The Salem Witch Trials ReaderHachette Books, 16 jun 2009 - 440 pagina's Against the backdrop of a Puritan theocracy threatened by change, in a population terrified not only of eternal damnation but of the earthly dangers of Indian massacres and recurrent smallpox epidemics, a small group of girls denounces a black slave and others as worshipers of Satan. Within two years, twenty men and women are hanged or pressed to death and over a hundred others imprisoned and impoverished. In The Salem Witch Trials Reader, Frances Hill provides and astutely comments upon the actual documents from the trial--examinations of suspected witches, eyewitness accounts of "Satanic influence," as well as the testimony of those who retained their reason and defied the madness. Always drawing on firsthand documents, she illustrates the historical background to the witchhunt and shows how the trials have been represented, and sometimes distorted, by historians--and how they have fired the imaginations of poets, playwrights, and novelists. For those fascinated by the Salem witch trials, this is compelling reading and the sourcebook. |
Overige edities - Alles bekijken
Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
Abigail abovesaid accused afflicted answer appeared asked believe body Boston brethren brother brought called cause child church confession Corey council court daughter death deposition desired devil Elizabeth England evidence evil examination eyes face fear first fits George Burroughs girls give given hand hanged hath Hathorne head hear heard hold Indian inhabitants innocent John Jonathan judge killed knew land letter lived look Lord magistrates Mary Mary Warren Massachusetts Mather meeting mind minister never night Nurse Parris pastor persons prayer present prison Puritan Putnam Quaker reason records Reverend Salem Village Samuel Sarah seemed seen sent suffered taken tell things Thomas thought Tituba told took town trials unto voted whole wife witch witchcraft witnesses woman women write