In the Devil's Snare

The Salem witch crisis began when two girls from the household of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village attributed their mysterious afflictions—which included fits and muscle stiffness—to witchcraft. This happened in January of 1691/2. (Norton uses the Julian calendar that was in effect until 1752. According to that calendar, the year began on March 25, so all dates from January 1 through March 24 are written with reference to both years.) The following months saw an increasing number of accusers who claimed to be affected by witchcraft. In the final count, legal action was taken against at least 144 people, 38 of whom were men. While most were imprisoned for long periods, 14 women and five men were hanged. Another man was crushed to death, while three women died in custody. Most of the accusers were young women, aged 11 to 20, from Salem Village and Andover. The crisis waned in September of 1692, with all legal proceedings ending in May 1693. Norton notes that mainly women were the “instigators and victims” (4), an unusual fact for that time.

While Norton’s work builds on past scholarship, it also challenges previous assumptions.