Stereotypes On Witchcraft

Wicca has always been a religion that I have always found interesting. I think when people think of Wicca, their minds automatically go to witches, magic, being against God, evil, satanic. I think there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the religion. I think Paganism and Wicca caught my attention with movies like The Craft or Practical Magic. I had cousins who were not allowed to watch things like that because it was “Evil.” I have never felt this way and I thought this was a religion I wanted to learn something more about. I think the negative misconceptions outway the actual truth when it comes to this religion. I think people tend to be afraid of the unknown and tend to learn what they know about religions from movies and Social Media.

During the late fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries, thousands of individuals were persecuted as witches. It was thought that these individuals practiced black magic and performed evil deeds, the deeds of the devil. This all happened during a time of great change in Europe, during the time of the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the consolidation of national governments. They were persecuted for a variety of reasons, but three major ones were religious reasons, social prejudices, and the economic greed of the people. Religious leaders such as Martin Luther and John Calvin influenced the ideas of their followers. Religion dominated the time period and it’s easy to see how many opinions

Witchcraft is the use of magical powers. Witchcraft is often regarded as “black” magic. The article called “The Salem Witch Trials: 1692-1693” states that “[s]ince the early fifteenth century, so-called witch panics had periodically swept across Europe, causing witch hunts, accusations, trials and executions” (“Salem” 1). Although some children and males were accused, the greater part of the arraigned individuals were female (“Salem” 1). A debatable amount of around forty thousand individuals were implicated and executed as witches between fourteen hundred and seventeen hundred and fifty (“Salem” 1). Although the causes of the witchcraft hysteria are debatable, there are three widespread and favored explanations for the hysteria within

Idea of witches date back to the Renaissance and the period in history known as the witch craze.

As Peter S Beagle says, “You ever want to see real witchcraft, you watch people protecting their comfort, their beliefs.” This quote is saying if you want to truly understand someone, learn about what they believe in. It all began in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The accusations toward people who were thought to be witches was on the rise. These would not be the kind of witches a person would think about in today 's world, but women and men who were put on trial for witchcraft hysteria, which in turn caused mass hysteria. Based on the excerpts from Carol Karlsen and Laurie Winn Carlson, there are two main theories about the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria. One theory about the “witches” was crafted and explained by Carol Karlsen. She believed

Witches have been thought to be the servants of Satan for many years through their Sabbaths. “Specifically, it was thought in many parts of Europe that these women showed their subservience to Satan by becoming his willing sexual slaves.” (Klaits, p. 2) In many of the research works done through the years, that the sabbath is when witches became the servants of the devil. They would have orgies with the devil at the end of the rituals. A witch supposedly kissed the master 's rear as well. “They sing very obscene songs in his {Satan 's} honour..... They behave ridiculously in every way, and in every way contrary to accepted

During the 1600’s there were many opinions and lifestyle changes because of witches, this time period is slightly before and during the Salem Witch Trials. In any group of people with large numbers, there are always going to be outcast, whether it’s just a birthmark or a personality tweak. That’s just life. Well in the 1600’s if you were born with red hair and freckles and both ur parents were brunette and brown eyes, then you were considered and outcast and possibly even referred to as a witch. If you were socially awkward in any way or any kind of a social outcast then you would fall into the category of a witchcraft person. If accused of being a with many things were possible to happen, killed banished. Neither are very good alternatives but it is a choice. Most people think of a witch as an older women with a huge wart, tall black hat, and riding on a broom. However this is not

And most of us can understand why magic and witchcraft is a myth due to education and science that can explain things like bad weather through Earth rotation, pressure, temperature, etcetera. So responses from today 's era towards the witches would be that of amusement through the language used, "Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog..." As time passes, humans evolve which allows a difference to appear from responses to the witches from the 16th century and now.

Imagine living in a world where being yourself could get you accused and arrested under the suspicion that you are a witch. During the Salem Witch Trials, in the late seventeenth century, that is exactly what happened. Citizens had been accused of using witchcraft, and then after their trial they would most likely be put in jail. In a few cases these citizens were even hung. This society, the Puritans, believed that anything that went against their code, or morals was a sin. The Salem Witch Trials were a series of prosecutions against people who had been accused of witchcraft. This includes women, men, and the elderly for the most part. The Salem Witch Trials was a phenomenon that had been caused by the Puritans strict religious beliefs, social expectations, and the state of the economy at that time.

The witchcraft phenomenon of the Renaissance period was shaped by a wide range of cultural factors; witchcraft was not necessarily subject to a single cohesive idea or concept, and it was often instead a conglomeration of many different societal concerns, concerns which spanned through all spheres of society. Textual evidence from this period provides insight into the way in which witches were conceived, and how witches were dealt with, while visual images present a companion visualisation of the tensions, which influenced created the witch, and the imagery, which came to be associated with witchcraft.

The term witchcraft is defines as the practice of magic intended to influence nature. It is believed that only people associated with the devil can perform such acts. The Salem Witch Trials was much more than just America’s history, it’s also part of the history of women. The story of witchcraft is first and foremost the story of women. Especially in its western life, Karlsen (1989) noted that “witchcraft challenges us with ideas about women, with fears about women, with the place of women in society and with women themselves”. Witchcraft also confronts us too with violence against women. Even through some men were executed as witches during the witch hunts, the numbers were far less then women. Witches were generally thought to be

Karlsen tells of the Devil’s seduction in Witches & Historians, “But the erotic power witches were thought to wield over possessed females was only rarely explicit during possession; when openly mentioned, it was not the witch but the Devil himself who seduced female bodies and promised to satisfy women’s carnal desires.” (Mappen 121) The sexual appetite of witches was thought to be on the prowl for young girls and the unmarried to sign their name in the Devil’s book. Helping take part in planting the seed of evil on this newfound Garden of Eden the Puritans believed they inhabited.

Word of mouth was their most effective way of sharing information until the printing press was created, this invention revolutionized how information could be shared throughout the world, books were able to be mass reproduced and able to reach places that word of mouth may not have able to, but as is the case with most good things, evil people can use good things for bad. Large amounts of books were published that outlined the existence of witchcraft, stating that they were demonic influences involved, and offering ways for people to deal with it, as well as many embellishments. Some such publications were the Fomicarius (NIDER), Flagellum Haereticorum Fascinariorum (JACQUIER), De Lamiss (MOLITORS), and The Hammer of the Witches (MALIFICARUM). Publications like these perpetuated the hysteria into what we know refer to the witch craze/ which trials.

It is important to note that Wiccans are not the type of witches that are often portrayed in Hollywood films nor do they necessarily look as you have been taught to expect. Many turn to Wiccan or Paganism because they find their selves to be lost within their culture and society. Reasonings as to why the Wiccan lifestyle as a religion is charming to people is because they tend to be open to most with an open mind. Free thinking is encouraged and meditation is a regular thing to gain positive energy.

You made good summaries of the topic in this week. I also notice that the society of the day seems have some prejudice towards women. Women are too vulnerable to deal with those negative statements that are harmful for their survival in the society. I agree with you that some accusations are very ridicules and tend to develop to a wrong direction. For example, sick children are pretty common, while people associated the parents of these children with witchcraft. I have different opinions with you in regards to people's perspective on witchcraft. I think most of them did not believe the witchcraft is the root of the evil, instead, it was just an accuse to self-consolation.