Witches Be Thy Enemy

Witches Be Thy Enemy
For the greater part of Christianity the popular belief was that magic did not exist and while those
who did were diluted. By the end of the Inquisition there was an estimated 90,000 witch trials occur
with an estimated 50% of them resulting in executions (Levack, The Witch–Hunt in Early Modern
Europe 1987, 2006, 23). So what dramatic turn did Europe take during the Inquisition? In the late
sixteenth century the great witch hunt was beginning, and this was fueled by the European elites
believing that witches were actively harming their neighbors and conspiring with the Devil against
the Catholic Church. By the middle of the sixteenth century the profile of the witch was well known
and the educated European began to believe in witches (Levack, The Witch–Hunt in Early Modern
Europe 1987, 2006, 30). What these elite Europeans specifically believed about witches was that
they had created personal pacts with the Devil in exchange for the powers that they obtained. The
places where these pacts were formed were called the Sabbath (originating from the Jewish holy
day), this is where men and women whom practiced witchcraft would gather secretly at night and
have relations with the Devil, demons and each other (Levack, The Witch–Hunt in Early Modern
Europe 1987, 2006, 40–45). Document 16 in Levack goes over the treaties A Discourse on Witches
by Judge Henri Boguet, in which he gives a detailed confession by Francoise Secretain where she
and others, both male and female,
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The Bewitching of Anne Gunter
HST 402: Seminar in European History
1000 Word Paper
Throughout the history of witchcraft it has been hard to establish if any of these accusations on
‘witches ' were actually true due to lack of records and proof, although it now seems certain that
the vast majority of women incited were innocent. In the book "The Bewitching of Anne Gunter" we
can see how these allegations can be completely fabricated for personal gain and revenge.
The British Isles, was a tense and troubled time in the late 1500 's/early 1600 's where the book is
set. Anxiety arose between the Catholics and the Protestants, which would eventually lead to the
English Civil War. Family feuds, politics, poverty, religion and views of witchcraft inflamed this ...
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The Gregory family later tried to get Gunter charged with manslaughter, they failed but Gunter
never forgave their attempt.
A few years later in the summer of 1604 when Anne collapsed with what all believed to be an attack
of "the mother" (hysteria), Brian Gunter saw his chance to get revenge on the Gregory 's and
discredit them.
At first Anne claims she didn 't attribute this sickness to witchcraft in anyway. It was only later that
year in October when the illness came back; that she maintains her father and the neighbours
concocted the bewitchment with the aim of blaming Elizabeth Gregory. If we look for motive, Brian
bringing the Gregory family into disrepute in this manner would be a fitting form of revenge.
Throughout the supposed bewitching, Anne feigned fits and trances, saw familiars, vomited pins,
showed psychic powers and made it so her clothes unlaced themselves during fits. All of this was to
convince witnesses of her ‘bewitching ', in order to further support this her father would give her
potions to drink. One to induce vomiting and fits, and another to enable her to suffer pain and not
feel it. In the court case Anne testified that it was the neighbour Alice Kirfoote who would stick pins
into her body, to show the numbness.
During the various visits to the Gunter house to observe Anne 's behaviour, it is believed that one
visitor gave Brian Gunter a lengthy article entitled "The most strange and admirable discoverie of
the three

Witches, Sorcerers, And Shamans
Witches, sorcerers, and shamans are all different terms used to describe persons associated with
other worldly powers. Cautionary tales have been written about them as far back as the Old
Testament and in Homer's Odyssey. While almost every human culture has possessed the theory of a
witch, the most well–known witch trials are the ones from the late 15th century to the late 17th
century in Europe. Many aspects of European life, such as art and politics, were splitting away from
the Church. Even on the cusp of a scientific revolution, the belief in witches and the supernatural
did not disappear. In this paper, I will argue that although there is no clear consensus about what
exactly defines a "witch", scholars agree that witch trials were ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The second article reviewed, Anthropological and Historical Approaches to Witchcraft: Potential for
New Collaboration?, was written by British historian Ronald Hutton in the early 21st Century. In his
writings, he discusses how different professionals, such as historians, sociologists, and
anthropologists, have all taken different approaches when studying witchcraft. He proposes setting a
model for witchcraft and using a set model to study witches and magic across the globe. He argues
that the studies done have looked at magic and witches from too narrow a lens. Hutton suggests
comparing two different societies that have had prominent histories with witches, such as European
and African witchcraft, and comparing them against one another. Hutton suggests that these two
groups have a very different history, but witchcraft reflected struggles common to all societies.
Another article discusses the domino effect of the weather and it's impact on the agricultural
economy of the time and how this explains the rise in witch trials in early modern Europe.
Witchcraft, Weather, and Economic Growth in Renaissance Europe by Emily Oster in 2004, takes
an economical approach on witchcraft and attributes the rise in prosecutions as a model of
"scapegoating" provoked by the deteriorating economy at the time. Oster presents findings
indicating that if the average temperature of the decade was below that of the previous decade, a

The Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials
In June of 1510, 64 women and men were burned at the stake in Val Camonica, Italy, for causing
drought and fires and for harming people, animals and land. In July of 1518, 60 women and men
were burned at the stake in Breto, Italy, for triggering thunder and lightning and for causing sickness
and death of nearly 200 people. In June of 1582, the wife of an English sawyer named Alice
Glosscock from the town of Chelmsford was stripped naked and her body searched for "the marks
of a witch," which were found, leading to her conviction and execution. In May of 1653, a
Connecticut colonialist named Elizabeth Godman asked her neighbor Goodwife Thorp if she had
any chickens to sell, but none were available. The next day Thorp's chickens dropped dead, leading
to Godman's arrest and trial. In May of 1692, seven teenage girls writhed on the floor of a Salem,
Massachusetts, courtroom during the trial of a suspected witch named Martha Carrier, crying out
"There is a black man whispering in her ear!" Carrier was one of 20 people executed in what
became the most famous witch trial in history. What were these people thinking?1 It is convenient to
dismiss them as unthinking naïfs caught up in the hysterics of a moral panic, but in fact they were
thinking quite clearly and they had the authority of the Bible behind them, as in Exodus 22:18:
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." They also had the power of the Roman Catholic Church
behind them. In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued the Papal

