral visions she will go on to accuse five women, who will be tried in the Court of Oyer and Terminer.

The townspeople are too afraid of the idea of witchcraft and the devil that they are blinded by their fear that they can’t see that there is no evidence and that Abigail could be lying. This fear rules them and causes them to turn on each other and accuse neighbors. Fear can cause anyone to think illogically, which is exactly what happened in The Crucible with the townspeople. They were so scared that they just wanted to get rid of all the witches no matter what evidence there was. They wanted to be safe from the devil since they were such devoted Puritans that they couldn't’ stand the idea of the devil being around them, so they decided to get rid of anyone linked to him. That is how fear ruled through Salem during these witch trials, but trust was still a smaller argument in this

Witch hunts have been going on for a long time- since the 15th century. The earliest known witch trials in which the accused were associated with the fully developed stereotype of the demonic witch was in the valais with trials of 1428, that took place in the western Alps. Witch hunts mean a search for and subsequent persecution of a supposed witch in other words hunting for witches so they can kill them.

During the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials, accusations of witchcraft were made most often with reasons beyond that of simply fear.

Two of whom were she mentioned as witches were then put to trial for witchcraft. Questions about whether Kate’s screaming and mostly pain were due to natural or unnatural causes arose. If she were bewitched, how can people believe her story when the mere fact is that her information came from the devil? These questions still remain as Godbeer reveals through narrative how the judges and the trial were such a legal covert. It was decided that all witches must have posed a tremendous danger to the Salem community and the Stamford, Connecticut that as proving such an invisible matter was almost impossible since they relied on “the Devils Magic”(Godbeer 89-109) to account for another. The fact that the court used Kate Branch to determine other witches through the same method, the witchcraft; others were convicted from, showed how the courts in Connecticut were controversial and embroil in it on their use of doubtful evidence. Kate’s credibility was questioned by many and this showed that it was almost certain the screams from Kate Brunch were mere natural and had nothing to do with the supposedly mentioned witches who were bewitched her. Using the “Devil’s Magic”(Godbeer 109-104) others were convicted for, it can be also concluded that whatever information she had given could not have been trusted by the judges since her information came from the same source other witches are accused and convicted for. The author gives his view on this case – Kate Branch as he

I believe there are a few reasons why Salem was at the notion that witches lived in the community because of a book that was written by Cotton Mather, a minister who wrote

Witch hunting was the persecution and possible execution of individuals considered to be ‘witches’ loyal to the devil. It was an all too common occurrence from 1603-1712 all over Europe. However in order to understand why this happened the context must be taken into account. It was a time of change, the Renaissance - the rebirth of culture, ideas and attitudes to living. The Reformation had also only been implemented in England in the last 80 years back from 1603, when it had previously been catholic for centuries. The English civil war from 1642 to 1651 is argued to have played a part in the intensification of the witch hunts in England due to the peak in executions whilst it was on going. Some historians have taken the view that in time of crisis certain groups can be victimised like in wars, famine, disease outbreaks and changes in society structure.

Due to peer pressure and claims of witchcraft, mass hysteria spread through Salem like a plague and a number of victims lost their lives. Some people, such as Abigail, accused others to protect her reputation. In contrast, some people accused others because of genuine fear of witchcraft. If it were not for Abigail’s peer pressuring and the spreading of lies throughout Salem, the fate of the victims may not have been so

supernatural exist and actually it’s a really fascinating thing because sometimes it’s feel as if like someone is watching when there’s no bodys around us or someone calling your name when no one is there millions of years ago some people must have thought or believed the idea of goblins, witches, monsters, vampires, demons and many more . To this present day people are making fictional books, movies, videos about them. What if there was a reason why these 'legends' are still talked about to this day. Almost all rumours eventually die out so why do people still report so called sightings? - maybe its a sign? Or it called be true When we were children or maybe even toddlers, how did the idea of being afraid of the dark slip into our minds? being afraid of monsters? maybe it's because supernatural creatures do exist? maybe it's some sort of sign from the universe? Shakespeare uses supernatural events in his stories and plays to make his stories more believable and fascinating because superstition held relentless sway over the popular mind and many people enjoys reading and learning about supernatural and crime more then other movie or book generals . Back in the day People believed in superstition on a daily activity but now days Our modern enlightenment has driven away these creatures from their accustomed playgrounds. Witches and witchcraft were fully believed in both by the learned and unlearned.

Witchcraft is a term used to describe the belief and practice of magic. (Muscato) It can be found in a variety cultures and religion across history. In the Catholic faith, witchcraft is forbidden by God. (Witchcraft) “The evil eye is a most neglected topic in research on the ancient Israelite language and religion. Despite the ubiquity of this belief in the ancient Near East, some scholars still deny its existence in the Hebrew Bible. This essay attempts to demonstrate that the malevolent eye is attested in the language of the ancient Israelites. A cognitive linguistic analysis of several figurative expressions in the wisdom literature reveals that these were motivated by the conviction that the eye of certain people served as a magical instrument of harm. Especially noteworthy is the fact that the evil eye is ascribed to the black magician.” (Witchcraft)