| Author |
Neal, John, 1793-1876 |
| LoC No. |
07033170
|
| Title |
Rachel Dyer : A North American story
|
| Edition |
Portland, Maine: Shirley and Hyde, 1828.
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 74.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
|
| Credits |
Alan, Steve Mattern and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
|
| Summary |
"Rachel Dyer: A North American Story" by John Neal is a historical novel written in the early 19th century. The narrative is set during a tumultuous period in early American history, focusing on themes of witchcraft, religious fervor, and social upheaval in New England. The book explores the lives of characters involved in the witch trials and addresses the challenges faced by the early settlers as they grapple with their faith and the moral complexities of their time. At the start of the novel, the author reflects on the beliefs surrounding witchcraft among the early Puritan settlers of New England. The preface elaborates on the strong connection between personal and moral beauty, arguing against the associating of physical deformities with evil. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the Salem witch trials, highlighting the fear and superstition that permeated the community, particularly how it affected people like Matthew Paris, a preacher unsettled by the loss of his wife and the shifting behaviors of his daughter and her cousin. The opening sets the stage for a deeper inquiry into the impact of these beliefs on personal relationships, community dynamics, and the increasing paranoia that characterized this dark chapter in American history. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
|
| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
|
| Subject |
Historical fiction
|
| Subject |
Trials (Witchcraft) -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Salem (Mass.) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Fiction
|
| Subject |
Quaker women -- Fiction
|
| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
71766 |
| Release Date |
Sep 30, 2023 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
94 downloads in the last 30 days. |
|
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!
|
