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But what is a surer sign of a world turned upside-down than a world with a woman on top? We have utterly upended the most fundamental principle of how things are to be, which is led by men.
— Hathorne speech at the meetinghouse

Mr. Wendell Hathorne was one of the prominent citizens of Salem, Massachusetts. He was a member of the selectmen and later magistrate, replacing the role belonged to the late John Hale. His ruthless façade, however, hides a submissive personality. He was tied to two dominant women, Countess Von Marburg and Mercy Lewis.

He's a recurring character portrayed by the actor Jeremy Crutchley.

Early Life

Almost nothing is known of his early life. He was born in the Carolinas, where his family owned land and in an unspecified time in his life he moved to Salem. Definitely grown in the most rigid Puritanical dictates, he revealed to have never tolerated Magistrate Hale's policy, considering it too liberal. In addition, Mr. Hathorne has always secretly envied Magistrate Hale's social position and wealth.

Personality

Selectman of Salem, Mr. Hathorne is a man who embodies the quintessence of Puritanism. Misogynist, contemptuous of those who do not conform to his ideal of conduct, looks like a true religious fanatic who attributes the origin of the disease to a divine punishment. Hathorne is also a hypocrite manipulator, greedy for wealth and lust, who indulges in comments and sexual innuendo in conversation with his friends at the tavern. Hathorne is also an expert orator, able to enchant the crowd with his speeches steeped with biblical references.

Physical Appearance

A tall man with a clear complexion and iron-gray hair. Dressed in black from head to toe, wearing leather gloves and carrying a walking cane while it is clear that he has no problem to walk without the support of the cane.

Throughout the Salem Series

SEASON TWO
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Mr.Hawthorne opposes Mary in the church.

At church, Mary Sibley tries to rally the citizens of Salem following the discovery of the pox outbreak in knockers and reveals to them that their beloved Magistrate Hale and his wife were also victims of the dreaded pox shocking all those present but selectman Mr. Hathorne tries to convince them that being led by a woman is the cause of their downfall when newcomer Samuel Wainwright, a doctor, steps forward telling them been led by a man or woman would not save them. [1]

Almost as following Mary Sibley's forecasts, Mr. Hathorne comes to the door of Anne Hale with the clear intention to express the intentions of him to court her (Blood Kiss). The man is, indeed, interested in filling the role belonged to Magistrate Hale within the community, and to the economic substance now in possession of the young orphan would surely be of great help.

Hathorne continues his rise to power, serving as a Magistrate and aspiring to the vacancy left by the late John Hale.(From Within). Mr. Hathorne openly shows hatred towards Mary Sibley, reaching even to question the authority of George Sibley in his own home. Thanks to the departure of Corwin, who did not attend the vote, Hathorne is elected Magistrate in its place. Leaving the House of the Seven Gables, Hathorne threat again Mary, reminding her that the place of women is the heart, nor the political life.

Intended to marry Anne Hale, the magistrate is at the tavern to get drunk with his friends and indulges in lewd comments on the young woman. The speech comes to the ears of Cotton Mather, who starts a fight with the magistrate, ending up in the square, between kicks and punches. Mary Sibley seeking to gain an advantage, cast a spell on Cotton to force the man to kill her enemy, but her spell is countered by that of Anne, attracted to see what's going on by the shouts of encouragement from the crowd. Mary then goes to the streets and gave the order to arrest both Mather and Hathorne for disturbance to public peace. The next morning, the two are released, and Hathorne makes the acquaintance of Countess Von Marburg.

Obtained political power, the man began his domination of the city, sending Mary Sibley to the pillory, accusing of fornication with doctor Wainwright and the murder of her husband George Sibley. Hathorne also sends to the pillory even Isaac, for blasphemy, but frees him after a few days, giving him back the dignity and freeing him of the burden of being "the fornicator". The magistrate is actually an ally of the Countess, who uses him as a means to get rid of the witches of Salem without dirtying her hands.

