The Devil's Disciples: The Makers of the Salem Witchcraft Trials

by Peter Charles Hoffer

"A superb legal scholar, Hoffer provides an excellent discussion of the procedures and evidence used in the trials. He reveals that grand juries demanded more tangible evidence of witchcraft that the assertions of afflicted adolescent girls before issuing indictments. Hoffer then demonstrates that, in determining the guilt of the accused, the trial juries essentially followed the lead of the judges, who were insufficiently prepared for witchcraft cases." -- American Historical Review "Hoffer's central argument is persuasive and significant... [He] furthers understanding of Salem witchcraft by comparing it to allegations of satanic abuse and child molestation in our own time. Without denying the existence of child abuse today or the importance of exposing it to public view, Hoffer compares the Salem witchcraft hysteria to the collective fantasies of victimization that have overtaken United States communities in recent years... [He] demonstrates the continued relevance of the Salem episode and its important place in American history." Journal of American History "Reads like a good novel... You cannot wait to see what happens next, even though the verdicts were passed in 1692."-- New England Historical and Genealogical Register Mention the term witch hunt , and Salem, Massachusetts, springs to mind--and with it the power of superstition, the danger of mob mentality, and our natural fear of gross injustice. For more than a year, between January 1692 and May 1693, the men and women of Salem village lived in heightened fear of witches and their master, the Devil. Hundreds were accused of practicing witchcraft. Many suspects languished in jail for months. Nineteen men and women were hanged; one was pressed to death. Neighbors turned against neighbors, children informed on their parents, and ministers denounced members of their congregations. How could a settled community turn so viciously against itself? Why were certain persons accused and condemned while others were not? And why did the incidents of Salem occur where and when they did? Approaching the subject as a legal and social historian, Peter Charles Hoffer offers a fresh look at the Salem outbreak based on recent studies of panic rumors, teen hysteria, child abuse, and intrafamily relations. He brings to life a set of conversations--in taverns and courtrooms, at home and work--which took place among suspected witches, accusers, witnesses, and spectators. The accusations, denials, and confessions of this legal story eventually resurrect the tangled internal tensions that lay at the bottom of the Salem witch hunts. "This engaged account of New England's most notorious crisis fuses scholarly craft and chutzpah with the skills of a master story teller. The author's expertise as a legal historian, coupled with explorations of oral culture and informed conjectures on such topics as Tituba's origins and 'recovered' memories of child abuse, give The Devil's Disciples a distinguished place in the ever-lengthening line of Salem witchcraft studies."--Michael McGiffert, Editor, William and Mary Quarterly "Hoffer offers us a balanced, smoothly written book which helps the reader understand how the judges and jury members framed the testimony of frightened and frightening young women. It is a bright, well-informed study."--Timothy H. Breen, Northwestern University

Genres: History

296 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Devil's Disciples is a well-reasoned overview of the Salem Witch Trials by Peter Charles Holfer. It is easy to read and there are times when Holfer gives a very good picture at what life would have like in Salem Village in the 1690s. I very much appreciated Holfer's decision to look at the many theories that attempt to explain the afflicted girls' fits without giving more weight to his preferred explanation. A more critical approach would be welcomed, but I liked getting an overview of the theories themselves without knowing which one was the author's pet theory. Additionally, Holfer spends some time discussing figures like Tituba, Samuel Parris and Cotton Mathers, allowing these pivotal figures to come across vividly to readers.

However, I didn't feel that I learnt anything new during my reading and felt there was some generalisation going on in Holfer's text. I also felt that the book was quick to bring up the suggestion of (often sexual) abuse as a possible explanation or motivator for the various figures in the trials. To be entirely fair, Holfer makes it clear that he's not claiming abuse occurred, but suggesting it possibly did and it may explain certain elements of the witch trials. However, I believe that such suggestions needed to be handled more sensitively and used less liberally than they were.

The Devil's Disciples is perhaps best read as an introduction to the Salem Witch Trials. While it is a good, solid read, it added little to my own understanding of events.

[Joshua Hutchinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many errors and too many outdated assumptions. Cannot recommend

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Devil's Disciples is well-researched study presented in a pleasant, readable style. One of the problems with many of the Salem witch trial books is that the authors try to ascribe the entire phenomenon to only a single cause. Hoffer successfully examines various possibilities and integrates them, showing how a multitude of factors conspired to generate and sustain the hysteria.