The Putnam clan had grievances with many people over many
issues. Land is just one of them. A certain grievance they had over land may have indeed
led to Rebecca Nurse being named as one of those practicing witchcraft. This was very
counter to Rebecca's character. Some narration in Act I
reveals:
Another suggestion to explain the systematic
campaign against Rebecca and inferentially against Francis, is the land war he fought
with his neighbors, one of whom was a Pitnam. This squabble grew to the proportions of a
battle in the woods between partisans of both sides, and it is said to have lasted for
two days.
Moments later,
readers discover that the Nurses have sold the land in question to John Proctor which
creates another grievance between a Putnam and another
person.
Putnam: A moment,
Mr. Proctor. What lumber is that you're draggin', if I may ask
you?
Proctor: My lumber. From
out my forest by the
riverside.
Putnam: Why, we are
surely gone wild this year. What anarchy is this? That tract is in my bounds, it's in my
bounds, Mr. Proctor.
Proctor:
In your bounds! I bought that from Goody Nurse's husband five months
ago.
Putnam: He had no right
to sell it. It stands clear in my grandfather's will that all the land between the river
and -
This is just the
beginning of another problem with land for the Putnams. That particular will that Putnam
references caused quite a dispute among the heirs. Putnam did not really receive very
much at all from his grandfather and he took family to court to try to get a greater
share.
Putnam seems to regularly be outside of what is fair
and just and believes he deserves more than he receives. Perhaps he was just not a well
liked person.
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