Magic or Misinterpreted
The way of life in today’s society has been shaped and molded through many crucial events in American history. Some of the events that have taken place in history have had horrific consequences but they are still the building blocks that have shaped the nation. One of the horrific events that occurred in American history was the senseless murder of innocent people in the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. There is a great deal of speculation around the actual causes of the Salem witch trials. The author of The Crucible, Arthur Miller, had the theory that “the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity …show more content…
Ergot is a fungus that grows on rye, corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, oats, and millet (Woolf). Ergot poisoning leads to a very colorful variety of symptoms. Ergot symptoms can be classified into three main categories: chronic, convulsive, and gangrenous. Many of the symptoms of ergot poisoning closely mimic the symptoms exhibited by the people of the witchcraft trials. Some of the symptoms shown by the bewitched were “complaining of physical maladies, reporting visions, lapsing into trances, and trembling” (Billings and Manning). Symptoms of convulsive ergot poisoning are “vertigo, headaches, painful muscular contractions, mania, delirium, and visual and auditory hallucinations” (Woolf). When comparing ergot symptoms versus bewitched symptoms, one finds many striking similarities. Since the symptoms of the bewitched and the symptoms of ergot poisoning are so closely related, they have led many people to believe ergot poisoning is at the very core of the Salem witch …show more content…
There are many components that have came together to help explain the witchcraft trials. To understand the complexity of the trials it is important to understand the theories about the trials, such as bewitched symptoms actually being ergot poisoning in disguise. It is also essential to know the weather conditions that ergot flourishes in so an understanding of how the people of Salem may have contracted ergot poisoning can be reached. Another important piece of evidence that can be used to unravel the mystery of the Salem witchcraft trials is to be aware of the variations between the real people of the trials and the characters from Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible. All of these crucial pieces, along with many other, have locked together to create the complex puzzle of the Salem witchcraft trials. This horrific event that occurred in Salem will live in infamy in American history, but it is still important to have knowledge and understanding of the Salem witchcraft