Assignment: Salem Witch Hunt

1. According to Cotton Mathers, why was the devil dangerous? How did the devil operate in New England? What was the significance of Mathers emphasis that invisible ‘Furles’ could afflict visible injuries? The devil was dangerous because it would carry away with it the poor people while also inflicting them with invisible scars and bruises. They were also extraordinarily dangerous because of the visible torment they would inflict on the poor population (Hansen 8). The devil had the routine of stepping out as a black man where he would take the poor people away. Prior to this, the victim would be visited by other associates of the devil who would bound ad torture the victim. Out to increase numbers in its kingdom, the devil would offer his victim the beauties and fantasies of his/her life and ask them to sign the book membership. Failure to do this, the devil would scare the victim with the scares of the witch life which would make the victims sign the book. And that is just how they found themselves a part of the witch world (Mather 8). The ability to afflict visible injuries meant that the unseen witches had the power to afflict the poor based on their external conditions. For example, they could afflict the sick or person who seemed to have social problems that everyone else could see.