i put a spell on you
15 Nov 2010 8 Comments
The past few weeks I’ve been analyzing and reading through numerous primary sources based on the Salem witch trials in 1692 for my 711 class. Most of my sources were manuscripts or books written by men who were indirectly involved with the trials. Some were supportive of the events and judicial ruling, but most condemned the afflicted and the evidence used to arrest and convict the accused.
I’ve also read a lot of secondary sources that offer numerous explanations for the hysteria in Salem. While some authors try to objectively consider the possibility of witchcraft in Salem, others look for political, economic, and scientific reasons to explain the tragic events. Each different approach provides further insight into the mystery of the Salem witch trials.
There was one article by David Harley called Explaining Salem: Calvinist Psychology and the Diagnosis of Possession that I’m considering using as a basis for my thesis for the final project. He states that his “intention here is to show that the distinction between the effects of witchcraft and possession was important in several cases before 1692 and that it played a crucial role in the collapse of the Salem trials and subsequent explanations” (310). He discusses and compares various works (that I’m also using in my thesis for 711) analyzing the authors use and definition of affliction, bewitchment, and possession. I’m thinking about using the same sources he utilizes to test his argument using digital scholarship.
I was able to find digital texts of the sources and I’m glad to have that part out of the way. Although surprisingly most of them weren’t available through Google books. I’ve started exploring and playing with some of the sites from this week too, but I haven’t yet decided which method would work best for my idea. I’m a visual person myself, so I’ve been exploring a lot of the visual graphs on Many Eyes, and even found one related to the Salem trials. Although, I’m not really sure what it’s supposed to be visualizing. But it does change based on the words entered into the interface. I have a lot more playing to do with the websites and topics to determine where to go with my idea. Any thoughts, ideas, or questions would be greatly appreciated!
Nov 30, 2010 @ 12:44:06
I think simply mapping out where and when trials occurred would be interesting in and of itself. How many trials were there, and why is it such an enduring topic in American history? Is it our disbelief that this sort of thing could happen in America? I always think of blood libel trials in Europe, which ran well into the 20th century.
Nov 30, 2010 @ 15:43:31
Have you tried looking at some of these terms in one of the databases of early texts? I just tried looking at patterns of the use of “possession” in seventeenth century books that have been digitized by Google, and there are many.
Dec 01, 2010 @ 22:50:42
Hey Heather, here is that list I was telling you about
https://digitalresearchtools.pbworks.com/w/page/17801672/FrontPage
Dec 02, 2010 @ 08:15:54
Thank you!
I may harass you for some guidance and help on this project, that is if you don’t mind
Good luck! And let me know if I can help in any way.
Dec 02, 2010 @ 15:18:13
No problem. My e-mail is rosendoaflores@gmail.com
Dec 16, 2010 @ 17:33:01
If you have access to the Early English Books Online database, you might find that more useful than Google Books.
And don’t trust that Harley fellow. As Carol Karlsen dismissively remarks in her retort , “a British historian”. What could be more damning than that?
(postscript to 2nd edition of Devil in the Shape of a Woman, viewable on Amazon.com)
Jan 09, 2011 @ 20:02:45
Any progress? Is the class, and your interest in the subject, at an end?
David Harley
Jan 17, 2011 @ 16:28:33
I actually ended up taking a different approach to the project. I still focused on the Salem trials, but instead used primary sources to prove the transition of perception of the trials over time from acceptance and support, through criticism and disbelief, to sympathy, apology, and regret. I had a few more blog posts after this one with a few world cloud examples that I included in my paper.
The sources I used were written by the Reverend Deodat Lawson, Thomas Brattle, and the Reverend John Hale.
This topic went beyond this project and for another class. I used the sources above and more by the Reverend Samuel Willard, Robert Calef, and the Reverend Cotton Mather, to prove the same idea (the transition of perception of the trials over time). I linked how these men also seemed to experience stages of grief through their written accounts (disbelief, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance).
My interest in the subject is definitely not at an end, the class however is. I did just graduate with my Masters but intend to continue reading and researching on my own, while exploring career options. I had read Karlsen’s book as part of my secondary research early last fall, she had an interesting feminist take on the events. I found a lot of the books available to me were not written recently, but articles were more current.
What has your work been with the Salem witches? I’d love to hear more suggestions or reads. Thanks for commenting!!
Heather Rowles