Witch Trials-Witchcraft : The Demonization Of Women Into...
The Demonization of Women into Witches Witches have been around for centuries and everyone
has either seen them or even dressed up as them for Halloween. It is a common thought that witches
are bad and that they are the stereotypical look with the pointy black hat, broomstick, or the horrid
looking face. Yet it is not common to know that it is believed that witches are tightly tied with the
Devil and that was one reason that they would be executed. It is now a normal idea that all witches
are women but why is that? Is it because women have always been subjugated to be worse than men
or is it just another way that women were being controlled? To demonize something or another
group it allows some to show them as a threat and this was an easy way for those who held the
power to not let anyone rise above or to have the entire community go against one singular group or
person. When someone was demonized between the 14th century to the 18th century it was common
to call them a witch or state that they were associated with the Devil. During this set of time religion
had most control over people so stating that they were associated with the Devil instantly set that
they were evil and needed to be killed. Even in this day and age women are not treated as equals to
men, this has been going on for centuries and during the time of the witch trials women were the
most commonly to be killed. There are numerous aspects of women that would be twisted around to
make it seem as if they were worshiping the Devil, '... possessing other indicators of a difficult
personality that does not fit the "accepted" gender norms of one's society made some women prone
to accusations of witchcraft.' article 2 Men would use this to their advantage and make it a way to
keep women in line with what they wanted or else they would have them killed as witches. Women
have been subjugated for so long that it is even in the bible. Eve was the one who ate the fruit and
by doing that it damned all of humanity. In the story of Paradise Lost the Devil was able to lie to
Eve and convince her to eat the fruit, Adam being the wonderful man that he was he ate the fruit so
that Eve would not suffer alone. 'A woman is Adam's rib bent eternal struck straight

The Rise of Witch Hunts in Europe During the Early Modern...
The Rise of Witch Hunts in Europe During the Early Modern Period
Tens of thousands of people were persecuted and put to death as witches between 1570 and 1680 –
known as the great age of witch–hunts. Europeans had an extensive range of magical beliefs and
practices, mainly due to the Christian belief that magic exists. The elite believed in magic as
fervently as the most ignorant peasant. It was believed that some members of the society sold their
soul to the devil giving them power to inflict pain on others and take part in supernatural
performances. Famous intellectuals such as James V1, or the internationally famous lawyer Jean
Bodin, publicly declared the existence and reality of witchcraft ... Show more content on
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This explains why many individuals falsely testified against those that were being tortured and
maimed so they would not be accused of being witches. "Only a few were able to withstand severe
and prolonged torture without admitting to what they thought their interrogators wanted to hear."[4]
Those who believed that real witches existed, and were an insult to God, trusted that the legal
process of punishing would be assisted with divine power which would protect the innocent from
accusation or prevent them from giving way under torture and making false confessions of guilt.
King James put it in his Daemonologie that, "God will not permit that any innocent persons shalbe
slandered with that vile defection: for then the divell would find waies anew, to calumniate the
best."[5] With the state and both religion stating that even through torture innocent people could not
be proven guilty no–one challenged it and everyone accepted it. Therefore the tortured would admit
the guilt and increase the numbers of witches in the modern period.
Some historians argue that the staging of witch trials and persecution was a large instrument of
social control. A method used by the powerful to be in command of the weak and poor. Most witch–
hunting occurred in countries where the population was divided into many different faiths, each
Church wanted

Causes Of The Witch Craze
A woman was once looked upon as a positive figure, however, with time, women were not seen as
they were originally portrayed. Women were eventually viewed as a witch. Each culture had a
different perception on what a witch looked like, but each represented the same thing; an old woman
living alone or, a widow for instance. In essence, the witch craze brought about the "dark side " of
the feminine gender. Some causes of the witch craze in the fifteenth century included hallucinations,
an escape for the accused witch from torture and humans natural instincts of blaming a misfortune
on someone or something. Firstly, hallucinations occur as a result of the induction of hallucinogens
into the blood stream. Some people have always wondered how witches got the stigma of being able
to fly. During the witch craze, drugs were popular. With the hot topic of witch's, people who used
drugs, hallucinated witches being able to fly. When there is a lot of pressure and tension is high
around a person, some people use drugs to find an escape. By finding an escape, people made up
being able to see witches fly or, just wanted to be known by telling others a fib to bring attention to
ones' self. For those who don't use drugs, they are highly influenced by the people who do use them,
making them paranoid and susceptible to believe anything they hear. In the 1600's, the deception
was how people saw witches flying around on a broomstick. Because drugs and witches were a
popular trend, people

What Happens When The Reward Outweigh The Hefty Cost
I. Attention Getter: Have you ever wondered why you decided to keep a job after your boss does
something ruthless or why you would do something you did not want to do in order to keep your
relationship healthy? The scenarios Pam Halpert, Jim Halpert's wife, and Oscar Martinez, the
homosexual accountant, face in the TV show The Office, shows what happens when the reward
outweighs the hefty cost. II. Thesis: Through arrogance and sacrifice, social exchange theory occurs
in business relationships, and personal relationships throughout the film.
Preview: In this presentation, I will define social exchange theory and its role in relationships. I will
then apply this theory to those relationships in the TV show The Office. Finally, I will state why it is
the most important theory when deciding whether or not to pursue or terminate a relationship.
(Transition: Let's first look at the theory and its role in relationships.)
Body
I. According to the about education website, Crossman states "social exchange theory is a model for
interpreting society as a series of interactions between people that are based on estimates of rewards
and punishments." Rewards come in many forms: money, gifts, hugs, romance, social recognition
and so on. Cost or punishments also come in many forms: humiliation, beating, crying, sacrifice,
etc.
A. Social exchange theory is an important process of interaction that occur between people, whether
it is from a personal or formal standpoint. This

The Impact Of The Witch Trials
Witch trials were a big part of the United States' history. During the witch trials violence was more
abundant than usual. They really started getting "popular" in the late 1600's. The violence of the
trials impacted people's lives so heavily back then. By looking at witch trials, we can see the vicious
impact it had, which most readers don't see; this is important because it shows that violence was and
is always the answer. People were most commonly tortured by stoning, being burned alive, and by
placing heavy rocks on top of one's body until they died. Women and, sometimes, men went into
hiding and feared for their children and their own lives. Puritans wanted to please God and they
thought killing witches, who were thought to be satanic, would be a good deed. Cotton Mather was
one of those Puritans. Violence was a public practice and people would often come out with their
kids and watch the trials so everyone became desensitized, for a period of time, but it also struck
fear into the people who were "not doing what they were supposed to do", according to the Puritans,
or who were mentally disabled.
In "The Wonders of the Invisible World," Cotton Mather states that one form of witch craft was
satanic practicing. "... yet many of the persons represented, being examined, several of them have
been convicted of a very damnable witchcraft: yea, more than one [and] twenty have confessed, that
they have signed unto a book, which the devil showed them, and engaged in his hellish

Motivation For Witchcraft
Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth century, witchcraft was widespread throughout various
areas of the world. Today, witchcraft may be subtly displayed in children's books, where a witch––
often an elderly woman–– is shown travelling by broomstick or casting evil spells. Back then,
people held allegations against others for using this "black magic," and, in turn, some societies
conducted persecutions against such individuals. These persecuted, and often executed individuals,
were often said to be using their evil in worship of the Devil. Now that we see these ideas of black
magic in children's books, it may appear that these witch panics were extreme. Before we make
assumptions about the accusers of witches, we must consider further details in attempt to understand
their underlying motivations to accept witchcraft beliefs. As Darren Oldridge argues, there may be
multiple factors for this acceptance of witchcraft beliefs. One motivation that is evident is the
absorption of power among the persecutors. Through time, since the start of witchcraft, witches
became responsible for more and more issues, reflecting the span of influence persecutors held. It is
important to consider the beginning of witchcraft prevalence. Since witchcraft allegations were
often associated with the Devil, it must have been a Christian phenomenon. In Europe, where many
witch trials took place, Christianity was extremely prevalent in the late Middle Ages and the early
modern period. Therefore,

