What is Evil?

What is Evil? How do you define it? Surely, Evil can be recognized, but is it possible to define such a concept? Can we protect ourselves against Evil? Work towards preventing it? Is that possible? Is Evil a permanent position? Can Evil redeem itself? What does the face of Evil even look like? How does it think? Does Evil use the human body as its instrument to destroy? The questions seem to be as diverse in nature as they are endless. The answers are limitless as well.

As an exercise in class we were to define the word Evil. I was surprised at how many different definitions there were for such a small word. We filled the chalkboard with different ideas and perspectives on Evil, whether its internal, external, or both; where it came from, why it survives, or the entirely new question of whether Evil even exists at all. I defined Evil as...the absence of love...empathy, charity...hope and faith. I believe that Evil flourishes in areas of emptiness where these ideas are not present.

In class we also discussed Cotton Mathers and the New England community that he lived in. In his work, On Witchcraft, Cotton Mather's creates a persona for his community. Mathers states on page fourteen: "The New-Englanders are a People of God settled in those, which were once the Devil's Territories; and it may easily be supposed that the Devil was exceedingly disturbed, when he perceived such a People here accomplishing the Promise of old made unto our Blessed Jesus, That He should have the Utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession." They are God's people or a "chosen" people. Mather's saw their community as one body, not a community made up of individuals. These chosen ones were to work throughout their life to claim a landscape that belonged to the Devil. They had to battle him for this land.

Mather's characterizes the Devil as trying to destroy these chosen people. He will try anything to get his land back. Satan needs to take on the strongest, not the weak and vulnerable, in order to feel powerful. We learn that Satan also has soldiers as Mathers observes in his book on page sixteen: "...'tis Agreed, That the Devil has made a dreadful knot of Witches in the Country, and by the help of Witches has dreadfully increased that Knot: That these Witches have driven a Trade of Commissioning their Confederate Spirits, to do all sorts of Mischiefs to the Neighbours, whereupon there have ensued such Mischievous consequences upon the Bodies and Estates of the Neighbourhood, as could not otherwise be accounted for: yea, That at prodigious Witch-Meetings, the Wretches have proceeded so far, as to Concert and Consult the Methods of Rooting out the Christian Religion from this Country..." This idea that the Devil had an army helping him to destroy their pure community, handpicked by God, led to the paranoia that would cost so many their lives.

The Puritans believed that Satan attacked the soul through its vehicle, or actual physical body. This led to the belief that the body was the primary playground for Satan. The weaknesses of the flesh such as sex, gluttony, and drunkenness could all potentially allow Satan to defeat the physical body and claim the soul for his own purposes. Women were more likely to fall to the Devil because they had weaker physical bodies than men. Men were stronger and therefore did not appeal to the Devil. On page twenty-two Mather discusses the soul: "I would most importunately in the first place, entreat every Man to maintain an holy Jealousie over his Soul at this time, and think; May not the Devil make me, though ignorantly and unwillingly, to be an Instrument of doing something that he would have to be done?" Mather's wanted the Puritan people to do all that they could to ensure that their bodies were strong enough to protect their souls from the Devil. They believed in moments of dissatisfaction, anger, sadness, and frustration, that the Devil could approach and claim the body and soul of that person for himself. In class we discussed how there was a great pressure to be unified and harmonious because tension was the moment that one could succumb to Satan's powers.

This opens another area of interest in the lives of these people. They must have been extremely terrified of their own bodies! At any time they could possibly fall ill, get a rash, or find a mysterious looking mole, all which could be interpreted as working with Satan or potentially working with Satan. I think at that time if one would fall ill others would not want to care for that person in fear that their own Soul would be put in jeopardy. This idea of the body is very different from the ideas of today. Today we are taught to embrace our bodies and take care of them. Many people may still view the body as the vehicle to the soul but they most likely do not believe to such extremes as the Puritans believed.

I was fascinated by the actual trials that were discussed at the end of the book. It really made me stop and wonder what made these trials possible?! How could these people believe all of these outlandish accusations?! After reading, I came to the conclusion that they needed to have reasons that would be able to explain the unknown. Unfortunately, this led to the death of many innocent victims. The Puritans lived a community where there was no separation between church and state. I believe that this also may have been a major factor in the Salem Witch Trials. People who were accused were to confess for redemption. They would be saved souls. Those that refused to confess were guilty and would not be saved, even if they were perfectly innocent. Therefore, these people were executed.

In all these trials the victims were people who went against the grain, if you will. These people were just different and stood out from the rest of the Puritan crowd. I find that the Puritans had become hypocrites by "practicing" their religion and yet, going against it at the same time. All the accused were said of having done horrible things to their fellow neighbors.

