Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft Essay -- essays rese

Salem Possessed The Social Origins of Witchcraft, Paul Boyer andStephen Nissenbaum, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press copyright1974.The purpose of this book was to examine the history and social life of Salem colonisation to try to figure out what was the cause of the events that occurred there. I believe that the authors achieved their objective at least they did to me. Boyer and Nissenbaums explanation for the outbreak of witchcraft accusations in Salem hinges on an understanding of the economic,political and personal issues which divided village long before 1692. At bottom, geography and history divided Salem Village and Salem Town. hardened in the interior from the bustling mercantile town of Salem, Salem Village remained primarily an agricultural community. Boyer andNissenba...