The Office Satire
In March of 2005, a comedy television show known as The Office premiered in the United States.
The Office is a mockumentary, a satirical style of comedy that mimics the form of a true
documentary film, including private interviews with each character. The winner of multiple Emmy
awards and Emmy nominations, The Office, aired for nine seasons. With ratings of 8.8/10 from
IMDB and 88% from Rotten Tomatoes it is no surprise that the show is still widely popular today.
The mockumentary documents the daily lives of the office employees at Dunder Mifflin paper
company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The majority of the show takes place in the company office,
hence the name of the show, The Office. Although The Office is a comedic television show, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Jim does not verbally communicate his feelings about Pam to her directly or to the documentary
interview crew. Instead, he shows his feelings through subtle hints or actions throughout the
episode. One example of a verbal hint is during an interview with the documentary crew in which
Jim says "...Um, Pam's favorite flavor of yogurt, which is mixed berry." Although this seems very
minor, it foreshadows Jim's deeper feelings for Pam. In addition to Jim revealing the subtle hint
about his feelings using the yogurt description, in the "Pilot" episode he also exhibits his feelings
towards Pam in an indirect way. This is evident by his facial expressions and body language before
and after Roy interrupts Jim and Pam's conversation towards the end of the episode. Before Roy
enters the scene, Jim and Pam are both talking and laughing. They had plans to get drinks after work
with the other employees, when Roy becomes a part of the conversation and commands Pam to
leave work with him instead. Pam leaves the room and Jim and Roy are left alone together, creating
a tense and awkward scenario. It is at this point that we first see Jim's animosity towards Roy. The
"Pilot" episode illustrates an example of the beginning of what a real, believable relationship could
like. The episode shows that feelings someone has for another person can take time to fully develop,
and not all relationships are

Were Pre-Modern European Witchhunts Mysogynistic? Essay
Were the witch–hunts in pre–modern Europe misogynistic? Anne Llewellyn Barstow seems to think
so in her article, "On Studying Witchcraft as Women's History: A Historiography of the European
Witch Persecutions". On the contrary, Robin Briggs disagrees that witch–hunts were not solely
based on hatred for women as stated in his article, "Women as Victims? Witches, Judges and the
Community". The witch craze that once rapidly swept through Europe may have been because of
misconstrued circumstances. The evaluation of European witch–hunts serves as an opportunity to
delve deeper into the issue of misogyny. The rise in witch hunts was a way to take control over
women. Women typically played vital roles as caretaker, healers, and nurturers using ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Kramer and Sprenger who were notable priests, paved the way for the persecutions to come. Women
were mostly dependent and considered a minority group in which case they were not given proper
hearings and unfairly represented. H.R. Trevor–Roper confirmed that 92 percent of witches
executed in the town of Essex were women alone. It is noted however that men were also persecuted
on account of being witches. Looking further into this claim, the men were executed because of
their affiliation with women who were accused of being witches themselves or because of
completely unrelated crimes. As Barstow stated, statistically, 80 percent of European victims
persecuted on the account of being a witch were women. History clearly depicts that the majority of
'witches' were of female gender. Christina Larner put the issue of misogyny into perspective when
she asked the question, "Was witch–hunting also woman–hunting?" History clearly exemplifies that
women were specifically sort out based on their gender. It is not difficult to grasp the fact that
witch–hunts were a way to isolate women from their community. Women were subjected to
beatings, exploitation and discrimination. They were bound at the feet and submerged into water as
a test of survival. This technique however had an undeniable double standard. If the person survived
the water torture, the populace confirmed their

Causes Of The Witch Craze
The witch craze rapidly spread around Europe from 1480 to 1700, especially during the time of both
the Protestant and Catholic Reformation. From accusations to trials to persecution, over a million
Europeans were tried due to witchcraft suspicions. The trials were often rigged in favor of the
accusers, and torture was used as a method for confession in certains areas of Europe. The witch
craze had many contributing factors that allowed it to last for almost three hundred years. Three
major reasons for the persecution of individual witches were influence from religious superstitions
promoted by the Church, lack of advanced knowledge in science and medicine and social prejudice
against the lower socioeconomic class. Religious leaders condemned witches and spread the idea
that witches work for the devil. When higher power religious leaders acknowledged the existence of
witches and the detrimental effects of witches in society, it fostered fear among the people, which
encouraged accusation against many individuals. In Doc B3, Martin Luther says that "witches are
the Devil's whores who steal milk, rise storms...torture babies in their cradles...[and] that the Devil
is unable to do these things by himself." After Martin Luther preached about the threats, dangers,
and horrible things witches do, the European people were instilled with fear and were determined to
put an end to the spread of witches through persecution. Even Pope Innocent VIII ordered the
people that it was their

The Causes Of The Witch Craze In The 15th Century
A woman was once looked upon as a healer, ancient persist, mid wife, therapist, cook, sever of
goddess, a positive figure, etc. As time went on, women were not seen as they were originally
portrayed. Women were eventually viewed as a witch. Each culture had a different perception on
what a witch looked like, but each represented the same thing. In essence, the witch craze brought
about the "dark side" of a female. Some causes of "witch craze" in the fifteenth century would
include hallucinations, people not wanting to be tortured and people needing something to blame
misfortune on. Firstly, hallucinations occur as a result of the induction of hallucinogens into the
blood stream. Some people have always wondered how witches got the stigma of being able to fly.
During the witch craze, drugs were popular. With the hot topic of witch's, people who used drugs,
hallucinated witches being able to fly. When there is a lot of pressure and tension is high around a
person, some people use drugs to find an escape. By finding an escape, people made up being able
to see witches fly or, just wanted to be known by telling others a fib to bring attention to ones' self.
For those who don't use drugs, they are highly influenced by the people who do use them, making
them paranoid and susceptible to believe anything they hear. In the 1600's, the deception was how
people saw witches flying around on a broomstick. Because drugs and witches were a popular trend,
people added on to the lie of

Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch trials where for the right reason, but had the wrong way of going about it. In the
spring of 1692, 4 girls claimed to be possessed by the Devi, and said that some other women were
also possessed. With the town in an uproar, a special court in Salem was setup to trial all of the
convicted. Bridget Bishop was the first to be tried, and she was hung in July. 18 more were hung.
But, more than 150 men, women, and children were condemned. By September of that same year,
the town started to turn against the trials, and thus the Salem Witch Trials were ended. Although the
general court annulled the guilty verdicts, and granted indemnities to the loved ones, anger remained
in their hearts for hundreds of years. (History.com) But, witch craft wasn't just beginning. Witch
craft had been a belief centuries before. Centuries before the trials, many Christians believed that
the Devil could give people called witches power to harm others, if the witches were loyal.
(smithsonianmag.com) In Europe, from the 1300's to the end of the 1600's, a "witch craze" was
going on. Many believed to be witches were executed, tens of thousands. Even though the Salem
Witch Trials were at the end of the "witch craze" in Europe, local happenings caused it to happen.
(smithsonianmag.com) What didn't help was the war in 1689. English rulers started a war with
France and the colonies. When they attacked the colonies, many people fled to Salem. With so many