SEASON THREE


The magistrate is burdened by refugees from nearby villages and towns who ask shelter in Salem from the French and Indians who burned their houses. When the intervention of Baron Von Marburg is ineffective, Hathorne by heeding to the words of Isaac Walton agrees to give shelter to the displaced, with the intention of enhancing his good name. Always driven by pride, Hathorne collects the attention of citizens in the public square when his militiamen capture John Alden and are about to hang him, but the intercession of Isaac changes again the magistrate's mind. Hathorne then decides to delete all allegations on Alden if he agrees to lead the militia and save Salem by raiders. [2]

Hathorne's work never seems to end when he is forced to quell a tavern brawl between Baron Von Marburg and John Alden, pointing to the captain that he has a team of recruits to train. Aiming to blackmail the new mistress of one of Knocker's Hole's brothel and extort large part of the profits earned by the prostitutes, Magistrate Hathorne visits Mercy Lewis and the two have an interesting exchange of views that ends with a toast offered by the new Madame of the brothel, now known as Bird's Nest. What Hathorne ignores is that his glass was poisoned and the next day during a function at the meetinghouse, Hathorne notice that blisters appeared on his wrist and in a short time all his body starts to become covered with sores and pustules, scarring his face. When Knocker's Hole surgeon, Thomas Dinley, is unable to find an effective cure for the remarkably advanced state of the disease, Hathorne understands that has been infected by Mercy Lewis and returns to the brothel, where she hands him the antidote in return for his submission. [3]

Disfigured on his face with Canker blossom, Hathorne was treated by Mercy with an antidote after he submitted to her wishes, forced by necessity to take the antidote regularly to counter the effect of the curse. Once he had regained health, Hathorne slept with Mercy. Now allied with the witch, the magistrate tried to deflect Isaac Walton from his intentions to avenge Dollie Trask, asserting that public men must precede the needs of citizenship to their personal desires.[4]

Hathorne and Mercy continued their unusual relationship, planning to become prominent figures of Salem. To carry out their plans, they would have had to use a good deal of guile to gain the confidence of selectmen.[5]

Appalled by the recent attack on Mercy, Hathorne refused to take the entire dose of antidote that would nullify completely the effects of the curse, remaining at the bedside of his beloved. When Mercy's faithful "birds" offered their blood to ensure the healing of their mistress, Hathorne witnessed the scene shocked.[6]

Washing away the excess blood from the body of his beloved, Hathorne proposed to Mercy to marry him, offering the death of Isaac as a wedding gift. [7]

When Mercy, downhearted, showed signs of doubt about their plans, Hathorne consoled her immediately, reassuring her that she would have been a perfect wife and that they would erase her past by laying all the blame on Mary Sibley, responsible for having misled and used her. [8]

Hathorne was not very happy with kidnapping Dorcas from Isaac, but he let his future wife look after everything, giving in to lust. That same night, in fact, Hathorne was able to convince Reverend Cotton Mather to marry them at Bird's Nest, in the presence of prostitutes and clients.[9]

After celebrating their wedding night, Hathorne clearly understood that Mercy would have played dirty when she offered to release Dorcas in exchange for Isaac's life, ignoring the crowd of Knocker's Hole. [10]

Ignoring the crowd was a risky move because they were about to break into the brothel to kill them and free up Isaac. Hathorne then managed to convince his wife to give up momentarily from her desire for revenge. Barricaded in the bedroom, the couple was visited by Anne Hale, who revealed to Hathorne Mercy's plan to remain a widow soon. Affirming that that was her initial plan, Mercy confessed her true feelings, and both were killed by Anne, lifting them off the ground with a hand gesture, suffocating them as if they were hanged by invisible ropes.[11]

Relationships

Main article: Mercy and Hathorne
We must begin as we mean to continue. On your knees.
— Mercy to Hathorne
Hathorne & mercy 310
Hathorne and Mercy began a deviant role-play liaison that resulted in a long-term relationship, crowned with a marriage celebrated by Cotton Mather himself at the Bird's Nest. Despite it all started with Mercy's goal of becoming the most powerful widow of Salem, the two were killed after experiencing true love with each other.

