T.E. W. (terez93) reviewed Death in Salem: The Private Lives behind the 1692 Witch Hunt on + 273 more book reviews
There is certainly no shortage of books regarding one of the most curious, and certainly tragic, episodes in American history, so it takes some creativity to pen a book with a new and interesting take on a highly-researched and well-published topic. This book takes a more personal approach and attempts to "humanize" all of the various figures involved in the Salem witch trials by focusing on the figures themselves rather than the events which unfolded more than three centuries past. In truth, after reading it, this is one I would probably keep on hand as a reference book than one to be read cover to cover, although the details regarding each person do eventually provide a comprehensive portrait of this highly fractured society perpetually on the edge of survival.
The book's chapters are divided into brief sections on key individuals who played a role in the events which transpired: it's organized into the general headings of The Accusers, The Victims, The Clergy, The Judges, and The Elite. It should be noted that one of the difficulties, however, is that there is not infrequently substantial overlap in the categories: some were both accusers (and occasionally even clergy and elites) and eventual victims, but I get the idea. Society in Salem was certainly stratified, so this is a generally effective method of organization. As above, and since it requires a fair degree of familiarity with the events in Salem, I would consider this more a reference book than one to be read independently, especially if you are expecting a chronological narrative of the trials. Also: although it might be somewhat difficult and cumbersome, I would like to see many more source references throughout, as it is vital to see exactly what records the information is drawn from with respect to the individuals included, and whether the information is derived from letters, trial records or transcripts, census records and the like.
There is still a fair degree that can be learned, however, particularly from examining the details of the lives of the various figures involved. At least from what is presented in the book, which is admittedly selective, and often brief, the categories reveal a pervasive near caste system which permeated the lives of each and every village and town inhabitant, from the slaves (Tituba and John Indian), to the servants, who were often no more than children themselves, more often than not indigent orphans with no other prospects than to enter service, to their masters and the household children, to the masters of the inhabitants, the clergy, whose dictates affected every aspect of village life.
The accusers, not surprisingly, were almost without exception from the lowest of the lower class, teenage servant girls, as stated, often orphans with few prospects of escaping their grim fate of a life of servitude, and possibly eventual marriage to whomever would have them. The exceptions were the daughters of some of the wealthy and prominent village inhabitants, most notably Ann Putnam, Jr. and the Parris girls, one of whom, Abigail, was an orphan herself.
Another common feature shared by the accusers was trauma: most had seen death and destruction at a young age, everything from capture by Indians, in some cases by those who had tortured and killed their victims, to girls who had experienced the deaths of their parents and been forced into servitude for survival, to those who were viciously repressed in every aspect of their lives by fanatical religious zealots who ruled their households with an iron rod, probably not metaphorically. Many a young girl, bored with the tedium and exhausting labors heaped upon her by indifferent masters, would relish the opportunity to vent her frustrations, often at those whom she deemed at least somewhat responsible, in the case of Mary Warren, the Proctors' orphaned servant, or, in the case of both the Parris girls, to curry favor with their relatives and for some oft-denied attention.
The Victims were far more diverse, illustrating that once the smouldering embers of jealousy and envy flared, the situation quickly spiraled out of control. Victims herein refers to the twenty-four people who died, either in jail due to unimaginably harsh conditions or from execution by hanging, and, in the case of 80-year-old Giles Corey, who refused to cooperate with the proceedings to ensure that his children would inherit the property he had spent a lifetime accumulating, days of being "pressed," or crushed to death with rocks.
The Victims ranged from what one might expect to be labeled a stereotypical witch, a clearly mentally ill woman (if not her five-year-old daughter), a destitute beggar woman, to an independent-minded proprietor of her own tavern and apple orchard, to what one would refer to as "respectable" women, the wives of farmers and common townspeople, as in the case of both husband and wife Proctor (John was executed, while Elizabeth's life was spared because she was pregnant, and remained so long enough for the fervor to die down), to some of the most respected citizens of the town, elderly Rebecca nurse, whose relatives were also accused, but survived, and even a minister himself, in the case of George Burroughs. Also, in a somewhat unusual turn for a proverbial "witch hunt," nearly a third of the Victims were men.
Generalities can likewise be drawn from the Clery, Judges and Elites, who were more well-to-do than those they governed, generally, but their relationships were just as rife with jealousy, competition and not infrequently outright hostility as well. It is clear from this tragic episode of American history that the often-stereotyped strict and godly "Puritans" were anything but; they were just as susceptible to the human foibles they railed against as anyone else not of their particular brand of religious fanaticism.
