WEEK 1  INTRODUCTION: THEMES, ISSUES, DEFINITION OF TERMS                                   

Wk I Reading:  Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons, Ch 1 (on stereotype), pp. 1-15;
                                                                       Ch 8 (on Margaret Murray), pp. 144-161
                        Levack, Ch 1 "Introduction,"  3rd edition, pp. 1-29   (2cd ed pp. 1-26)
                        Kors and Peters (2cd ed), pp. 42-47 (Augustine), 81-86 (St. Justina),

M 6/22      Introduction to course:  What was witchcraft?  Who was a witch?
                 Basic Themes: 1) witch beliefs versus witch trials  2) learned and popular levels of witch belief

T 6/23       Witchcraft as a belief system: anthropological approaches  
                                       Definition of terms: witchcraft, magic, sorcery, superstition

W 6/24      Discussion:   Cohn, Ch 1 and 8, also Purkiss Handout #1

Th 6/25      The Problem of evil: Judaic, Classical and Christian versions
                        READ: selections from Book of Job (Handout #2), and  Augustine, K&P 42-47

F 6/26        Christianity and Paganism: the conversion of Europe:
                        READ:  K&P, 81-86 (St. Justina)


PART I.      EUROPEAN WITCH BELIEFS FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE REFORMATION

WEEK 2     Reading: Levack, Ch 2, "Intellectual Foundations," 3rd edition, pp.  30-73;     (2cd ed pp. 27-67)
                                 Kors and Peters (2cd ed), pp 60-67 (Canon Episcopi),  115-132 (Vox in Rama)
                                 Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons, Ch 2 (on Devil), pp. 16-34
                                       Ch 3-4 (on demonization of heretics), pp. 35-78    
                                       Ch 6-7  (on ritual magic), 103-143; Ch 9 (on night-witch/striga), pp. 162-180

M 6/29     Early medieval witchcraft legislation (Handout #3) and Canon Episcopi
                Discussion:    Canon Episcopi, Kors & Peters, pp. 60-67; Cohn, Chap. . 9 (on night witch or striga)
                FIRST PAPER TOPICS WILL BE EXPLAINED,     2-3  page paper Due Wednesday July 8 

T 6/30     13th C Heresy and the medieval  Inquisition
                    Read: Cohn, Ch 3-4 (on demonization of heretics), pp. 35-78      

W 7/1      Scholasticism and Demonology:  Thomas Aquinas on demons

Th 7/2      Sorcery and Politics in 14th  Century Europe
                    Read: Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons, Ch 6-7  (on ritual magic), 103-143

F  7/3        FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY: NO CLASS MEETING

 

WEEK 3    Reading: Levack Ch 3 Legal Foundation, 3rd ed, pp. 74-108 (2cd ed, pp. 68-99);
                               Kors & Peters, pp. 133-37 (Bernardino), 180-204  (Malleus on women); 
                                  "      Nider, Formicarius, pp. 155-159; Innocent VIII, Papal Bull Summis desiderantes, 176-180     

**     Wednesday July 8  FIRST SHORT PAPER DUE  (2-3 pp) 

M  7/6     Scapegoating: Demonization of the Jews

T   7/7    Women in Middle Ages: Attitudes and images  SLIDE LECTURE

W  7/8    DISCUSSION:   What image of women emerges in sermons, treatises? 
                Read: Bernadino of Siena against women sorcerers: K&P, 133-137
                                        Malleus Maleficarum on women as witches: K&P, 180-204

Th 7/9    Growth of witch trials & witch theory in 15th century
               Read: Nider, Formicarius in K&P, pp. 155-159

F 7/10   The Inquisitor as Witch Hunter: Kramer and Sprenger, O.P.
               Read: : Innocent VIII, Papal Bull Summis desiderantes K&P, 176-180


 WEEK 4   Reading:  Kors & Peters, pp. 204-229 (Malleus on trial procedure);. 155-159 (Nider), 176-180 (Papal Bull)
                                 Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons, Ch 11-12 (witch hunt), pp 202-233

M 7/13    Malleus Maleficarum, 1486: Theory & practice of witch-hunting
              Read: Kors & Peters, pp. 204-229 (Malleus on on how to conduct a witch trial)

MIDTERM FRIDAY 7/17 COVERS MATERIAL THROUGH MONDAY -- UP TO MALLEUS

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T 7/14    Natural magic in the Renaissance learned tradition

W 7/15   Images of demons in 15-16th C. art: SLIDE LECTURE

Th 7/16  Reformation theology & the myth of Faust: read Marlowe's Doctor Faustus over weekend

F 7/17   MIDTERM EXAM IN CLASS (BRING BLUE BOOKS)  Covers material up to Malleus (through Monday 7/14)

