An Evaluation of the Trial of Anne Hutchinson

You and I are very lucky we live in the twentieth century. There are not as many irrational yet accepted laws, beliefs and norms that stifle our creativity and autonomy. You could be a vegetarian and no one will condemn you for not eating meat. You could wear unconventional clothing if you want to and just let people stare at eccentricity. You have the right to choose to be part of a religion or otherwise. Yes, our ways of life today are different from what people practiced in the sixteenth century. Even freedom of speech is encouraged among young people nowadays when in those days, adolescents were hardly allowed to speak what was on their mind. Not only adolescents but also women were regarded as inferior and not privileged to express their opinions. They were considered unfit for something as important as freedom of speech especially when the topic was religion. Religion was not something anyone could talk about freely. It is not to be questioned at all. A victim of this absurd century was Anne Hutchinson. She expressed her opinions about her religious beliefs without reservations and unfortunately, faced a regrettable punishment in the end. Anne Hutchinson overtly portrayed nonconformity in the society she was part of in terms of her religious beliefs, practices and most importantly, gender, which eventually led to an unjust trial and verdict. From the beginning to the end of her trial, Hutchinson believed she was not guilty. "I am called here to answer before you but I hear no things laid to my charge," says Anne at the beginning of the trial. The jury was frustrated with her words but they continued to present evidence they believed was enough to convict Anne. One of their evidences was that she was blasphemous. In her words, "He hath let me see which was the clear ministry and which the wrong. Since that time I confess I have been more choice and he hath left me to distinguish between the voice of my beloved and the voice of Moses, the voice of John the