Death by 'divelishe demonstracion' : witchcraft beliefs, gender and popular religion in the early modern Midlands and North of England
The last thirty years has witnessed a revival of scholarly debate surrounding the early modern witch trials. Despite this, there still remains a necessity for a gender history of the English witch trials, since those interpretations which address the question of gender in sufficient depth consist mainly of literary criticism approaches based on literary or pamphlet sources. This indicates a secondary need, for a study which examines non-pamphlet as well as pamphlet material, which establishes a wider picture of community witchcraft beliefs and demonstrates the effectiveness of gender theories by examining previously unresearched cases. This thesis examines an unprecedented range of pamphlet and non-pamphlet sources from the Midlands and the North of England, demonstrating the importance of examining material from under-researched cases and geographical areas, and presents a valuable contribution to existing knowledge of the subject. This theoretical and methodological approach has involved the challenging and developing of various interpretations of witchcraft beliefs. It is argued that social tension theories do not take sufficient account of the specifically female context of these tensions, or of the overriding
Bardell, Kirsteen Macpherson
Witch trials
Death by 'divelishe demonstracion' : witchcraft beliefs, gender and popular religion in the early modern Midlands and North of England. The last thirty years has witnessed a revival of scholarly debate surrounding the early modern witch trials. Despite this, there still remains a necessity for a gender history of the English witch trials, since those interpretations which address the question of gender in sufficient depth consist mainly of literary criticism approaches based on literary or pamphlet sources. This indicates a secondary need, for a study which examines non-pamphlet as well as pamphlet material, which establishes a wider picture of community witchcraft beliefs and demonstrates the effectiveness of gender theories by examining previously unresearched cases. This thesis examines an unprecedented range of pamphlet and non-pamphlet sources from the Midlands and the North of England, demonstrating the importance of examining material from under-researched cases and geographical areas, and presents a valuable contribution to existing knowledge of the subject. This theoretical and methodological approach has involved the challenging and developing of various interpretations of witchcraft beliefs. It is argued that social tension theories do not take sufficient account of the specifically female context of these tensions, or of the overriding
death witchcraft belief gender popular_religion early_modern midlands north_england witness revival scholarly_debate surround early_modern witch trial despite still_remain necessity gender history_english witch trial since interpretation address_question gender sufficient depth consist mainly literary_criticism approach base literary pamphlet source indicates secondary need study_examines non pamphlet well pamphlet material establish wide picture community witchcraft belief demonstrate effectiveness gender theory examine previously unresearched case examines unprecedented range pamphlet non pamphlet source midlands north_england demonstrate_importance examine material under_researched case geographical_area present valuable exist_knowledge subject theoretical_methodological involve challenge develop various interpretation witchcraft belief argue social tension theory take sufficient account specifically female context tension override