Misogyny and Magic: The Persistent Struggle for Autonomy from Medieval Witch Hunts to Modern Beliefs (Blog #2)

    While reading A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, I learned how connected misogyny and supernatural beliefs have been even before the Salem Witch Trials. This reading and my general interest in demons, gems, and crystals, have given me a better understanding of how gender, power, and the mystic have intertwined.

    Demons and witches were described as dangers to societal order, with women at the center of these fears. There was a shift of religious change during the medieval period. The increase of Christianity and Islam also increased the demonization of magic practitioners that were used to be accepted. Individuals who had held societal power were progressively marginalized since their practices were then characterized as evil, or "maleficium" (p. 62). Additionally, there was a gender attribute where women were commonly suspected of witchcraft, and their actions were seen as countering male-dominated religious and social hierarchies. The correlation of women with witchcraft was caused by misogynistic views that portrayed them as more prone to evil due to their "natural proclivity for evil" (pp. 115-116). The medieval belief that women who made deals with the Devil secured their powers through sexual relations with him reinforces harmful stereotypes about women's sexuality and moral integrity (pp. 115-116).

    This context is like the Salem Witch Trials as they were fueled by madness, panic, and subconscious misogyny, like medieval Europe. During the trials, complaints of witchcraft were based on more than superstition, rumors, or personal vendettas, with women being singled out and blamed for the community's fears and frustrations. The medieval beliefs discussed in the readings echo the same fear of women and the necessity to control them. Both in medieval Europe and during the Salem Witch Trials, women who displayed unconventionality were at risk of being accused of witchcraft and were met with consequences. This contrast shows us a pattern where accusations of witchcraft were less about actual magical practices and more about supporting societal power dynamics and gender roles.

     Outside the classroom, I’ve been interested in the belief that certain stones store protective or healing powers, which according to the text (p. 106), is a practice that dates to ancient times. For example, the use of amulets like the Eye of Horus or crystals like Jasper and Carnelian to repel evil or bring strength is a topic that continues in several forms today, usually in the context of spiritual practices and as the popularity of the evil eye, showing the continuing interest in these ideas which keep them relevant. The connection between physical objects and supernatural safety links to the notion that humans need to control what is out of our control.

     Studying the connections between misogyny, supernatural beliefs, and societal control demonstrates how these relationships continue through time. From medieval witch hunts to the Salem Witch Trials and today’s interest in protective symbols, the marginalization of individuals who oppose norms remains. This journey through history highlights the effort for autonomy and how it’s a remaining challenge that still influences the present day.

Comments

  1. williams.dan76September 5, 2024 at 12:06 PM

    Another great journal entry! Thanks, Jasmine. Your comments about the connections between misogyny and supernatural beliefs in witchcraft are quite correct. It's hard to imagine the world Heinrich Kramer perceived when he wrote Malleus Maleficarum, since it's generally antithetical to what we generally perceive today. Our whole course, in fact, is basically a history of misogyny. Women, especially marginalized women, were blamed for countless accidents and occurrences. Thankfully, there's been real change in the past one hundred years. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts and responses.

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