The Witch Hunt Against Muslims : The Witch Hunt Against...
The Witch Hunt Against Muslims After 9/11 Since the tragic events that occurred on September 11,
2001, Muslims throughout the United States have been mistreated, discriminated against, and have
been placed into false stereotypes. As most Muslims are simple, harmless citizens, this has caused a
hysteria in which many people have a prejudice against them under the pretense that all Muslims are
terrorists. EXPLAIN TEXT Because of this, there is currently an age of witch hunts against them,
similar to the Salem Witch Trials. Despite most Muslim citizens being innocent people, a few select
individuals have caused atrocious incidents; therefore, a witch hunt against all Muslims has ensued
that parallels the Salem witch trials and should be brought to immediate end. Following the terrorist
attacks of 9/11, Muslims everywhere began to be wrongfully persecuted and attacked. They have
also since been denied equality in the workplace as "Americans with Muslim names have a harder
time finding a job" and "American Muslims have experienced increased job discrimination since
2001" (Epstein 53). Without the ability to find a job, not only are Muslims effected in their daily
lives, they are also unable to find a source of income, hindering them from supporting their families.
Muslim religion can also cause further disturbances because there are several "law–abiding Muslims
who are unfairly targeted and punished simply because they are Muslim" (qtd. in Epstein 52). This
exemplifies the idea

Effect Of Witchcraft On Europe
The effect of Witchcraft accusations on Europe in the middle Ages Witches, are they real or fake?
That question continues to be asked today. However, in the Middle Ages, a time period blurred by
war, religious incursions, and disease, witches may have or may have not have existed, but
something that was just as bad if not worse did. Witchcraft accusations. Witchcraft accusations
unleashed a whole host of new problems such as: rampant persecution and paranoia, and the death
of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, and the use of politics rather than religion when they
so often went hand in hand.
The witchcraft accusations and the first witchcraft trials, begin with the Spanish Inquisition which
was started by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (Spanish Inquisition). The Spanish Inquisition
began in 1478 after it was approved by Pope Sixtux IV (Spanish Inquisition – History of the
Spanish Inquisition). Although it was suspended by various kings and queens throughout the years,
the Inquisition did not officially end until 1834 (Ryan). The purpose of the inquisition was to try to
unite the country under one faith by forcing out anyone who did not believe or practice completely,
the Catholic faith. However, it was The Basque Witch Trials that went from 1609 – 1614 that was
the greatest effort to get rid of heretics or witches (Mastin). The inquisition was a political stunt
because they turned hostile towards other religions. Much like modern day politics. For example,
gay

Escaping Salem Essay
Escaping Salem:
The Other Witch Hunt of 1692
American Economic and Social History
September 26, 2012
The seventeenth century was full of challenges; political, social, and economical. Across the board
individuals struggled to live, although the conditions had much improved from the beginning of the
colonies. Women in particular had a difficult time fitting into this patriarchal this society. Women
were defined by men and were seen as an accessory to men. In the colony of New England women
were learning how to have a silent voice, while still maintaining the proper role of time. The way
women were seen by men, who ran the colony, and the way men thought, not only about women,
but also about the world would sculpt the society and the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Although in this case (Kate Branch) the Enlightenment thought directly influenced the process of
the trail, still the testimony of the women involved held less value than that of a man. Any women
seen challenging the thought of a man was at a greater risk of being accused of witchcraft. Daniel
Wescot and other men describe incidents involving Goody Disborough and Elizabeth Clawson.
These events started with an argument between a man and a women; the man later accused the
women of cursing livestock, children, or themselves by witchcraft. (Godbeer, 2005) The reason that
women were accused was that they disagreed with a man's point of view.
Sadly enlightenment thought did not enlighten the thought that women were intellectually equal to
men. The Enlightenment was a primarily a period of intellectual growth, steaming from science to
free thought. Science and the judicial system seem to be on opposite ends of the intellectual
spectrum, in Escaping Salem however that is disproven. Science is all based on evidence similar to
the judicial system. New England's court system may not have been as advanced as our Supreme
Court is now but they still used evidence to prosecute or unfortunately persecute. Stamford's court
systems require two eye witnesses to ever event used to convict. (Godbeer, 2005) Similarly science
must have an outcome happen multiple times for

Violence In The Virgin Suicides In The Virgin Suicides
From this analysis and definition of witchcraft and its relation to the player, gossip, one can see how
violence may erupt from such cases of witch accusations. Gossip, as an active player in witch–hunts
and trials "can [...] outrun the intentions of [its] creators, producing more violence than is
anticipated" (Stewart and Strathern 193). Such unanticipated growth within gossip is the result of, as
Hurston writes in Their eyes were watchingGod, "words walking without masters" (2). One can
relate words walking without masters as violence walking without masters. In the way that words,
gossip, and rumor can snowball, to a certain degree, violence can as well. After misfortunes, most
often deaths, within a community, "people attribute misfortune to witches and kill them in order to
set matters right" (Stewart and Strathern 193). Therefore, we see that violence is retribution in
witch–hunts and is given agency through gossip. In The Virgin Suicides, the community, in effect,
kills the Lisbon sisters through violent gossip in retribution for Cecilia's death and the unrest it
caused the community. The Lisbon sister's state is reflected through a tree in their front yard that,
"for a time [...] stood blighted, trying to raise its stunted arms, a creature clubbed mute" (Eugenides
173). The vicious words of the community clubbed the sisters, robbing them of their personality.
Eventually, the sisters become so ostracized and hated for their inability to be anything but sexual

The Existence Of The Cold Weather
A long time ago, the village Salem became famous. Their neighbors had started to build extreme,
exaggerated hysteria when a group of your girls were claimed to be possessed by bad spirits. It is
said that when bad spirits come to our lives, it is because we do not have control over ourselves, and
in those days, the villagers believed that bad spirits were the real devil. In the spring of 1692, there
were a lot of accusations by villagers, claiming girls to be guilty of those suspicions. They believed
that the devil could be free and they believed if they killed the accused, they could kill the bad spirit
inside of them. Otherwise, many villages were scared because they had never seen those kinds of
things before. However, the causes of that kind of thing could be strong belief in the occult,
disputes, rivalries and personal differences, and a theory about the cold weather. Even though they
have strong beliefs in the bible, there are new theories that explain what had actually happed. The
religions and beliefs was extreme exaggeration because at the moment could be accused for
something not guilty. In the village of Salem, Massachusetts current estranger success where the
occult became to the light. Many people do not like the occult thing because they thought that if we
are not with God we are not normal. At the moment puritan were the stronger kings of the religion
because the made rules that anyone cannot exceed. Many people had to follow then because they
were a small