I am not your enemy. But make me one, and you shall feel my fury.
— Mary to Mr. Hathorne
File:Hathorne and Mary Sibley facing each other.PNG
Mr. Hathorne is a tough cookie, hindering Mary in her domain of Salem. Extremely misogynistic, he cannot stand to be commanded by a woman, and many times he challenges her face to face but always lose miserably because Mary laid on him the guilt of misconduct and that he was unable to carry out his selectman's tasks. Hathorne takes revenge against Mary by secretly allying with the Countess Von Marburg. After having stripped Mary of her social position, the new magistrate of Salem sentenced her to shame.

As wife of the magistrate, no one would dare accuse you. But if you rebuff my overture, I can do nothing to protect you.
— Mr. Hathorne threatens Anne
Mr. Hathorne aims to achieve the role of the magistrate of Salem and decided to take possession of Anne Hale's assets, going as far as to threaten the young woman to accuse her of witchcraft if she would not accept his courtship. This desire to possess the young woman comes in a rivalry with the Rev. Cotton Mather, who also loves Anne Hale but, unlike Hathorne, he is reciprocated.

Memorable Quotes

Mr. Hathorne: God has given us a clear sign that we have offended him. A pox on all our houses. Now we must do whatever is necessary to win back the Lord's favor. I am quite certain what God is most displeased with. But what is a surer sign of a world turned upside-down than a world with a woman on top? We have utterly upended the most fundamental principle of how things are to be, which is led by men. Men of property, men of substance, men of godly goodwill. But above all, by men.
Cry Havoc
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Mr. Hathorne: I suggest you start attending to some duties more suited to your gender. What is it, Mary, that gives you such brash confidence to reach so far beyond your station? You are the Delilah in our midst.
Mary Sibley: A strong woman is no more to fear than a strong man.
From Within
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Mr. Hathorne: You cannot hide behind your husband anymore, Mary Sibley.
Mary Sibley: I am not your enemy. But make me one, and you shall feel my fury.
From Within
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Mr. Hathorne: Surely God does not intend his flock to perish at the hands of devil worshipers and plague. Instead, I believe these are omens sent from the Almighty to tell us we must all leave Salem to continue our exodus south to the Carolinas, to a land which was settled and owned by my family for two generations, where the soil is fertile, where a Puritan man may plant his seed and watch his family grow. Our promised land awaits. And so, humbly, I stand before you, divinely called to be your Moses and lead you there! George Sibley was a giant in his day, but the sun has set on that day. And if it is not to set on all our days, we must have a new leader. I ask you this simple question did God intend you to be led to the true promised land by a man who cannot even walk?
The Wine Dark Sea
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Mr. Hathorne: I am your humble servant.
Countess Von Marburg: Humility is such an overrated virtue. And there is no dishonor in being a servant if one serves the right master.
Mr. Hathorne: Or Mistress.
Countess Von Marburg: Would you like that, to truly serve a mistress such as I?
Mr. Hathorne: I can think of no greater pleasure.
Countess Von Marburg: The quality one most seeks in a servant is loyalty. One cannot serve two masters, nor two mistresses.
Til Death Do Us Part
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Mr. Hathorne: I ask only to be allowed to worship at your feet.
Countess Von Marburg: Oh, that's a very good place to start. Depending on how well you worship, we will see how far you may ascend.
Til Death Do Us Part
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Mr. Hathorne: Pride goeth before a fall! How far indeed this Jezebel has fallen! From first wife of Salem to painted whore! Now, now! Did she kill George Sibley? No! But as his life force dimmed, she forced our founder to watch as she entertained her lovers in his own marital bed! And when our last founder finally mercifully passed to Heaven, one can only imagine how she and that corpse-botherer, Dr. Wainwright, disposed of the body. Leaving so many questions. Where is Dr. Wainwright? Fled in shame? And how many other men did this siren lure into Mr. Sibley's bed? As magistrate, I hereby strip you of all your ill-gotten gains. Indeed, of the very name Sibley itself. What, then, shall we call you? Mary Walcott? No, I would not demean your father's name and memory. No, with no man's name, you will just be plain Mary, like the plain, worthless woman you are.
On Earth as in Hell
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Mr. Hathorne: Even the village idiot knows a harlot when he sees one. In time, some poor man may be willing to ignore your transgressions and marry you. Decades of toil await you. Toil and, if you're lucky, the birthing of brats, one of which will likely kill you during labor.Hm.In the meantime, that most generous of gentlewomen, the Countess Marburg, has put up a bond of surety for your release. Use your freedom of movement wisely, Mary. Or it'll be the gallows next time.
On Earth as in Hell
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Gallery

