The name Salem or any mention of the Salem witch trials almost always turns heads, and usually this sudden attention is not due to a renowned history. Most people think of the Salem witch trials and begin to imagine an uncontrollable environment. Such connotation arises from a number of sources, one of them being Arthur Miller's famous play The Crucible, which was later adapted into a film. The play and film, both dramatically appealing works, are only to a certain extent historically accurate, lacking the substance needed to truly understand why or how events as devastating as the witch trials could occur. With so many mythologized events and perspectives, it can be difficult to find a source that separates fact from fiction. Therefore, it is refreshing to find a book that describes the Salem witch trials in an accurate and non-dramatized manner. Most importantly, a historical perspective is necessary to accurately describe the witch trials; and this is where Boyer and Nissenbaum's book, Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft, stands out from the rest. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayRather than focusing on the obvious, Boyer and Nissenbaum corroborate witchcraft hysteria by providing in-depth research into the social, economic, and political events that led up to the hysteria. Their book, which is not organized chronologically, begins with a chapter titled “1692: Some New Perspectives,” establishing an unusual vision and meticulous tone for the rest of the book. Detail by detail, the authors analyze witchcraft hysteria in a historically rigorous manner that effectively elucidates everything that happened in Salem in 1692. And while all the minute details and countless names discussed in the book may be overwhelming to some, anyone genuinely interested in witchcraft can be overwhelming. Intrigued by Salem before, during and after the frenzy can gain an in-depth understanding of the events. Before digging into Salem's past, the authors provide a brief preface to the work that explains what motivated them to write the book. A college course they took led them to do research on Salem that allowed Boyer and Nissenbaum to discover a lot of previously unpublished documentation. After that, both authors question past research (or lack thereof) on Salem and how biased some of it seemed. Boyer and Nissenbaum then describe their desire to use these new documents in a way that will help clarify how a town as ordinary as Salem could have suffered such an extraordinary thing. With the unique beginning of such a unique scientific work in itself, Boyer and Nissenbaum managed to attract readers from the very beginning. These unexplored documents give Boyer and Nissenbaum yet another unique aspect to draw on in crafting an argument that focuses on the context of the witch trials rather than the trials themselves. Using maps, church records, and demographic data, the authors assess parts of Salem that typically go unnoticed when thinking about the city. Geographically, Boyer and Nissenbaum notice an intriguing pattern as to where accusers, accused witches, and defenders lived throughout the village. Most of the accused and defenders lived in the eastern part of thevillage while the majority of the accusers lived in the western part. Suddenly, something as trivial as geography becomes a factor that must be evaluated. This new pattern forces writers to take into account the social origin of the village. With a single map, Boyer and Nissenbaum can examine two new angles, the geography and social factors of Salem. This new knowledge constitutes two very compelling resources for Boyer and Nissenbaum offers a new approach to uncovering Salem's history. Further research into the village revealed the complex and deep-rooted relationship between two prominent families in the town: the Porters and the Putnams. Two leading families in the social atmosphere of 1692 Salem create exceptional tension throughout the village. While once friendly, the two families grow more and more apart as time goes on. Thomas Putnam's jealousy of his younger brother Joseph, who marries a Porter, gets the better of him and chaos ensues between the Putnams and the Porters. Boyer and Nissenbaum realize the great importance that these two families have for the entire village and focus intently on the dynamics of the relationship that could very well have been a major factor in the origins of the witchcraft hysteria. Such internal arguments that many readers can relate to from their own experiences, even if those experiences are probably not of such vast and destructive scale. Furthermore, historical evidence such as that of the family dispute offers an even more compelling indication of how hysteria developed so quickly and so quickly. What prevents this evidence from fully convincing the public is the lack of knowledge about how people from areas other than Salem got involved. Boyer and Nissenbaum's main focus lies in the clash that took place between two families who were in the center of Salem and not in the surrounding Massachusetts Bay towns. Although Porter-Putnam's story may be a possible origin of witchcraft hysteria, it lacks a solid explanation for how this hysteria became so widespread throughout the state of Massachusetts. The evidence provided by the authors that was particularly intriguing were parish records on wealth and Church membership. Charts three and four in the book give an overview of the number of pro-Parris villagers who were members of the church and the amount of taxes they paid. Upon examination, the data illustrates a pattern in which many poor villagers who were not members of the church supported Parris, a man who many believe is a leading cause of the witch trials. Parris was also often supported by the Putnam family, who tended to accuse others of witchcraft. Parris and his supporters played a central role in the escalation of accusations and trials in Salem. Many readers already know this. But few have seen the tax lists and church records that Boyer and Nissenbaum include in their book. Once again, Boyer and Nissenbaum offer new perspectives. Being able to view these lists gives the public the opportunity to see for themselves the gripping but apprehensive evidence that may very well be one of the main reasons why the witch trials spread like wildfire. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayOne of the main differences between this book and many other books about the Salem Witch Trials that are simply aimed.