Essay about Witchcraft
Beginning in the Middle Ages and through the seventeenth centuries, an infiltration of witchcraft
persevered throughout Europe. The witch craze resulted in the torture and persecution of witches.
More than 100,000 of witches who were tried were centered in the area of southwestern Europe.
The mass hysteria of witches was denounced because of their rejection of God and their pact with
the devil, which resulted in harsh punishments and accusations. One reason for the persecution of
witches was they were thought to be the cause of bad harvests, epidemics, natural disasters, and
personal tragedies. Witches also had a part in the religious aspect of Europe. The witches were
persecuted because of the lack of a main religion, which was ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
(Document A7). Roger North, brother of Chief Justice Exeter explains that if a judge were to go
against the public opinion, then the townspeople would think he is not religious and would then
possibly be accused. (Document A6) This is an indication that people of all social classes could be
targets. In Europe it can be concluded that many had xenophobia of different people or prejudices,
but they were held mostly against older women. This is because during the Renaissance people had
fears of the supernatural and forces of nature or God, which led to the beliefs of superstition.
Therefore, the future mass hysteria of witches would be denounced based on the Renaissance views.
In the Middle Ages to the 16th century it can be finalized that the elderly, female, and poor working
class were the majority of the accused (Documents D1, 2,3). Statistics drawn from the contemporary
court records conclude that most of the suspected witches were above the age of 50 and 80% of
females were executed for witchcraft. The trials of witches were centered in southwestern Europe
because these bordering areas lacked a strong central authority and were places of social chaos.
W.Fulbecke believed that witches aimed at the destruction of others through the spread of their own
diseases to others, based on their pact with Satan (Document C1). Kramer and Sprenger were two
Dominican monks who held a conspicuous bias towards women and the elderly (Document

Tituba Research Paper
The Salem Witch Trials were a dark spot in America's early history. During a time where acts of the
unknown were simply considered spiritual signs or supernatural forces with meanings; the early
American settlers in Salem, Massachusetts were plagued with what they claimed were acts of the
Devil putting witches in their town to disrupt Puritan beliefs and actions. One of the earliest accused
witches was the village pastor's slave Tituba Indian. Tituba was especially vulnerable to accusations
to due to her extreme double minority status as well as the fact that she was owned by the village
pastor. During the Salem Witch Trials period, three out of every four witches were female. Women
living in this time period were at the bottom of the social ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Elizabeth Parris and Abagail Williams, the pastor's daughter and niece respectively, were two of the
six young ladies that Tituba watch over. In the beginning, Tituba would perform witchcraft in an
attempt to lure the girls into witchcraft but the girls rejected Tituba's actions. Eventually, the girls
would begin to act out and were proclaimed to have become bewitched. After Parris discovered that
his girls' actions were not of physical nor mental disease and of spiritual doings, an aunt of one of
the afflicted girls used Tituba to experiment using a urine–cake (eventually this aunt would be
scorned for practicing counter magic) to determine who bewitched the young girls. When the girls
cried out that it was Tituba's doing and made several accusations of her acts of witchcraft, Tituba
rejected all allegations. In theory, Tituba made herself out as a witch. In the end of her trial, Tituba
would confess to practicing witchcraft. She confessed that she had signed the Devil's book along
with eight other witches including Goody Osborne and Sarah Good, as well as seeing the Devil
various times in the form of a tall man, a hog, cats, a great black dog, and wolves and birds. Sarah
Good and Goody Osbourne worked in command of Tituba taking the Devil's orders to terrorize the
young women of the household by pinching, harming, and performing acts of levitation. Tituba
being the first to

Comparing The Crucible-Witch Hunts Have Never Ceased
Witch Hunts Have Never Ceased Oppression, Bloodshed, Sin. People search and destroy things that
are considered oddities. What really is an unusual circumstance? Loving someone who is the same
gender? People who are born in the wrong body? As a society people have chosen religion over
common sense, since time has started turning its devious hands. Whether the the 'devil lives' among
them, or slaughtering homosexuals for finding love in unconventional ways. When people are
misunderstood, others react harshly; we can see this colorfully portrayed in both the Crucible by
Arthur Miller, and the LGBT+ community. Similar to that of the Crucible, if a group of people do
not like or approve of a person or action they lash out in violence. On June

European Witch Hunts Essay
European Witch Hunts
Witch hunts blazed across Europe over the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries not just killing
innumerable innocent people, but stripping women of much of the power they had once held, and
changing society's perceptions of women all together. The economic hardships, religious rivalries,
and troubled politics of the time made accusing your neighbors of witchcraft convenient. Where
there was war and poverty, or merely bad luck, peasants would assume witchcraft and rush to blame
an old, defenseless woman in trials which involved unbelievable cruelty and horrible sadism. As
religion and the Catholic Church began to complement and perpetuate the increasing hysteria,
European society as a whole could do nothing but ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Throughout the witch hunts, women were the primary target; most victims being midwives, native
healers, single women who lived alone, people against whom neighbors had a grudge or
practitioners of ancient pagan rituals. Although not all were women, 75 to 90% of accused witches
were in fact women (Levack,. p. 124), forcing one to question the affects of the harsh portrayal of
women being placed on women.
Prior to the fifteenth century, rural European women were highly revered and respected pillars of
rural community life; not only considered mothers and wives, but seen as community leaders,
physicians, and sources of strength and wisdom. Women had a special and imperative role in rural
life, and even those that lived on the fringes of society were well respected as the village healers and
wise women. These old women would possess the wisdom of the ages and pass it on to others. This
respect for women quickly deteriorated, however, during the witch hunts. The belief spread that
women were morally weaker than men and driven by carnal lust, therefore making them more
susceptible to being tempted by the Devil, and thus practicing witchcraft. (Levack p. 126) As people
took this belief to heart, it is apparent that society would be affected indefinitely by such
intolerance.
The witch–hunts that blazed across Europe for centuries not only saw the death of millions of
women but also served to set a

Mental Mass Hysteria In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
The hysteria behind the Salem Witch Trials seems to have come from nothing. There are multiple
theories that go from a mental mass hysteria to a physical prejudice. Going through the timeline of
the trials, theories become stronger and weaker and in the end, the answer is a matter of whichever
theory you believe has the strongest evidence, an opinion. Albeit, the easiest way to explain the
hysteria could be the easiest one to explain, which was that it was all subconsciously coincidental
mental mass hysteria. Most of the evidence presented during the trials were not strong as it was hard
to refute a hallucination someone may or may not have had. The brain is such an intelligent organ,
but at the same time is highly suggestible making it ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Usually when a person has deja vu, they are more convinced that the possibility of that moment
happening before is more plausible than not. Now, take that feeling and add the stress of being on
trial and the social pressure around you to say person 'x' is most certainly a witch. It would certainly
be easier to convince yourself that you did indeed see an apparatus of your neighbor haunting you
late at night and she is the reason you are "possessed". Once again, take that with the fact that this is
happening on a mass scale and that right there is a recipe for mass hysteria. As explained in "After
The Fact" the physical manifestations of being "possessed" during these times can be explained
through science, as in physical pain caused by extreme mental stress. Add this to the mass hysteria
recipe and you could present this case to the courts as evidence for witchcraft and get someone
convicted. So far, all the parts of this conspiracy could be explained away by mental stress
manifesting in one way or another, but there is no denying the findings discovered on what may
seem like prejudiced accusing between the townspeople.