Appearances


Name

  • Wendell: From a surname which was derived from the given name Wendel, an old short form of Germanic names beginning with the element Wandal meaning "a Vandal". The Vandals were a Germanic tribe who invaded Spain and North Africa in the 5th century. The tribal name was later applied to other groups such as the Wends, a Slavic people living between the Elbe and the Oder.
  • Hathorne, is a surname denoting someone who lives by a bush or hedge of hawthorn, occasionally used as a first name. Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American novelist from Salem, is a famous bearer of the surname. The American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) was a direct descendant of Major William Hathorne, one of the English Puritan who settled in MA in 1630, and whose son John Hathorne was one of the judges in the Salem witchcraft trials. The writer’s father was a sea captain, as was his grandfather, the revolutionary war hero Daniel Hathorne (1731–96). The spelling of the surname was altered by the novelist. It is not clear whether there is a radical difference between the words Hawthorne and Hathorne since they are homophones; in the script of the show is nonetheless used the second one.

Status and Rank

  • Treasurer: appointed to administer or manage the financial assets and liabilities of Salem. It is unclear if he still holds this role after he was elected magistrate, almost certainly not.
  • Selectman: Hathorne is one of the inner circle members of Puritan selectmen, whose task is to administer justice for the community and guide it.
  • Magistrate: a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones. Hathorne gets this position following the death of John Hale, the former magistrate in charge, and that of Alexander Corwin, selectmen proposed for candidacy.

Trivia

  • This Salem's character is probably based on John Hathorne due to his role as leading judge in the Witch Trials.
  • Mr. Hathorne has appeared in every episode since his first appearance, except two. This makes him the recurring character with most appearances on the show.

References

  1. Brannon Braga & Adam Simon (writer) & Nick Copus (director). July 13, 2014. "Cry Havoc". Salem. Season 2. Episode 1. WGN.
  2. Brannon Braga & Adam Simon (writer) & Nick Copus (director). November 2, 2016. "After the Fall". Salem. Season 3. Episode 1. WGN.
  3. Adam Simon (writer) & Tim Andrews (director). November 9, 2016. "The Heart Is A Devil". Salem. Season 3. Episode 2. WGN.
  4. Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson (writer) & Wayne Yip (director). November 16, 2016. "The Reckoning". Salem. Season 3. Episode 3. WGN.
  5. Brannon Braga & Adam Simon (writer) & Joe Dante (director). November 30, 2016. "Night's Black Agents". Salem. Season 3. Episode 4. WGN.
  6. Adam Simon (writer) & Nick Copus (director). December 7, 2016. "The Commonwealth of Hell". Salem. Season 3. Episode 5. WGN.
  7. Adam Simon & Donna Thorland (writer) & Peter Weller (director). December 14, 2016. "Wednesday's Child". Salem. Season 3. Episode 6. WGN.
  8. Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders (writer) & Jennifer Lynch (director). January 4, 2017. "The Man Who Was Thursday". Salem. Season 3. Episode 7. WGN.
  9. Adam Simon & Donna Thorland (writer) & Nick Copus (director). January 11, 2017. "Friday's Knights". Salem. Season 3. Episode 8. WGN.
  10. Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders (writer) & Jennifer Lynch (director). January 18, 2017. "Saturday Mourning". Salem. Season 3. Episode 9. WGN.
  11. Adam Simon (writer) & Brannon Braga (director). January 25, 2017. "Black Sunday". Salem. Season 3. Episode 10. WGN.

See Also

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