In our class discussions,
we critically analyze the causes, effects, and parties involved in the medieval
European witch-hunts. At times, such as when viewing woodcuts and illustrations
such as the cover of our Kors and Peters book, depicted below, we also address
the concept of gender and the role that it played. We see that the vast
majority of those accused of witchcraft were females, the majority of those prosecuting
and investigating such accusations were males, and we see two stark contrasts
between the punishments awarded to these groups.
The word misogyny is
often used far more often than is necessary or than is appropriate. Yes, our
studies and texts in class primarily focus on those who lack a Y chromosome,
but it does not solely focus on punishing only those individuals. Misandry is a
concept that is often ignored, many don’t want to speak of the oppression,
contempt, and prejudice that are held against men throughout various aspects of
history and in our modern day. As opposed to labeling the entire scope of the
witch-hunts as being misogynistic, or misandristic, a much more adequate and
fitting term would be misanthropic.
In our Kors and Peters
book, we read the Malleus Maleficarum written
by Heinrich Kramer. In this text, which quickly became paramount to the witch
hunts, both men and women are described in how they succumb to the practice of
witchcraft, and goes so far as to explain and justify the reasoning behind why
women were more often accused, such as claiming “women are more carnal than
men,” “women are more easily swayed and influenced,” and “a woman falsely
accused Joseph which resulted in his incarceration because he refused to engage
in intercourse with her, thus they are more likely to act out in jealousy or
envy and turn to evil methods in order to achieve such means” (K&P).
Although there aren’t any
current studies heavily examining gender and the representation of each and
every accused individual in these hunts, in order to fully understand the implications
of one’s sex and certain body parts that they may or may not have, one first
needs to understand and come to view gender as more of a spectrum than a binary,
in addition to concepts such as human sexuality. Why does the Bible condemn
homosexuality and acts of sodomy? Why were such acts punished during these
hunts? If two consenting adults choose to engage in private activities, even if
one of those adults happens to be a demonic or evil entity, what exactly gives
the rights to these inquisitors and these magistrates to pass physical judgment
and execute, fine, or otherwise punish these individuals? Why were Catholics
able to prosecute Jews, Waldensians, and pagans?
Although the majority of
these prosecutions and interrogations were reserved for women, in order to
fully understand the implications and scope of the witch-hunts, men and their
roles as accused cannot be overlooked.
Image credits:
Baldung/Kors and Peters image:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Baldung_Hexen_1508_kol.JPG
Malleus Maleficarum image:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Malleus.jpg/250px-Malleus.jpg
Bibliography:
Kors, Alan Charles, and Edward Peters. Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History. Second ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001.
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