Joan Of Arc
Joan was brown the year of 1412, her birth place was in Domremy Bar, France. Joan was what you
would call your average citizen during the 1400s. Joan lived on a poor farm with her parents
Jacques and Isabelle Arc, Joan stayed close to home and in her time she had become a very skilled
seamstress. Joan had not attended school for her parents were too poor and she was a girl. In Joan's
free time she would admire the work of past war plans, Joan was fascinated by their war strategies.
These were some of the events during Joan's childhood. Joan never had much of an adult hood, she
had no husband or child just a father and a mother. The only home Joan had was her family's farm in
Domremy, France. On May 30, 1431 was the day Joan was burned at the stack in a marketplace in
Rouen in front of over 100,000 people. What made Joan most famous was the day she lead a
compiegne to fight the Burgundians. During the battle she was thrown from her horse and captured
by the Burgundians where she was thrilled as a heretic for witchcraft, heresy, and dressing like a
man which led to her death being burned on the stack. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Joan was fascinated by all this military, after months of persistence she was finally granted a
position in the military after the first war she had lead and won she was accused of witchcraft do to
her ability to strategize good war techniques. This person proved that there is no difference in a man
or woman's ability to do things. She proved that women can be great war strategists. I would
consider Joan as a leader not just because she literally lead an army but because she plowed a path
for women rights that had been knocked down and denied for decades. It had taken 25 years after
Joan's death for Joan to be declared innocent and named a martyr. In May 19, 1920 she was declared
a guiding saint of

Salem Witch Trials Theories
When considering possible explanations for the Salem witch trials, it is important to consider and
reference other historical accounts of witchcraft. Although Salem presents its own unique case, and
therefore is a result of things specific singularly to Salem, there may yet be a link to other cases of
witchcraft. Cases may differ in religion, denomination, or other spiritual beliefs, and social setting.
Additionally, a study of horticulture in the Salem area shows that hallucinogenic mushrooms may
have contributed to the visions of witches. However, I have discovered in my studies that in most
cases, there seems to be growing discontentment in each community before and during accusations
of witchcraft. This is the clearest link between all cases. In my opinion, witchcraft is a result of
suppressed feelings caused by human suffering. This is displayed as accusers in a community using
witchcraft as an excuse to release tension, or rid themselves of enemies. Firstly, to explain my
reasoning, it is important to understand Freud's projection theory. In Freud's book Taboo and
emotional ambivalence, he explains that in simpler societies, an individual learns to suppress
negative feelings about those around them, especially family. Freud describes projection as a
defense mechanism, protecting the "ego" from anxious or guilty feelings. Negative feelings are
projected in an acceptable manner, complying to religious or spiritual beliefs. A modern example of
this would be the

Escaping Salem Book Questions Answers
Who are the key people involved in the "the other witch hunt?" what roles do each play in the
incident? Specific examples/evidence from book the whole
1) Katherine Branch
a) Servant of Daniel and Abigail Wescot
b) Has fits may or may not be real
c) accuses Disborough and Clawson
i) claims Disborough was her guide to compo there and back ii) accused Clawson of pinching her
and later red spots appeared on Kate which later turned into black and blue bruises
d) begins trial and other colonist's confession to start coming forward because of her
2) Mercy Disborough
a) Accused witch by Katherine Branch
b) Many neighbors accuse her of witchcraft
i) Goody Godfrey and Goodman Benit's daughter went to visit Mercy Disborough and told her
about ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Kate then popped wide awake and ran outside. Kate then had another fit and they brought her back
inside while she was "senseless". Again they take out the knife and again she suddenly wakes up
saying "you're going to cut me!"
According to Godbeer, what is the local legal process of dealing with Katherine Branch's
"bewitching"?
1) Many people of Stamford watched Kate closely and carried out experiments to ascertain whether
her fits were natural, supernatural, or counterfeit. Once everyone was convinced that it was
witchcraft, her tormentors had to be identified, evidence had to be gathered, and witnesses willing to
speak out.
a) This was risky because most previous trials had not resulted in conviction. If witches were tried,
acquitted, and released, they might wreak terrible revenge upon those who had testified against
them.
According to Godbeer, what is the colonial legal process of dealing with Katherine Branch's
"bewitching"?
1) Everyone went to trial, suspects, witnesses, judges, magistrates, jurymen, defendants
a) Tried to put together all evidence into either a conviction or not
What does the ending or the conclusion of the trials indicate about the process of "bringing witches
to justice" in Puritan New England?

1) Few witches were actually convicted and sentenced to death
a) Of the sixty–one known prosecutions for witchcraft in

Mass Hysteria
This paper is about the diverse ways mass hysteria is classified in our society today, and the possible
theories behind what really caused the events in Salem to occur. Janca and Simons portray their
opinions towards different events of mass hysteria, and are able to develop their own professional
theories relating to the mentality of the individuals that were caught under the influence of hysteria.
Those individuals' minds are examined, and their information is represented in this paper. The cited
articles explain distinct facts that were used to interpret the direct cause of mass hysteria, and others
include counteracting opinions and facts towards those specific topics. The truth behind mass
hysteria is provided, and it gives the reasoning ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Salem witch trials were caused by a group of girls who wanted to get moral vengeance on
others for the unproven morals they have disregarded. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, has portrayed
the ideology behind mass hysteria excellently, and common traits are located throughout all of the
events of mass hysteria mentioned in this paper. Our society has not changed compared to the
societies during the Salem witch trials. Individuals are still comparing themselves to one another. It
takes a single popular party to completely change a person's actions and opinions towards a topic.
As to why mass hysteria should be interpreted as a popular trend, rather than an unpredictable

The Influence Of The Renaissance Witch Hunts
Renaissance Witch Hunts The witch hunts took place during the 1450's to the 1750's, most notably
in England and Salem, Massachusetts. They also took place in Italy and other smaller places in the
United States. women were always witches, almost never men and there were a ridiculous amount
of things that would accuse you of being a witch. If you wore black, you were a witch. If you
enjoyed reading, you were a witch. If you had a mole/birthmark, you were a witch. The reasons go
on and on but I won't bore you with that.
What is witchcraft/witches Witch craft is defined as a form of sorcery and often portrayed as a sign
of the devil, the practice of magic, especially black magic; the use of spells and the invocation of
spirits, according to the dictionary. Unfortunately, this is not a concrete answer because the
definition would imply this being a bad thing. The existence of glinda the good witch contradicts
this statement. Also the wicca religion makes the definition a little questionable because they don't
necessarily practice witchcraft with evil intent. They do match up with the things that would make
you a witch,(Connecting with nature and other things) they don't match the stereotypical look of a
witch with the large and deformed nose, pointed hat and broom–flying abilities. We don't have a
clear cut idea for what witchcraft is but, we have a general idea as to what it is.
As to what witches are, they are people who practice/is accused of practicing witchcraft and

