Witchcraft (Anthropology Of Religion) Research Papers (original) (raw)

Review Benjamin C. Ray, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, presents an insightful, comprehensive, and superbly written account of the factors that contributed to the birth, rapid development, and scale of the Salem witch trials. The book opens with an introduction giving a brief overview of the events leading up the witch-hunt (the Second Indian War, political uncertainty, church member versus non-church member dynamics); mentions the key figures involved (such as Tituba, Thomas Putnam, and Samuel Parris); elements unique to the Salem trials (claims of Satanic involvement, courtroom irregularities); and discusses pertinent scholarly research (works of Paul Boyer, Stephen Nissenbaum, Mary Beth Norton). This serves both to concisely refresh details for the returning scholar, and provides a sturdy foundation for those new to the subject. The text presents a narrative of how, not simply why, the Salem witch hunt came to pass. Ray allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions based on their own interpretation of the evidence he presents and discusses. He takes time to dispel common misconceptions, such as the long-held belief that Tituba's propensity for fortune-telling led to the initial accusations of witchcraft, whereas, in fact, there is no evidence in the primary sources to support this claim (6). Ray takes the time to highlight examples of irregularities in court proceedings, such as allowing all of the accusers to be present together in the courtroom, that undoubtedly contributed to escalated claims and unfair trials (72). He also alerts the reader, where appropriate, of the norms of English law as it would have applied at the time, and how this impacted certain facts of the trials (for example stays of execution in the case of sick or pregnant defendants, since English law forbade the execution of such individuals) (125). Rather than taking a simple chronological approach and attempting to discuss every detail in the order that the events happened, Ray organizes his text thematically, devoting specific chapters to the magistrates involved in the case (chapter 4), events that unfolded in nearby Andover (chapter 7), the confessions (chapter 8), as well as key individuals such as George Burroughs (chapter 9), Samuel Parris (chapters 1 and 10), and Thomas Putnam (chapter 6). There are thirteen chapters in all, presumably intentionally so, a nice touch to make it a " witch's dozen. " The first ten chapters are devoted to the development of events leading up to and occurring during the trials. Ray shifts to events in the aftermath of the trials at chapter 11, which looks at the apologies that came from individuals involved in the accusations (such as Ann Putnam, Jr.), as well as reactions, culpability, and restitution from the church and government in the years following the end of the trials. Ray points out that it took some time for compensation to be forthcoming, with Satan and Salem | Reading Religion