Critical Essay on Cotton Mather's "The Wonders Of The Invisible World"

Introduction

Salem, Massachusetts was the scene of a significant historical event in 1692. The Salem Witch Trials cost hundreds innocent lives because they were based on Witchcraft. Although there were many factors that contributed to the Trials' inception, Cotton Mather's "The Wonders of the Invisible World" was the most significant. Cotton Mather was a well-known minister who believed Salem was under Satan's watch and was using Witchcraft as a means to corrupt the land. Many people still don't know what motivated Mather to conclude that witchcraft was involved. Rachel Walker's Salem Witch Trials in History and Literature, by Rachel Walker, explains how Mather was influenced and influenced by Martha Goodwin's daughter. Although Martha's symptoms were interpreted as witchcraft-related, Walker explained that they were only "clinical hysteria".

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Let's now look at this book in "Cotton Mather"'s "The Wonders Of The Invisible World Summary". Cotton Mather's "The Wonders of the Invisible World", which he wrote, shows how his religious beliefs, coincidences and meekly supported proofs spread fear in Salem, resulting in the Witch Hunt.

The passage reveals one aspect: the Devil wants the Christian people's land and will stop at nothing to get it. The belief in Christianity can explain this fear. Mather could have been motivated by the fear that Witches would plot the downfall for Salem's people. He not only says that Salem's people are being persecuted, but also compares them with the persecution of Christians in the Bible. "He wanted his incarnate legions persecute him, just as the people of God in the other hemisphere have been persecuted." The Devil was the reference in the quote. This could be an indication of urgency to the issue, in order to convince the reader to believe his claims and act against the Witch epidemic. Mather continues the passage by making more realistic claims, describing how a witch who was "more than forty years ago" predicted that Salem would be plagued with this kind of infestation.

Mather's views on the Devil's plot are confirmed by David Levin, a literary criticism in the article "Did Mathers Disagree About the Salem Witchcraft Trials?" Although Levin affirms Mather's belief in witches, he also explains why Mather wrote "The Wonders of the Invisible World", knowing it would spark a witch hunt. Mather's suggestion that 20 people had signed the Devil's Book would lead readers to fear others and, in turn, neighbors to accuse neighbors. The Witch Trials showed that confession was the only way to freedom from Witchcraft charges. Many did choose this route. Levin believed that by allowing oneself to admit false claims, one was not only supporting Mather's beliefs, but was spreading fear throughout the town.

Mather's "The Wonders of the invisible world" contains 5 trials, but only one of them will be discussed. It would be The Trial of Martha Carrier.