unit 2: what did people believe in early modern europe believe about witchcraft? Flashcards
what did people believe?
> belief in the devil - witchcraft/control
chaos/disorder
control of the weather, flying on broomsticks, performing spells in a cauldron to cause damage, black vs white magic, casting spells
sabbath - met other witches at gatherings - perversion of the judeo - christian holy day
maleficium
rebaptising a male witch
sacrifice/voodoo
burning for witchcraft - germany capital punishment
black or maleficant magic: killing a person by piercing a doll made in his or her image
witch riding backwards on a goat by albrecht durer c.1500 - sexually perverse
goat was a symbol of lust and represents the devil
a tract (short piece of writing) written by william west in 1594 - what he believed
> witch was deluded by a pact made with the devil through his persuasion, inspiration and juggling
shake the air with lightnings and thunder, to cause hail and tempest, to remove green corn or trees to another place
‘lusts and lewd frolics’ - sex with the devil
intellectual opinion
male - dominant over women, able to learn, less susceptible to sin, less emotional, more rational. lead and participate in politics, education and a host of jobs.
female - inferior, emotional, vulnerable to passions, deceit and infidelity
religious opinion
male - husband’s supremacy in marriage was sacrosanct. stronger, dominant and superior. female - weaker and inferior, blamed for the fall of mankind from paradise due to eve’s actions in the garden of eden. st paul declared that women should be silent and submissive
family life
male - authority undisputed. provide and govern the household. female - submissive, manage the home, primary care of young children and work with their husbands in agricultural or industrial production. chaste and faithful
education
male - present in elite and urban cultures. elite - literacy levels were high. important for a good name. as middling increased, so did the number of schools providing education for boys of lesser means. female - not seen as necessary - chastity and fidelity were seen as more important. girls for elite and royal families were often well educated e.g. elizabeth l who spoke and wrote several languages fluently
leisure time
male - gathered in taverns and drink, gamble and talk. sporting activities connected with providing manhood, football, wrestling; hunting, cockfighting, bear-baiting were all popular. female - met at wells or washing places to socialise; spinning bees devoted to work and gossip - more important to maintain or destroy reputations. few women spent time in taverns; shared leisure time on holy days and festivals.
