Witchcraft And The Puritan Culture - 985 Words

Tituba is rarely at the center of attention when the Salem Witch trials come into discussion. In fact, the only time she seems to ever be mentioned is to state that she is the link between witchcraft and the adolescent girls of Salem (Breslaw. Xx). Witchcraft is defined, by Webster’s dictionary, as the â€Å"magical things that are done by witches: the use of magical powers obtained especially from evil spirits†. Although words are known to change throughout the years, witchcraft, for the most part, has remained the same, but its various interpretations, specifically in Tituba’s Arawak culture and the Puritan culture. The culture in which Tituba was born into and the culture in which she was forced into have different interpretations on who, exactly, the â€Å"evil spirits† might be. This paper will discuss the historical Salem of 1692 and what it meant to be a witch as well as highlight the parallels of witchcraft between Tituba’s culture and the Puritan culture and connect them to the larger picture to demonstrate the significance of defining witchcraft. In 1692, Salem Village was undergoing a widespread belief in the supernatural. The scandal began with three women, Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba were accused and questioned for being witches. Tituba, Reverend Samuel Parris’ Amerindian slave, would be the only of the three women to confess to witchcraft. Her confession led to many consequential events that will be discussed later. Tituba, from Elaine Breslaw’s archivalShow MoreRelatedColonial New England Ideologies And Religious Beliefs1439 Words   |  6 Pagesideologies were strictly religious in their puritan beliefs. Clergymen were highly educated and forced religious practices in the name of being righteous and holy. Conformity to religion was not considered a rational choice to those that were forced unto American soil and forced to live a way of life so different than their own. Enslaved Africa ns brought with them their own religious, marriage and funeral, and medicinal practices. These practices prompted radical puritans to fear these religious traditionsRead MoreThe Cause Of The Salem Witch Trials Essay987 Words   |  4 PagesThe Causes of the Salem Witch Trials In 1692 in the quaint Puritan village of Salem Massachusetts, twenty lives were claimed to execution on charges of witchcraft, nineteen by hanging and one man was pressed to death. The causes of these deaths and the Salem Witch Trails can be easier understood when the culture of Puritan Colonial life is examined. The Salem community was rooted in the Puritan religion. 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