The Many Factors That Religion
When it comes to Thomas and Jane Weir, there are many factors that religion has to do with their
lives. Both of them are supposed radical religious people as well as pretenders. Around the time of
the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660, Thomas Weir was thought to hold intense radical beliefs
in the Presbyterian religion and met to worship with many members of a Presbyterian group and he
was seen as a devoutly religious man. "And last of all for aggravation of his fault and to make it
without a parallel, the Dittay bears he was conscious to himself of these abominations, yet he had
the confidence or rather impudence to pretend to fear God in an eminent way." Trials within the
early modern Scotland tend to rely on religion as one of the stepping stones to furthering the witch
hunts. Religious members in Scotland tend to be in charge of the main courts for trials. The Weirs'
have two sides when it comes to religion within their trial. On one side of the spectrum, there is the
need for religion in Thomas' life. "Many resorted to his house to join with him and hear him
pray...leaning upon it, which made those who heard him pray admire his flood in prayer, his ready
extemporary expression, his heavenly gesture; so that he was thought more angel than
man...ordinarily Angelical Thomas." On the other hand, later in their trial before the execution, both
Jane and Thomas repented God and did not believe that there was anything to do with God in the
afterlife. Thomas believed that God

How To Be Punished In The Canterbury Tales
While reading The Canterbury Tales I've noticed some ill that should deem the character to be
punished and sent to Hell after death. While some of the people on the pilgrimage didn't commit
hideous crimes compared to others, some committed acts that furthers their reasoning to go to a
special dark place in Hell. Throughout the readings of The Divine Comedy and The Canterbury
Tales, I am now able to place these characters in their respective circle based on what Chaucer's
characters did. The Prioress who is the head of the nuns would be placed within the fourth circle of
Hell because of her greed. Nuns are traditionally known for being poor and having a simple life. The
Prioress on the other hand talks like she would live such a life but she would feed her dogs roasted
flesh and or milk and pure white bread. This is a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Cook belongs in the third circle of Hell which is reserved for gluttonous people. The Cook is
here basically because he was overweight because of his constant eating and his expertise in
cooking. The Reeve belongs to the fourth circle of hell, since the Reeve had access to his lord's
account, the Reeve was never put in debt since he used the money from his lord's account. This
made the Reeve to be a people to be feared by others since he couldn't be in debt and he knew the
ways of how others could put him to debt. I will put the Summoner in many circles of hell but one
that stands out for me is the third one. The Summoner would basically allow sinner to keep sinner as
long as he got a quart of wine. The Summoner would also demand money for the safety from
excommunication to gullible sinners. The Summoner is a disgusting and cheap fellow who Chaucer
despises because of one what he does to people even though he is a part of the church, and his odd
eating habits which reflects on his physical appearance. The Pardoner belongs to the

The Formicarius ( Ant Hill ) Of Johannes Nider
The Formicarius (Ant Hill) of Johannes Nider, written in Latin in the 1430's, tells about activities in
the Bernese Alps and other territories, based mainly on testimony Nider had obtained from a secular
judge from Bern and from an inquisitor. (Levack, 2013) Nider also received testimony from a man
from the Bernese territory who went by the name of Peter, a Benedictine monk, and an inquisitor
from the convent at Lyons. Nider states that the judge from Bern told him stories about the torture of
alleged witches and the confessions that some of them made at their trials, as well as details from
various trials that presided over. Peter told Nider stories of when he not only drove suspected
witches out of Bernese, but also of when he burned many of them as their punishment for being
labeled as a witch.
This text also goes on to state that Nider also met a Benedictine monk who, many years before their
introduction, acted as "a necromancer, juggler, buffoon, and strolling player, well–known as an
expert among the secular nobility." (Internet History Sourcebooks Project) The most interesting
story in the text however, is the recount of another young man, who was arrested and eventually
burned after being found guilty of being a witch. This man and wife, who was also a witch, were
previously arrested but had escaped confinement from Peter. Their escape only further solidified the
belief that they were in fact witches and they were eventually arrested again and brought back

The Catholic Church During The Middle Ages And Through The...
Beginning in the Middle Ages and through the seventeenth centuries, witch trials occurred in
Europe. Many people were accused of being witches some of these people were accused of being
witches for not following Christian beliefs at that time and others followed witch prosecutions for
goods and money. Furthermore, the stereotypes of witches at this period also had a role in causing
witch prosecutions. In this essay I argue how these three components led to the death of so–called
witches. Firstly, I will discuss how the Catholic Church had an impact on most prosecutions.
Secondly, I will explain how social stereotypes of that period have also influenced with the causes
of prosecution of many alleged witches. Thirdly, I will discuss how ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
It is important to understand the meaning of witchcraft to be able to identify what caused the
massive witch–hunt in Europe. During the medieval to the early modern period witchcraft was
identified as the practice of harmful, black or maleficent magic caused by a witch (Levack, 1987, p.
4). They also describe them as evildoers that associate with the Devil, kidnap children, and murder
others. These accusations were untrue rumors made by the Catholic Church to promote Christianity
and punish those who did not follow the church beliefs. (Levack, 1987, p. 7)
Furthermore, Witches were commonplace all over the world with different stigmas and stereotypes
attached to them from each respectful culture that contained them (Girard, 1986). It was not until the
rise of the Catholic Church that witches soon became associated with black magic and the Devil,
leading to mass prosecutions. In the Middle Ages there was a popular belief that demons walked the
Earth, leaving disease and devastation in their wake. The church, feeling threatened by the
ideologies of Witchcraft, decided to link the old Pagan religion with that of Satanism (Levack,
1987). By doing so, they were able to gather favor from the masses by taking advantage of the fear
of the Devil by the public and using it to prosecute those who