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WEEKEND READING: Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus

PART II:   EUROPEAN WITCH PANIC OF THE 16TH & 17TH CENTURIES             

Week 5   Reading:  Marlowe, Doctor Faustus (read this before Monday class)
                    Levack, Ch. 4 "Impact of Reformation," 3rd ed, pp. 109-133, (2cd ed. pp. 100-124)
                                 Ch 5-6, 3rd ed, pp 134-203, (2cd ed pp. 125-184)
                    K&P (2cd ed),  pp  259-265 (Luther); 281-302 (Weyer & Bodin), -308 (Chelmsford)
                * Xerox Packet: #l Weyer, Bodin & Brenz  (will be available during Week 4)

M 7/20     DISCUSSION:   Marlowe's Doctor Faustus

T 7/21      Impact of the Reformation on European witch beliefs  Read: Levack, Ch. 4; K&P Luther 259-165

W 7/22     DISCUSSION:   16th century witch debate: Weyer, Bodin, Brenz, & Scot – BRING XEROX PACKET

Th 7/23   English witch trials: a separate case? Handout on English statutes  Read:: K&P Chelmsford trials, pp.302-8

F 7/24     Matthew Hopkins: the “Witchfinder General” and the English Civil War


WEEK 6     Reading:  :     Kors & Peters, witch trial documents:  pp  345-55, 359-67, 425-29
                                      Levack Ch 7, 3rd ed pp. 204-252 (2cd ed pp. 185-232); 
                                       Xerox Packet: Selections #3 – 4  Germany, France
                  Start reading Boyer and Nissenbaum for Week 7

M 7/27        Scottish witch hunt and King James Stuart (VI & I) Read K&P,  Scotland 318-322

T  7/28        The German witch panic  Read:  XEROX PACKET, #3 Germany (Trial of Walpurga Hausmannin)

W 7/29        German witch panic (cont.)  Read: K&P, pp  348-55 (Bamberg, Wurzburg, Bonn), 425-429 (von Spee)

Th 7/30       Witch trials in France and Switzerland   Read:  K&P, 345-48 (Marie Cornu), 359-367 (Suzanne Gaudry)

Fr 7/31       Possession and exorcism in France, England and Italy

WEEK 7       Reading:  Boyer & Nissenbaum, Salem Possessed;  XEROX PACKET #7 SALEM (Medical theories)
                                           Kors & Peters, 367-70 (Cotton Mater), 436-37 (Salem jurors)

M  8/3         Salem Witch Trials of 1692: The social context of witchcraft accusations

T  8/4          Individual appointments to discuss second paper topics: schedule will be distributed

W  8/5         Puritan New England : theological and procedural issues; historical interpretations
                        Read: XEROX PACKET #7 SALEM (Medical theories)

Th 8/6         What led up to Salem trials?   Discussion:    Boyer and Nissenbaum, Salem Possessed Part

F 8/7           What happened at Salem?      Discussion:    Boyer and Nissenbaum, Salem Possessed Part 2
                                      Kors & Peters, 367-70 (Cotton Mater), 436-37 (Salem jurors)

WEEK 8        Reading:
                      Xerox packet  # 5 Italy:  including benandanti  material from Ginzburg, Night Battles, pp 1-39, 69-97, 147-171 

M  8/10      Roman Inquisition trials in Italy: heresy versus "superstition" & witchcraft and benandanti

T   8/11      Benandanti as “counter-witches”  Read:  Ginzburg, Night Battles, pp 1-39, 147-171; Packet O’Neil  article

W  8/12      Spain: The Basque trials and the Spanish Inquisition
                                     Read:  K&P, Salazar, 407-419; XEROX PACKET #6 SPAIN (Henningsen)

 Th 8/13      The decline of witch trials: Judicial doubts and rules of evidence

Fr 8/14       SECTION DISCUSSION:     Boyer & Nissenbaum,  Salem Possessed:  What happened at Salem?         

** SECOND PAPER DUE MONDAY  AUGUST 17 TH  IN CLASS**

 WEEK 9      Reading: Levack, Ch 8-9, 3rd ed, pp. 252-308 (2cd ed 233-260);
                    XEROX PACKET #8 Skeptics (Cyrano & Malebranche)
                      Kors & Peters, pp. 402-06 (Montaigne), 429-35 (Bekker), 438-444 (Bayle)

M  8/17       SLIDE LECTURE: The image of the witch in European art

T  8/18        Decline of  witch beliefs: skepticism, materialism and the Scientific Revolution

W  8/19       18th -20th C:  Romanticism, anthropological field work, feminism, neo-paganism

Th 8/20       Conclusion & review: chronology, geography & explanations for witch trials

F  8/21       FINAL EXAM IN CLASS