The question of whether the witch is morally upright is a controversial and complex one. Throughout history, witches have been depicted as both evil and virtuous, with their morality often depending on the perspective of the observer. In order to determine the morality of a witch, one must consider various factors including their actions, intentions, and the context in which they operate. One argument in favor of the witch being morally upright is that they often use their powers for the greater good. In many stories and legends, witches are portrayed as healers, using their knowledge of herbs and potions to cure illnesses and alleviate suffering. They are often depicted as protectors of the natural world, using their magic to restore balance and harmony to the environment.
How would I feel about Rose's character if it was true?
All forms of divination are to be rejected recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to unveil the future. I would LOVE to get behind a virtuous, devout, morally upright woman from this community and tell the world that she is NOT a witch, but things just don t always shake out that way.
They are often depicted as protectors of the natural world, using their magic to restore balance and harmony to the environment. These actions can be seen as morally positive, as the witch is using their powers to benefit others and promote the common good. On the other hand, there are those who argue that witches are inherently immoral due to their association with dark and forbidden arts.
Look, I’m a Feminist, But Some of the Women In Our 17th-Century New England Village Are Definitely Witches
Okay, first of all, I just want to say that all the people calling me a “misogynist” for this are out of their minds, alright? I’ve been a die-hard ally to the women of this colony from day one. I support their right to own property, like spindles and wooden spoons and weird little bonnets. I’ve spoken out against public lashings for wearing shoes below the ankle. I even believe women should be able to cough audibly in church without their husband’s permission. I mean, hey, I liked that Anne Hutchinson chick, before she turned out to be all weird and uppity and got banished from the congregation for heresy (which, let’s be real, she totally had coming). But sometimes you have to be honest with yourself and judge people on a case-by-case basis. And in this particular case, I’m not afraid to say that at least half of the women in our town are straight-up, 100% witches.
There’s been a lot of fuss over my recent accusations of witchcraft against Goody Stewart, our local blacksmith’s wife (and for real, I am SO SAD to accuse her of this stuff because genuinely I REALLY used to like her). But honestly? I don’t think any reasonable person can keep pretending that she’s not aligned with Lucifer at this point. It’s not just me, either — I have a lot of female friends whose opinions I really trust, and at least 6 of them were like, “Oh yeah, Goody Stewart? She’s definitely a witch.” And I’ve always felt so, so strongly that we need to believe women when they share those lived experiences with us. Obviously, women aren’t a monolith, and some women are gonna disagree on things, but, y’know, personally, I feel like I have a pretty good sense of which women to believe and which to not.
I mean, are we really going to ignore when she accused Goodman Fairchild of stealing her set of silver candlesticks? I’ve known him for years, and he is a REALLY nice guy. Seriously, I’ve never heard anyone else have a problem with him, other than a few kinda uptight people who are just looking for stuff to take issue with. But then suddenly she’s all like “Oh yeah, uhhh, he totally stole my mother’s silver candlesticks that I brought over from England for like, no reason”? I just don’t buy it. And the timing is… I mean, I’m not saying that she has an agenda, but it is a little weird that this is happening right after his daughter rejected her son’s marriage proposal. I think we’re all justified in being suspicious of that. And if we can’t trust her about the candlesticks, what else can’t we trust her about? Probably most things, including her not being a witch.
Now, is it true that women get disproportionately and unfairly accused of witchcraft? Absolutely. And it is a huge problem and one that I would totally speak out against in a case where the woman in question didn’t clearly deserve it. But feminism means treating women as equals, including when you’re criticizing them or accusing them of souring the milk of the local dairy cows under the direct instructions of Satan himself. I know you’re going to ask me why I don’t seem to go after men for witchcraft the same way I do women, and all I can say is that coincidences happen. I would LOVE to get behind a virtuous, devout, morally upright woman from this community and tell the world that she is NOT a witch, but things just don’t always shake out that way. Yes, 8 out of 10 people in Massachusetts accused of witchcraft are women, and yes, 10 out of 10 people I’ve accused of witchcraft are women, but you know what? That’s a pretty small sample size. And frankly, I don’t think it’s fair to insinuate that there’s a correlation.
Which brings me to another thing: a lot of you ladies have pointed out that I only ever seem to accuse women of witchcraft after they gain some degree of power or influence in the community. Which like… come on. There are plenty of strong, capable women in this village that I would never accuse of witchcraft, like Goody Morris, who we all know bravely flouts convention by agreeing with all the bold political stances of her husband and father. Not everyone could respect a firebrand like that, but I do. And before you pull out the Anne Hutchinson thing again — ”Ohhhh, Hezekiah, didn’t you say you only respected her before she started standing up to the church?” — all I can say is, everyone learns and grows. I knew Anne wanted to change the status quo; I just didn’t know she was going to go off the deep end and start leading prayer meetings and expressing opinions and being a huge fucking bitch about everything. Like I said: case-by-case basis.
But really, this is what it all comes down to: gender politics are all very well and good, but sometimes we need to prioritize the well-being of our community over these philosophical squabbles. I mean, we are at the very real risk of Satan stealing our souls, turning our fields fallow, corrupting our children, and wreaking havoc on this good, Christian town. Is this really the time to be nitpicky about who we do or don’t burn at the stake? Sometimes you just have to trust your gut when it tells you that your perception of things is the objective truth, even if other people think it’s kind of suspicious that your gut keeps telling you to kill women with fire.
So, I just want to say one last thing to the ladies of this community: I hear you. I trust you. And I stand with you. Except for the half of you that are absolutely, definitely witches.
The patriarch’s inability to be pure from his own sin directly leads to doubt, friction and chaos that erupts between his daughter and wife, making all of them easy prey for the lurking witch of the wood.
These individuals argue that the use of magic itself is unethical, as it often involves manipulating or controlling others against their will. Additionally, witches are often portrayed as making deals with supernatural entities or engaging in rituals that go against societal norms and values. These actions can be seen as morally questionable or even immoral, as they involve acts that are generally considered forbidden or harmful. Ultimately, the question of a witch's morality is a subjective one, as it depends on one's personal values and beliefs. While some may view the witch as morally upright due to their use of magic for good, others may see their actions as morally questionable or even wrong. The morality of a witch is often portrayed as a gray area, where they possess both virtuous and flawed qualities. It is up to the individual to weigh the witch's actions and intentions in order to make a judgment on their morality..
Reviews for "The Witch's Morality in Contemporary Literature and Film"
1) Sarah - 2 stars - I found "Is the witch morally upright" to be quite disappointing. The plot was predictable and the characters were one-dimensional. There was no depth to the story or the overall message it was trying to convey. The writing style felt clunky and disjointed, making it difficult for me to fully engage with the narrative. Overall, I was left unsatisfied and underwhelmed with the book.
2) John - 1 star - I couldn't even finish reading "Is the witch morally upright" because it was so poorly written. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, and the pacing was incredibly slow. The author seemed more focused on trying to be profound than actually telling a compelling story. The lack of development for the witch character left her feeling flat and uninteresting. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3) Emma - 2.5 stars - "Is the witch morally upright" had an interesting concept, but it fell short in execution. The story lacked depth and failed to explore the moral dilemmas it initially presented. The writing style was average at best and failed to hold my attention. I wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.