The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen Essay...
The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen
Carol Karlsen was born in 1940. She is currently a professor in the history department a the
University of Michigan. A graduate of Yale University (Ph.D, 1980), she has taught history and
women's study courses at Union College and Bard College.
In this book Carol Karlsen reveals the social construction of witchcraft in 17th century New
England, and brings forth the portrait of gender in the New England Society.
The books thesis is based on why a person was accused of being a witch and the relative
circumstances thereof. Marital status, sex, community standing, wealth, and relationships with
others all play an important part of a person chances of being accused of being a witch. ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even though these laws were written to be fair to all, the magistrates and clergy delegated
punishment by who was being punished. This type of reasoning was typical in New England, and
set the stage for the witch trials.
The content of The Devil in the Shape of a Woman is broken down into sections, by time and place.
There are several charts in the book showing the relationship of gender, age, wealth and place on
how an accused witch was treated. Most show that women were targeted at a greater extent than
anybody.
Most observers now agree that witches in the villages and towns of the late Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Century New England tended to be poor. They were usually not the poorest women in
the community, but the moderately poor. Karlsen tries to show that a woman who was vulnerable
was most likely to be accused of being a witch. Even women who had gained wealth because of the
death of a husband were prime candidates.
Promiscuity was also known to be a reason for being accused accused of witchery. Marital problems
often led to a disgruntled husband screaming witch. A woman who could not conceive a child, or
one who would not give into her husband's wishes could easily be accused.
Karlsen touches on the events leading up to the witch trials of Salem in almost every chapter. The
events which led to the witch trial actually occurred in what is

Witchcraft Dbq Essay
more competence as an explanation due to evidence now being needed to prove someone guilty,
there was still a aspect of psychological pressure towards obeying God and putting themselves
forward for punishment in order to live a better afterlife.
The religious theory surrounding witchcraft is centred on Reformation, which brought a challenge to
Catholicism from Luther. By the 1550's there were religious wars in Germany. Calvin went on
further to attack Catholics and Calvinism spread throughout Europe as a result. At the end of the
sixteenth century, Europe had been divided between Catholics and Protestants where England,
Germany and the Netherlands were mostly protestant. Whereas, Spain, Italy and most of France
were Catholic. Initially the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Including the fact that religious change produced, conflict and even war especially in Germany and
France which were also centres of witchcraft, suggesting the appearance of a link. Second, the
period tends to coincide with the peak of witch–hunt when the bible was widely circulated in the
vernacular. Protestant priests preached things such as "Thou shall not suffer a witch to live". They
were keen to root out magic in all its forms because they associated it with catholic practices and
superstition. There was confessional conflict as Hugh Roper sees witchcraft as being motivated by
catholic and protestant desire to show godliness in a time of religious schism. The witch–hunt
cultivated feelings of moral superiority plus helped to remove or reduce feelings of guilt because of
religious changes. This again can be a form of psychological projection, which is a type of defence
mechanism. This involves individuals attributing their own unacceptable thoughts and motives to
another person. Therefore, people scapegoated others if they had done something wrong to get rid of
their own guilty conscience by making themselves believe the accused individual was in the

Essay on An Inside Look at Moral Panics
Moral Panics Opinions on personal and social matters are evergrowing and can be found in all
forms of media. Themes of sex and their regulation from all forms of figures and institutions
influence the public's' perceptions of normality. The controversies of society that result in a
heightened reaction from the public is a moral panic. Reactions that result in these mass panics can
be initiated by simple facts about a certain taboo, and as generations change, so do the norms of that
society, creating a flux of opinions that can generate violent reactions. Judith Levine, the
controversial author of "Harmful to Minors" believed there was an argument against the public
addressing the sexual habits of minors as corrupt. One of many moral ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The merging of magical deeds with the idea that women were consorting with the devil made the
moral panic intense, increasing puritan panic. Because two taboos had become intertwined, the town
of Massachusetts became engrossed in the topic of witches. While men were also the victims,
women were the center of the burnings, and were usually seen as outcasts that exposed an area or
town to a negative reputation. This is highly sexist, as women had few lifestyle options, and if they
deviated from what was expected, they were at risk of being accused of witchcraft. Weeding out
unpleasant townsfolk was a major criteria for trials. In this period, women generally belonged to a
father until married. Outcasts usually defined women who were homeless and not married. This
meant women were dependent on men, working to please a male dominated society where their
lives were strictly controlled. Those who were raped were at fault for their victimization. Women in
this age were solely housewives, without an education and held no power or land. Perhaps the few
freedoms females enjoyed that were not advised by fellow colonial women were view with jealous
eyes, and punished by the resentful. Another interesting and ironic fact that the actual term 'witch
hunts' became used metaphorically to describe moral panics in general. Even though the thought is
sickening to modern readers, the process of burning the accused was a legal act until 1750.

Witchcraft And Magic Became A Taboo
The use of witchcraft and magic became a taboo in early modern Europe. Most individuals living in
Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries believed that these witches could connect with a different
realm to influence the world they found themselves in, the natural world. There was no way of
pointing out a witch and so these arbitrary guidelines made by looking at stereotypes that outcasts
had, led them early modern Europe into the witch hunts, where unfair trials meant the lives of
innocent individuals were lost. Through the documents found in The Trial of Tempel Anneke, the
use of witchcraft and other forms of sorcery were sought after to aid in time of need, but the actual
practice of witchcraft and use magic were frowned upon by Christians who linked this practice to
Satan and would culminate with the witch's death after an unfair trial.
For those individuals living in Brunswick during the seventeenth century, it was socially acceptable
to go to witches for help. These witches were seen as unconventional healers, who used herbs as
remedies to treat different ailments. While these remedies were unusual to most, their effectiveness
kept bringing back those who sought a witches services. Even though it was acceptable for
individuals to seek the help of a witch, it was frowned upon for a witch to use magic or any form of
sorcery to aid individuals. The people who turned to witches for help were barely punished, but the
witch in question was severely punished as evidenced by

As I Lay Dying And The Crucible Essay
In As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner and The Crucible by Arthur Miller, women are perceived in
ways that fit the time period they are written in. The Crucible deals with women being accused of
witchcraft and regarded as witches. In As I Lay Dying the few women in the story, are not highly
regarded or of high status. Both authors depict women in different ways, but with similar attitude
towards women. Even though The Crucible and As I Lay Dying were works from different time
periods, the portrayal of women in both works have similarities. Although women are regarded as
low importance in As I Lay Dying, women play a key role in in The Crucible. There is a contrast
between how women are regarded in the two works. In his novel William ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
We have all manner of licentious people in the village!'" (Miller 41). The possibility of witches
being present in the village, especially in his own home brings immense trouble. In Faulkner's
novel, Addie's dying wish is to be buried in Jefferson, requiring her family to go on a troublesome
journey. This puts a burden on her family, requiring them to put their lives on hold and complete her
wish. With this continuing idea, Anse finds it necessary to try to fulfill his dying wife's wish, "'I
done my best' I says. 'I tried to do as she would wish it...'" (Faulkner 106). Throughout both works,
everyone's lives are centered around the female characters. Faulkner and Miller both use symbols
and dialogue to reveal how they personally perceive women and how they portray women through
their works. In As I Lay Dying William Faulkner uses a coffin to symbolize that Addie is dying, this
shows that she is of little regard or usefulness to the household. Faulkner's female characters have
much fewer entries than the male characters, this results with a more dominant male force where we
see their views of the women. Faulkner himself appears to be uncomfortable with women, and the
idea of women playing a major role. "Faulkner's discomfort with women and disdain for "weak"
men evolved under the lens of gender criticism into his examination of the roles our culture asks us
to play because of our biological sex." (Towner 100). In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses

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