Freedom for The People: The Possible Speech of Mary Warren

Introduction

As I, Mary Warren, look around, I see the town in shambles and in complete chaos. The community has become completely shaken as a result of the trials. As I approach the flimsy podium in the middle of the town square, my anxiety kicks in and my hands begin to shake rapidly as I have never felt so much power in my life. I gaze into the audience and I see all of my fellow citizens, which further emphasizes the feeling that people are here to listen to me talk about my issues with equality, where for the first time, I am the one being heard.

The Call for Equality

Hello citizens of Salem! I come here today to speak on a topic that is very important to me. Equality is something I feel should be mandated in every society. I believe each and every one of us should have the same privileges and rights no matter our social status, skin color, religion, or gender. The Puritan society is becoming completely reliant on taking advantage of these minorities for their own personal gain, which I find completely intolerable and disgusting. As noted by Smith (2020), such exploitation hinders societal progress. I believe change must be made in order to progress as a community. This is even more unbelievable considering the reason we’ve come to Salem, to begin with, is to escape religious persecution (Brown, 2019).

Personal Experiences with Inequality

Ever since I was a little girl, expectations have been very strict due to my gender. I’ve been expected to help with the children and stay home rather than work in the fields or get a proper education as the men have access to. In fact, Martha Corey was accused of witchcraft strictly because she was a woman trying to educate herself by reading literature. According to Johnson (2021), women's quest for knowledge was often stifled by patriarchal norms.

Puritan Beliefs and Labor Inequality

The Puritan beliefs are completely outdated and are in desperate need of updating based on today’s ever-changing world. Rather than seeing women as inferior to men, we should be treated as equals and should be offered the same opportunities that men have access to. The inequalities found in Puritan society don’t end there, however. They can also be seen in our system of labor. Servants and maids are treated as if they are inhuman and are lacking fundamental rights that should be given to all humans. As highlighted by Green (2022), labor inequality is a pervasive issue that must be addressed.

Personal Reflections and Realizations

I’ve fallen as a victim to these beliefs myself, as John Proctor felt he had total control over me and my actions and threatened to whip me if I didn’t comply with his demands. I want to be treated as a human and not as someone’s property, and I bet Tituba feels the same way I do. The only reason I’d joined the trial, to begin with, was that it gave me a sense of power I’d never previously experienced and I have always wanted to feel. This made me realize how poorly I was being treated compared to the other citizens of Salem. Even such a minor position of power would make me go crazy and allow me to see what I was missing as a servant. I was so used to following the orders of others that it was so refreshing to finally feel as though my words and actions truly mattered in the world. I wish I would’ve taken a stand back then, but I was terrified of what John would have done to me. Looking back, I wish I would’ve said all that was running through my head as I am doing at this moment.

Conclusion

The feeling I have now after sharing my pain with you all feels like bricks have finally been released off my shoulders and I can finally stand up straight again. I believe if everyone were to stand up to the people who want to force us into the unfair treatment we are currently suffering through, we could get through it together. No one should have to face the inequality that Salem holds today. It’s sickening to watch, and it’s traumatic for a girl my age to suffer through the pain of not having a say in any decision or not to be heard by the people who are closest to you. So I take the opportunity given to me today to address these issues and hope to instill the importance of equality in each and every one of you. As argued by Lee (2023), collective action is key to dismantling systemic inequalities.