Almost all of the victims were accused of causing the deaths of animals and livestock, such as cows or pigs. In the trial of Bridget Bishop she was accused by: "...John Bly and his Wife testifi'd, That he bought a Sow of Edward Bishop, the Husband of the Prisoner...the Sow was taken with strange Fits; Jumping, Leaping, and Knocking her Head against the Fence; she seem'd Blind and Deaf, and would neither Eat nor be Suck'd." Similarly, in the trial of Susanna Martin she was accused by: "...John Allen of Salisbury...put his Oxen, with many more, upon Salisbury Beach, where Cattle did use to get Flesh. In a few days, all the Oxen upon the Beach were found by their Tracks, to have run unto the Mouth of Merrimack-River, and not returned...of fourteen good Oxen, there was only this saved: The rest were all cast up, some in one place, and some in another, Drowned." And for another example, in the trial of Martha Carrier: "...Samuel Preston, testify'd, that about two years ago, having some difference with Martha Carrier, he lost a Cow in a strange Preternatural unusual manner." Clearly, animals at this time were extremely important for the livelihood of many Puritans so it can be understood why they were upset by these strange happenings. It is unfortunate, however, that humans were blamed for the unexplained behaviors of the animals.

Many were accused of causing pain and death to the children of the community. It is hard for me to fathom the idea of anyone hurting an innocent child, although I know that it continue to happen to this day. Bridget Bishop was accused of inflicting pain on children during her trial. "Samuel Shattock testify'd, That in the Year, 1680, this Bridget Bishop, often came to his House...his eldest Child, which was of as promising Health and Sense, as any Child of its Age, began to droop exceedingly; and the oftner that Bishop came to the House, the worse grew the Child...Ever after the Boy was follow'd with grievous Fits, which the Doctors themselves generally ascribed unto Witchcraft, and wherein he would be thrown still unto the Fire or the Water, if he were not constantly look'd after; and it was verfily believed that Bishop was the cause of it" (109-110). I believe that in most of these cases the child had some kind of disease or ailment that was yet to be discovered at that time, and today would have been diagnosed. It was mere coincidence that the child grew worse every time that Bishop went to the house.

The most shocking aspect of the trials was the sexual and erotic subtext. Almost all the women in this book were accused of entering a man's bedchamber and assaulting him! This makes me think that maybe some of the men were sexually frustrated OR they were having affairs and rather than be found guilty of such a crime, were quickly to accuse. "John Cook testifi'd, That about five or six Years ago, one Morning, about Sun-Rise, he was in his Chamber assaulted by the Shape of this Prisoner..." Another, "Richard Coman testifi'd, That eight Years ago, as he lay awake in his Bed, with a Light burning in the Room, he was annoy'd with the Apparition of this Bishop, and of two more that were strangers to him, who came and oppressed him so, that he could neither stir himself, nor wake any one else, and that he was the night after, molested again in the like manner." Bridget Bishop was not the only one accused of entering a man's bedchamber at night. Susanna Martin was accused by several men as well: "Bernard Peache testifi'd, That being in Bed, on the Lord's day Night, he heard a scrabbling at the Window, whereat he then saw Susanna Martin come in, and jump down upon the Floor. She took hold of the Deponent's Feet, and drawing his Body up into an Heap, she lay upon him near Two Hours; in all which time he could neither speak nor stir. At length, when he could begin to move, he laid hold on her Hand, and pulling it up to his Mouth, he bit three of her Fingers, as he judged, unto the Bone." Another man also accused Susanna Martin of visiting him late at night: "Jervis Ring testify'd, That about seven years ago, he was oftentimes and grievously oppressed in the Night, but saw not who troubled him; until at last he Lying perfectly Awake, plainly saw Susanna Martin approach him. She came to him and forceably bit him by the Finger; so that the Print of the bite is now, so long after, to be seen upon him." I'm not really sure what to think of all these accusations but can only conclude that these men had lots of sexual frustrations. Along the same subject we discussed in class how women were to be stripped naked so that witchmarks could be located. The religious leaders would feel the women's breasts and stomachs "looking for evil" within their bodies. I feel that this is extremely disgusting and I can only conclude that it was some kind of sexual molestation, especially in the case where there were young girls.

What makes this so hard to swallow is the lack of hard proof there was for all of these trials. I guess we can't really say what did or what did not happen during that time. I'll end this post with a quote from Mathers: "...let us more generally agree to maintain a kind Opinion one of another. That Charity without which, even our giving our Bodies to be burned would profit nothing, uses to proceed by this Rule; It is kind, it is not easily provok'd, it thinks no Evil, it believes all things, hopes all things. But if we disregard this Rule of Charity, we shall indeed give our Body Politick to be burned" (22). This goes back to my definition of Evil: the absence of love...empathy and charity...hope and faith. Though they believed in these ideas I can't stop wondering: Were the Puritans almost Evil?