Salem versus Salem

Picture this. It's the 1600s. Witch hysteria is cultivating in the little town you've grown up in. People are talking about the possibility of being bewitched almost daily now. That's right--you're in Salem. Except, if you were in the historical city of Salem versus the tv show Salem, things would look awfully different. 

Salem the tv show was unusual and scream-worthy to say the least. I would be lying if I said I didn't have to shield my eyes a few times. It was fun to see so many characters we've read about in our texts like Tituba, Cotton Mather, and Giles Corey to name a few. Except in this screen adaption of history, Tituba is a beautiful, young girl who actually did carry out witchcraft; Cotton Mather is a multi-faceted man who preaches the gospel and condemnation of witches, but also goes against the typical pure relationships of puritan culture; and Giles Corey is an old man who isn't portraying the story of valor and perseverance as in his history, but is falsely accused and sentenced because he knew the truth of what happened 7 years prior... what happened to "more weight!!"?!

The tv show I felt like almost did a disservice to the historical accuracy and true stories of the Salem witch hunts. Ok hear me out... I get it. It's fantasy, fictionalized history, and dramatized to the max. But, I truly believe the plot could've been even better if the balance between history and fantasy was evened out a tiny bit more equitably. In real, true, historical Salem, there was no Satan worshipping, supernatural power conjuring going on because the whole trials were victim of true mob-mentality. That's it. It's a tragedy in itself showing that falsehood can easily conjure itself up if enough people buy into it. The history of Salem is rife with lessons to learn in its authentic context. I feel like there was a missed opportunity to truly explore that in of itself.