What Is The Putnams’ Opinion About Witchcraft?

The Putnams, a religious community in Salem, believe that witches cast spells with malevolent effects on their victims. In The Crucible, the Putnams’ eagerness to believe in witchcraft accusations stems from personal grievances and a desire for power. Mrs. Ann Putnam and her husband, Mrs. Putnam, claim that Betty’s illness is a stroke of hell and that Ruth is also sick.

The Putnams are eager to believe in witchcraft accusations due to two separate reasons: they have suffered the loss of seven infants and have only one remaining child, Ruth. Mr. Putnam, a bitter and vengeful man, claims that his genes produced weak babies. Thomas Putnam, the wealthiest landowner in town, instigates the witch hunt and encourages his daughter to name his enemies as witches. Afraid of punishment, they claim they were manipulated through magic. This sets the townspeople off on a witch hunt, which threatens to tear their town apart.

Ann Putnam starts talking about witchcraft when she visits Parris and Betty with the rumor that Betty was seen flying. Salem Town capitalizes on this episode by creating tourist attractions and toy witches. Of the 19 people executed for witchcraft, it was often her parents who encouraged her identification of “witches”, potentially using her as a tool of revenge against their perceived enemies.

The Putnams, while not personally identifying people as witches, can be seen as the spark of the witch hunt fire.

Who did Putnam accuse of witchcraft?

In a written statement, Thomas Putnam accused George Burroughs of witchcraft and warned magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin of the developing case against him. The letter was considered to be overly dramatic and laden with hyperbole.

What did the Putnams do in Act 1?

Mr. and Mrs. Putnam, prominent Salem families, assert that Betty’s illness is the result of witchcraft and inform Parris that their daughter, Ruth, has also experienced a trance.

Why did Ann Putnam accuse people of witchcraft?

In 1692, young girls in Salem Village began claiming witchcraft, with Betty Parris and her cousin Abigail Williams being the first to accuse others. After Betty’s removal, 12-year-old Ann Putnam Jr. became the leader of a group of 17-to-20-year-old girls, women, and men, as accusations escalated. Her parents often encouraged her identification of “witches”, potentially using it as a tool of revenge against perceived enemies.

Ann’s parents frequently warned of evil in his sermons, frightening many parishioners, including young and impressionable children. Young girls in the seventeenth century were invisible and had no power, but the “afflicted” girls became the center of attention and wielded great influence.

As the accusations grew, it was difficult to regain control of the situation. Ann Putnam Jr. accused 18 of the 20 people who were eventually executed and over 40 more who were jailed. In 1699, an unknown illness killed both of her parents, leaving Ann to raise her siblings. In 1706, with encouragement from Salem Village’s new minister Joseph Green, Ann stood in front of the village congregation, reading her apology aloud.

What sin did Ann Putnam commit?

Mrs. Ann Putnam, renowned for her proclivity towards wrath, suffered the loss of seven of her eight progeny.

How do the Putnams and Rebecca disagree about witchcraft?

Ann Putnam developed suspicions of Rebecca Nurse, who had not lost any of her children to death, and accused her of witchcraft. This resulted in her being hanged for her actions.

Why are the putnams so quick to agree with the idea of witchcraft?

The Putnam family, who had experienced the loss of seven of their eight children, swiftly concurred with the notion of witchcraft following consultations with Tituba regarding communication with the departed. The family’s preexisting belief in witchcraft rendered it implausible that a witch would have any influence over Betty or their daughter.

Why do the Putnams start talking about witchcraft Act 1?

In Act I of the play, Mrs. Putman and her husband engage in discourse pertaining to witchcraft, given the ailing condition of their daughter, Ruth. They have dispatched Ruth to consult with Tituba, whom they regard as having the capacity to communicate with the departed.

Why is Putnam willing to speak of witchcraft?

Putnam is amenable to engaging in discourse on the subject of witchcraft in order to safeguard their territory. Conversely, Mrs. Putnam is privy to information regarding Ruth, who was dispatched to establish communication with the spirits of her deceased offspring.

What do the putnams mention as signs of witchcraft?

The speaker posits that Betty is afflicted by a demonic possession, a phenomenon indicative of witchcraft, and that she is unable to hear Jesus’ name, suggesting that she is wholly consumed by witchcraft.

How do the putnams feel about witchcraft in Salem?

Mrs. Putnam’s conviction that witches exist in Salem is attributed to two factors: her own life’s misfortune and the demise of eight of her nine children. This belief reflects the historical perception that women’s social status was contingent upon the number of children they had.