Elizabeth Gaskellの 'Lois the Witch' : ピューリタン社会が生んだ冤罪事件

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'Lois the Witch' has been taken in two ways: it is a macabre mystery based on supernatural materials; it is a kind of historical short novel. Neither of these interpretations is appropriate, because this story is one focusing on a falsely accused case under trial in Lois' lifetime. Gaskell had been interested in Salem Witch Trial for several reasons. Decision at Witch Trial is the acme of misjudgment. Therefore, dealing with Salem Witch Trial, the author intended to throw light on the problem of how to prevent a miscarriage of justice at a trial. It suggests that in this tale she took witches or witchcraft reasonably. She used material admitting of rationalistic interpretations of the crisis in Salem. Orphaned, Lois comes down to the Puritan world of New England as a stranger. It is those outsiders that are likely to be falsely charged in a village community. And besides, Lois has not been warned of a profound fear of witches that people have in New England. In Salem 'in the memorable time of 1691-2,' people were seized with fear, because there was a rumor that Satan was in the very midst of Salem villagers. And they tried to escape from terror by searching for witches who were in league with the devil. Objectively the Hicksons which Lois is to become a member of are abnormal, though they are respected as religious persons in Salem. They are in truth symbolic of madness of Salem. Gaskell insists that they each of them have an antipathy toward Lois, which is the real reason for an accusation against Lois. Aunt Hickson, Grace, hates Lois as she imagines that Lois seduces Manasseh her son. Cousin Faith also does so because of jealousy. Faith has an unrequited ardent love for Pastor Nolan, and suspects that he and Lois are lovers. And so the two women in the family never save Lois when the latter is accused as a witch by an 'afflicted' girl, Prudence, who is the youngest child in the family. Only Manasseh tries to save Lois in vain. On the other hand he is a mad person, always makes the assertion that he heard a divine revelation, the meaning of which was 'Marry Lois,' hangs around Lois and torments her. He is the most symbolic person in the family in the way of embodying madness of Salem. Conversely, Gaskell intends to say that none of those who conducted Witch Trial in Salem were any different from insane Manasseh. With an Indian servant Nattee who is also a stranger in the Puritan community, Lois and the other accused are put on trial on suspicion of witchcraft. At the trial, the evidence to be interpretable against the accused and false testimonies are rampant. The accused are compelled to confess to being witches by a carrot-and-stick policy meaning the expectation that their lives may be spared and the torture. The decision against the accused who never dare to confess is given, and they, including Lois, are hanged, though they are all innocent. Gaskell says that whenever human beings judge, they must try to do as fairly as God does at the Judgment seat, and that it may be a true atonement for the false accusation against Lois.
桃山学院大学の論文
1997-12-20

Elizabeth Gaskellの 'Lois the Witch' : ピューリタン社会が生んだ冤罪事件

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