Bridget Bishop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bridget Bishop - Essay Example John Crook’s evidence in the same manner proved the witchcraft of the Bishop and narrated the event of five to six years’ before. Testimony of John Bly evolved a sow which turned out to be one of the important evidences as it was used by the Edward Bishop, the husband of the convicted and the sow was suspected of performing some uncanny activities soon after the quarrel of Bishop and Bly. Also the testimony of Richard Coman, who witnessed an unnatural circumstance eight years previous to the trial while lying awaken on his bed and saw an apparition of Bishop, was added as important evidence in the trial. Also the testimony of Samuel Shattock, John Louder and William Stacy were taken into serious considerations for the evidence of Bridget Bishop’s trial. Apart from these the witch cake, the spectral evidences and various touch tests suggested strong indication towards infliction of witchcraft. A thorough study of Bridget Bishop case indicates there are myriad social, political, local and religious motifs involved. Amid all these reasons, the local motifs are quite pertinent. In the village of Salem, issues pertaining to the demarcation of property and grazing land were disputed and quarrel related to these disputes were very commonplace in the neighbourhood. And among all these turmoil the privileges of church and its property along with the issues of the grazing rights performed a clichà © role in this case. But the obvious motif behind this case seems to be superstitions and contemporary puritan visions which protested many of the orthodox and protestant rituals of church. Apart from this, motif of jealousy and usurping of the property is one of the important motives that evolve out. Bishop was childless though she married thrice so definitely her property was actually heirless and therefore her captivation or early death