Salem Witch Trials

[Winter_Rose]

Hi, I've just started creating a story, but wasn't sure what plot to go for. But then I had an eureka moment at work this afternoon. The main character decides to have a summer haircut (buzz cut), then during the night she has a strange dream where she's being burnt at the stake at a witch trial.

Would the accused have their heads shaved? I've heard that it happened to female collaborators in WW2.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

The only such thing from Salem that I know of was the widow Dorcas Hoar. She was found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. She then confessed and was reprieved of her death sentence on account of her confession.
As part of her reprieve, she was ordered to cut her hair. Apparently she had a four foot lock of hair that she had plaited, which the accusers called an evil Elf-lock. She was very unwilling to have it cut, but the court insisted in the end that it had to be.

As far as I know, the cutting of hair was not part of standard witch trials. It was however something done to suspected prostitutes, hence the cutting of the hair of collaborators during WWII for sleeping with the enemy (presumably for favours or lenient treatment).

 

[Winter_Rose]

The only such thing from Salem that I know of was the widow Dorcas Hoar. She was found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. She then confessed and was reprieved of her death sentence on account of her confession.
As part of her reprieve, she was ordered to cut her hair. Apparently she had a four foot lock of hair that she had plaited, which the accusers called an evil Elf-lock. She was very unwilling to have it cut, but the court insisted in the end that it had to be.

As far as I know, the cutting of hair was not part of standard witch trials. It was however something done to suspected prostitutes, hence the cutting of the hair of collaborators during WWII for sleeping with the enemy (presumably for favours or lenient treatment).

Thank you for confirming that. I just wanted to make sure as if I do have my story published, I wouldn't need to worry about someone coming up to me and saying that it wasn't politically correct.