Biblical and Classical Interpretations of the Witches of The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Biblical and Classical Interpretations of the Witches of The Scarlet letter The theme of witchcraft is twine into the fabric of The Scarlet Letter. The introductory Custom-House chapter includes an appeal by the author to annihilate any witches curses on his family. Once he takes us back to the capital of Massachusetts of the 1640s, he frequently hints about the cohorts of the Black Man who meet in the woods beyond the town. But if the reader understands the classical meaning of the rallying cry witchcraft such as used in the Bible and opposite(a) classical works, then we understand that Hawthorne had something more in mind than the melancholy cultists like Mistress Hibbins. The real witch of The Scarlet Letter was a far more sinister character, a personality who makes a significant statement about the nature of man. The Greek New Testament and Septuagint on Witchcraft Witchcraft occurs only once in the King throng New Testament and sorcery twice--Galatians 520, Revelati on 921 and 1823. The articulate in the Greek New Testament in all three cases is pharmakeia, derived from the develop pharmakon (drug), the source of the position word pharmacy and its cognates. The standard koin Greek-English Lexicon translates the word as sorcery or magic, unless its cognate sorcerer (pharmakous) used in Revelation 218 and 2215 is translated mixer of poisons as well as magician. The line of descent of both speech communication, pharmakon, literally means poison or drug.1 A few key Old Testament passages about witches which are lots associated with the puritans such as Exodus 2218 (Thou shalt non suffer a witch to live--KJV) use pharmakous in the Septuagint--the word translated sorcerer in Revelation 218 and 2215.2 The Greek New Testament and the Septuagint version of the Hebrew Scriptures use different words such as mageia (magic) when other types of occult practices like name on spirits or using curses are meant. In English such words are usually trans lated wizard, necromancer, or some other appropriate word or phrase.2 Because of the Greek word chosen in each case, it appears that the New Testament authors and Septuagint translators understood the idea of witchcraft in terms of the use of drugs or poisons. Finding the Witch according to this translation Now there is a character in The Scarlet Letter who would be convicted of witchcraft, Mistress Hibbins. She characterizes the witch of New England folklore such as we weigh in Young Goodman Brown.