Left Spellbound: A Final Reflection

I learned about so many different aspects of magic and witchcraft this year, from histories of magic to historic witch hunts and all the way through modern practices and beliefs. As the semester comes to a close, this final post shares the top 5 things that stuck out to me throughout our class (a tough choice to make).

1. The banality of modern magic– I grew up in a conservative town where a person certainly couldn’t express an interest in practicing witchcraft or any related occult belief without serious judgment. Even last summer I worried about reading Harry Potter in front of my family because I know some of them consider the series and its “glorification of witchcraft and wizardry” an affront to Christianity (though my efforts didn’t matter much in the end, because my Women and Gender Studies major got me called out all the same). More recently I saw a Facebook post about Satanists working against our Christian community. Always fascinated by stories of witches, I never much agreed with these sentiments, but I hadn’t fully considered just how benign neo-paganist movements are. I think some of the most compelling proof for the banality of witchcraft comes from the sacrosanct rule of neo-pagan systems– “magic must never be used to harm people, animals, plants, or the planet” (A History 274). Even Satanists, likely one of the most distrusted groups, aren’t evil (or inherently against Christians). While many assume that members of this group praise or follow Satan, this would directly contradict their primary tenant: the promotion of personal freedom, meaning that there should be no higher power than oneself. 

2. The association between witchcraft and feminism– As I mentioned in my first blog post, I associate witches and the early trials with feminist values and struggles. Now that I’ve gotten to dive deeper into witchcraft through this class, I have a better understanding of how the actual values of modern witches and other neopagans actually (not just metaphorically) connect with the aims of the feminist movement. Most directly, New Age followers believe that “in the New Age the current patriarchal world will be overthrown to create a fresh Eden” (A History 284). Striving to reach this period, then, requires a feminist fight to end sexist and patriarchal oppression. Satanists also fight feminist battles. Specifically, after the passing of Texas Senate Bill 8, which effectively bans abortions in the state after 6 weeks, the Satanic Temple filed a lawsuit that claimed the bill violated their religious belief in and right to bodily autonomy. Additionally, witches have become knowns to attend leftist and feminist rallies wearing full witch-dress (complete with pointed hats) and holding protest signs. Even fictional witches have become empowering role models for young girls and women against the patriarchy. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (one of my favorite shows) provides a good example, with a lead female who takes control of powers and the course of her life, eventually becoming the queen of Hell (bonus points to the show for also defying the idea of the “good” girl as the protagonist). 

3. The vulnerability of the accused– To claim witchcraft has not always been as positive as it is now, and in the 17th century, just being accused could mean death. No matter how limited one’s knowledge of the Salem Witch Trials, it’s hard to miss the fact that most of the accused and executed were women. What I could assume but didn’t truly know before this class was their level of vulnerability. The first three accused illustrate this well. First was Tituba, a female slave, probably the most vulnerable position one could have in this society. Then Sarah Good and Sarah Osborn– one an impoverished beggar turned away by community members and the other an outcast after she defied expectations for women in Salem’s patriarchal by inheriting her deceased husband’s property. I’m sure some of the accusers and citizens of Salem acted out of fear, but it seems very likely that others targeted the vulnerable for their own gain (for example, Osborn’s stepchildren who stood to inherit the property after her). Another interesting accused witch to consider is Mary Phips. Unlike the others accused, she had a relatively privileged position as the governor’s wife. It was this position that kept her from being tried and even led to the end of the trials when her husband banned spectral evidence as a result of her accusation. 

4. The slightly reasonable then pretty awful reactions of Samuel Parris– Coming into this course, I viewed the Salem minister strictly as a villain and instigator of the hysteria. I didn’t realize that he was fairly reasonable when the girls’ fits first started. He did not immediately jump to the conclusion of witchcraft when his daughter and niece started acting strangely, but (quite logically) consulted a physician. Even after the doctor concluded that they were afflicted by evil, Parris’ initial response was to pray and self-reflect instead of blaming others for the illness. It was only after other townspeople used a witch-cake to find the tormentor (a practice Parris condemned) that the minister asked the girls to provide names. While his early reactions make him seem not so terrible, Parris’ new approach was certainly awful. In addition, he may have acted selfishly (like others) in driving the accusations of so many. We discussed in class the monetary gain and increased sermon attendance that Parris probably experienced as a result of the witch hunt. To me, it seems possible that he didn’t start out with any selfish intentions but later did enjoy reaping the benefits of a hysteria-inspired congregation and may have perpetrated the trials for his own interests. Either way, his final actions were inexcusable, and he had no authority acting as a “peacemaker” between accusers and the accused when he played a large role in advancing the hysteria and continued accusations. I don’t blame the town for hating him afterward. 

5. The apologies for the Salem trials and executions– Speaking of the inexcusable, Parris’ “Meditations for Peace” sucked (plain as that). Nothing he said could have made up for her actions, but the statement he made couldn’t even come close. I will say that I had no knowledge of any form of apology from the primary instigators until reading The Salem Witch Hunt for this course (though I suppose Parris didn’t really claim to be sorry). When I saw their titles, I was especially excited to see what Parris and Ann Putnam had to say, but after reading them, I think the apologies made were worse than remaining silent on the issue. Neither actually accepted any culpability for the trials, tortures, or murders that took place. Parris blamed supernatural events, saying that God had punished Salem for human sin and that those participating in the trials were duped by Satan, effectively absolving all of them of all responsibility, as the trials were no fault of their own. Similarly, Ann Putnam claimed that, while she may have played a part in accusing innocent people, she was influenced and deluded by the devil and completely unaware. While it might be true that the girl was influenced by another (non-supernatural) power and didn’t understand the gravity of her initial accusations, it seems unlikely that this obliviousness lasted through 19 hangings. 

Overall, I so enjoyed this class and our readings, discussions, and presentations. I’ve been intrigued by witches and the witch trials since a young age, but they never seemed to be a part of our curriculum (after begging my 7th-grade history teacher for weeks, he allowed me to have a presentation on the Salem trials during an empty day of class). Now, I’m grateful for the opportunity to really dig into something that has interested me for so long. I appreciated getting to learn new things and gain more insights that shape my view of witchcraft and its role in the world throughout history and today.