The Wonders Of The Invisible World Sparknotes
A Different Perspective
Explaining an experience to others, that could only be truly understood had they been present, is difficult. The Salem Witch Trials would qualify for such as excuse. Instead of simply being considered a huge mistake in early American history, there is an explanation that requires a certain amount of understanding. Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World”, serves as a written account of encouragement to persecute suspected evil. This book can provide insight to the mindset of the community and the influence behind Mather’s words that influenced this dark period of history.
Mather projected himself as a respectable leader in the puritan community in which, sought to create an existence of utopia in the new world, separate from secular society (19). The puritans were a community of faith that …show more content…
Mather also provided a list or guidelines of gauging suspected individuals of witchcraft. “V. If after enmity, quarrelling or threatening, a present mischief does follow; that also is a great presumption.” This is perhaps, the basis of which Mather has shouldered a great deal of responsibility for the witch trials. Although Mather admits to not being present to any of the accounts he made mention of, except for one, he gives a one-sided account of seven trials (134). It is entirely plausible that personal interests played an important role in who was suspected and tried for witchcraft. Accusation spread like a disease. The objective was to defend the community from evil but, the individuals executed for witchcraft seemed to have been mere victims of fear, opportunity or malice. Mather’s definition of a fair trial varies greatly from the processes of the modern day justice system. The successful prosecutions were based on theatrical witness testimony rooted in superstitious
Explaining an experience to others, that could only be truly understood had they been present, is difficult. The Salem Witch Trials would qualify for such as excuse. Instead of simply being considered a huge mistake in early American history, there is an explanation that requires a certain amount of understanding. Cotton Mather’s “The Wonders of the Invisible World”, serves as a written account of encouragement to persecute suspected evil. This book can provide insight to the mindset of the community and the influence behind Mather’s words that influenced this dark period of history.
Mather projected himself as a respectable leader in the puritan community in which, sought to create an existence of utopia in the new world, separate from secular society (19). The puritans were a community of faith that …show more content…
Mather also provided a list or guidelines of gauging suspected individuals of witchcraft. “V. If after enmity, quarrelling or threatening, a present mischief does follow; that also is a great presumption.” This is perhaps, the basis of which Mather has shouldered a great deal of responsibility for the witch trials. Although Mather admits to not being present to any of the accounts he made mention of, except for one, he gives a one-sided account of seven trials (134). It is entirely plausible that personal interests played an important role in who was suspected and tried for witchcraft. Accusation spread like a disease. The objective was to defend the community from evil but, the individuals executed for witchcraft seemed to have been mere victims of fear, opportunity or malice. Mather’s definition of a fair trial varies greatly from the processes of the modern day justice system. The successful prosecutions were based on theatrical witness testimony rooted in superstitious