In general, this was a good reference book, but I would have liked to have seen more detail regarding the individual figures, if possible, but information is admittedly spotty in many cases (many simply disappear from the historical record after the trials), and, as above, I would have definitely liked to have seen many more citations which provided the source of the data which was included.
The book's chapters are divided into brief sections on key individuals who played a role in the events which transpired: it's organized into the general headings of The Accusers, The Victims, The Clergy, The Judges, and The Elite. It should be noted that one of the difficulties, however, is that there is not infrequently substantial overlap in the categories: some were both accusers (and occasionally even clergy and elites) and eventual victims, but I get the idea. Society in Salem was certainly stratified, so this is a generally effective method of organization. As above, and since it requires a fair degree of familiarity with the events in Salem, I would consider this more a reference book than one to be read independently, especially if you are expecting a chronological narrative of the trials. Also: although it might be somewhat difficult and cumbersome, I would like to see many more source references throughout, as it is vital to see exactly what records the information is drawn from with respect to the individuals included, and whether the information is derived from letters, trial records or transcripts, census records and the like.
There is still a fair degree that can be learned, however, particularly from examining the details of the lives of the various figures involved. At least from what is presented in the book, which is admittedly selective, and often brief, the categories reveal a pervasive near caste system which permeated the lives of each and every village and town inhabitant, from the slaves (Tituba and John Indian), to the servants, who were often no more than children themselves, more often than not indigent orphans with no other prospects than to enter service, to their masters and the household children, to the masters of the inhabitants, the clergy, whose dictates affected every aspect of village life.
The accusers, not surprisingly, were almost without exception from the lowest of the lower class, teenage servant girls, as stated, often orphans with few prospects of escaping their grim fate of a life of servitude, and possibly eventual marriage to whomever would have them. The exceptions were the daughters of some of the wealthy and prominent village inhabitants, most notably Ann Putnam, Jr. and the Parris girls, one of whom, Abigail, was an orphan herself.
Another common feature shared by the accusers was trauma: most had seen death and destruction at a young age, everything from capture by Indians, in some cases by those who had tortured and killed their victims, to girls who had experienced the deaths of their parents and been forced into servitude for survival, to those who were viciously repressed in every aspect of their lives by fanatical religious zealots who ruled their households with an iron rod, probably not metaphorically. Many a young girl, bored with the tedium and exhausting labors heaped upon her by indifferent masters, would relish the opportunity to vent her frustrations, often at those whom she deemed at least somewhat responsible, in the case of Mary Warren, the Proctors' orphaned servant, or, in the case of both the Parris girls, to curry favor with their relatives and for some oft-denied attention.
The Victims were far more diverse, illustrating that once the smouldering embers of jealousy and envy flared, the situation quickly spiraled out of control. Victims herein refers to the twenty-four people who died, either in jail due to unimaginably harsh conditions or from execution by hanging, and, in the case of 80-year-old Giles Corey, who refused to cooperate with the proceedings to ensure that his children would inherit the property he had spent a lifetime accumulating, days of being "pressed," or crushed to death with rocks.
The Victims ranged from what one might expect to be labeled a stereotypical witch, a clearly mentally ill woman (if not her five-year-old daughter), a destitute beggar woman, to an independent-minded proprietor of her own tavern and apple orchard, to what one would refer to as "respectable" women, the wives of farmers and common townspeople, as in the case of both husband and wife Proctor (John was executed, while Elizabeth's life was spared because she was pregnant, and remained so long enough for the fervor to die down), to some of the most respected citizens of the town, elderly Rebecca nurse, whose relatives were also accused, but survived, and even a minister himself, in the case of George Burroughs. Also, in a somewhat unusual turn for a proverbial "witch hunt," nearly a third of the Victims were men.
Generalities can likewise be drawn from the Clery, Judges and Elites, who were more well-to-do than those they governed, generally, but their relationships were just as rife with jealousy, competition and not infrequently outright hostility as well. It is clear from this tragic episode of American history that the often-stereotyped strict and godly "Puritans" were anything but; they were just as susceptible to the human foibles they railed against as anyone else not of their particular brand of religious fanaticism.
In general, this was a good reference book, but I would have liked to have seen more detail regarding the individual figures, if possible, but information is admittedly spotty in many cases (many simply disappear from the historical record after the trials), and, as above, I would have definitely liked to have seen many more citations which provided the source of the data which was included.
