by Margaret Atwood is set in , in which a woman is disenfranchised and her duty is to serve her master. The writer dedicated it to her ancestor, Mary Webster, who 300 years earlier struggled with the inexplicable judgments of her neighbors. Experience the chilling story of the “witch” of Hadley.
Mary Webster was accused of witchcraft. The court did not believe the neighbors’ allegations
The dramatic story of Mary Webster took place in the small town of Hadley, Massachusetts. The woman was not very liked by the neighbors. She had an explosive nature and was known for her sharp tongue, which discouraged people who constantly gossiped about her. Strange, inexplicable things happened to those who disliked her the most. Over time, suspicions began that Mary was a witch and in 1963 local residents accused her of using witchcraft. A trial began in Boston, but both the court and the jury did not believe the neighbors’ allegations, and Webster was acquitted.
Mary’s return from Boston coincided with the illness of the local deacon, Philip Smith. It was believed that the reason for his health problems were spells cast by a witch. His condition worsened every day, he was delirious, screaming and writhing for hours. When he regained consciousness, he said that in the room where he was lying there was a woman who was causing him pain, but there was no one else there. Then the people of Hadley decided to bring justice themselves.
The people of Hadley have lynched. What happened next shocked everyone
The townspeople began to suspect that Mary was behind the deacon’s suffering. As evidence, they took the fact that the moment they knocked on her door, his condition immediately improved. It was then considered that in this way they interrupted her rituals. They decided to end Smith’s suffering and commit lynching.
On the tragic night, several Hadley residents made their way to the Webster home. They forcibly dragged her out of the building into the snow, where her ordeal began. First, they beat and kicked her, spitting and using insults. The wounded woman was carried to a nearby tree where a rope was already hanging. Moments later, Mary Webster was unscrupulously hanged. When the woman was pronounced dead, her body was removed from the tree and buried under the snow. Unfortunately, the actions of the residents did not help to save Philip Smith, who died the next morning.
Although the townspeople were convinced that they had got rid of the sorcerer, she survived a hellish night. She received the nickname “Half-hanged Mary” and died only 11 years later.
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Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
