Dissertations@Portsmouth - Details for item no. 13696
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Marmara-Salter, Shannon (2021) ‘A true and just relation’ of the male witch figure in the late-sixteenth to mid-seventeenth century: in what ways did demonologists and gender constructs influence witchcraft accusations and how did this result in men constituting the minority of those accused?. (unpublished BA dissertation), University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth
Abstract
This dissertation will address the conceptual framework and experiences of male witches in England from the late-sixteenth to the mid-seventeenth century. Gender historians of witchcraft have tended to focus on the experiences of women and why so many were accused. These same scholars often briefly refer to male cases, but then ignore why there were not as many. Using demonologies and popular pamphlet literature, this dissertation aims to address the cases of these male witches within a conceptual framework provided by contemporary intellectuals. Awareness of gender roles and expectations within early modern England affected the daily lives of men and women at all levels of society. Therefore, it will investigate biological and social understandings of gender in order to anyalyse the differences in male and female witches. The English Civil war served to amplify anxieties surrounding masculinities and manhood, providing a period of time whereby a witch was considered to be a person of any gender that was in agreement with the devil.
Subsequently, this work will argue that in terms of intellectual witch figures, men and women were equally susceptible to the Devil’s influence. In regards to the sexualised nature of female cases, men also experienced this to a latter extent. However, the vast difference in figures of accusations were arguably because of the protection and instability of masculinity and patriarchal power at this time. Therefore, it will argue that the crime of witchcraft was not inherently gendered, but the ability of the different genders to prevent or deal with accusations differed vastly. It was much harder to accuse a man within a patriarchal society because of their elevated position. Thus when they were accused, this was likely because of a failure on their behalf to maintain their masculinity and honour leaving them vulnerable.
Course: History - BA (Hons) - C1087
Date Deposited: 2021-07-27
URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13696.html