Attitudes about Witchcraft
Demonic glares, cackling laughs, pointy hats, curling claw-like fingernails, warts perched on their noses, pale sickly skin that contrasts to their black or deep purple clothing: this is the typical description of what most witches are perceived as today. Witchcraft officially began in England In the mid sass’s. Christianity was the dominant religion at this time In England. To be a witch, one had to sign a pact with the devil, often to worship him, which was heresy and meant damnation.
As society came more literate, increasing numbers of books and tracts fueled the witch fears. The Mallets Molecular, written by Kramer and Springer, was one of the most Influential books used by secular witch-hunting courts. Thousands of people (primarily women) were Judicially murdered as a result of the procedures described In this book, for no reason than a strange birthmark, cultivation of medicinal herbs, or simply because they were falsely accused (often for financial gain by the accuser).
The Mallets Maleficent serves as a horrible warning about what happens when intolerance takes over a society. During the Reformation, from 1500 to 1660, Europe saw between 50,000 and 80,000 suspected witches executed, 80% of those killed were women. One of these women was Isabel Goodie, who admitted to transmuting herself into a hare and confessed involvement with the Devil for 15 years. In the sass’s, witch-hunting, after a major outbreak in France, began to decrease.
England executed its last witch in 1682 and the world was changing along with new ideals brought about by the Enlightenment. It wasn’t until the 19th century that people Egan to see witches as healers. In Year of Wonders, the outbreak of deaths is blamed on a widow, Me Goodie, and her niece, Nays Goodie, who are the village’s herbalists and midwives. To test Me Goodie for being a witch, they throw her into a flooded mine shaft.
Once she drowns, they immediately begin to repent and call themselves murderers. Her niece is summoned from the village, and being more practical and skilled in medicine understands the situation, and immediately tries to revive her. After three breaths, Me awakens, and Nays, having raised the dead, is ragged away and asked to confess to her consort with the devil, and in attempting to distract the mob, she confesses and accuses the questioners of having themselves cuckolded by the devil.
Her ploy causes great confusion and furthers their hysteria, but does not work ? she is lynched moments before Rector Employing appears. Today, witches are viewed as both good and bad, one prime example being the Wizard of Oz (the wicked witch of the west and the good witch of the north), but they have left a significant mark on history and this period will be remembered wrought the ages. Attitudes about Witchcraft By federally Witchcraft officially began in England in the mid sass’s.
Christianity was the dominant religion at this time in England. To be a witch, one had to sign a pact with The Mallets Maleficent, written by Kramer and Springer, was one of the most influential books used by secular witch-hunting courts. Thousands of people in this book, for no reason than a strange birthmark, cultivation of medicinal herbs, or but does not work ? she is lynched moments before Rector Implosion appears.
