© 2024 Rachel L. Shumate | All rights reserved.
Let’s play a morbid game and see if you would have been counted among the estimated 40,000 to 60,000 “witches” who were executed between (approximately) 1427 and 1782. I’ll naturally give you the benefit of the doubt that you’re not actually consorting with the devil (at least not on purpose), so let’s see what some of the characteristics are that could have gotten you either hanged, drowned or burned at the stake – depending on the date and country of the trial.
- Are you a woman? (My guess is, if you’re reading this, you likely are.) So, men were not immune to the accusations (or executions), but the vast majority of those suspected of, and killed for, witchcraft were indeed women (at least 75% or more).
- Are you antisocial or perhaps an introvert? I suppose if you don’t like being around people, then clearly, you’re evil and under suspicion. Us introverts are quirky after all.
- Are you “argumentative”? Back in the day this likely just meant you simply voiced your opinion, weren’t a doormat, had a tiny bit of self-respect, etc. Personally, I get argumentative just thinking about the challenges women faced in that era.
- Are you single? Thankfully, the stigma around being single is finally decreasing, and even being embraced, in our day and age. But in those days, ya had to have a man to be deemed worthy, don’t ya know. Women were second class citizens. And if you were a widow, it was even worse. I guess maybe they figured you offed your husband…?
- Do you have only a few, or worse… no children? (Not out of wedlock though!) Heaven forbid, you be infertile (or blamed for your husband’s infertility). A women’s only purpose on this earth is to pump out kids after all. (Please sense the utter contempt of this ludicrous statement.)
- Are you in the middle-class bracket or lower? Being in a low-class position could increase your probability of finding yourself on trial. – By the way, trials were mostly people accusing a “witch” of appearing to them in a dream, or “witnesses” claiming outrageous testimonies. Also, one of the means of determining if a person was a witch was to give them the “swimming test” (being bound and essentially drowned); dying usually proved your innocence. How lovely…
- Have you ever committed a crime? To put it into perspective, a speeding ticket or a parking ticket would probably count. Regardless if the crime was warranted (like stealing food because you’re literally starving), unless you had a spotless record, you might be sketchy…
- Are you middle aged? Most supposed “witches” were in their 40s and 50s. This makes sense to me because it’s around this phase of life that we typically become more confident (see below). Although, being younger or older certainly didn’t save you from scrutiny. (For instance, Mary Bradbury was in her 80s, and Dorothy Good was approximately five years old.)
- Are you stubborn? Back in the day it was definitely frowned upon for a woman to have a strong will. (Or really any will of her own.) My hard-headed self would be doomed.
- Do you have any birthmarks? Those were thought to be “devil’s marks,” of course. Nowadays, you could probably add tattoos to the list. Heck, piercings too. Got any of those?
- Do you have a different religion than the majority of your community? Political and religious persecution abounded. (The Puritans got the worst of it.) I’d like to think history will stop repeating itself and that we all get along better now, but I’m not so sure. Sigh…
- Are you confident and assertive? Women who tried to stand out or influence society were quickly defused and labeled as a witch. – Go figure. Today, we’re slapped with a similar label, but it starts with a “B” instead of a “W.”
- Do you have any neighbors experiencing misfortune? “Witches” were scapegoats and blamed for any number of hard luck incidences, illnesses, or disasters. Forget keeping up with the Joneses. You just better hope Bob next door doesn’t come down with a fever.
- Do you have any friends with any of these so-called traits? If so, you must be a witch by association. You know, the old adage that you are who you keep company with. (Actually, witch hunts aside, the latter is shown to be true, and surrounding yourself with successful and inspiring people tends to increase your own odds of success.)
So… Feeling crispy yet…? Quite honestly, I’m pretty sure I would have been tried and torched as a witch, had I the misfortune of living during that period of tragic history. How about you?
My personal takeaway on all of this… is basically, accusations of witchcraft were yet another way to subjugate women. (Yes, there was mad hysteria; and yes, men were tried and executed too, but women took the brunt of it because we were deemed weak, lesser, and easy targets.) Thankfully, we’ve come a long way. However, the persecution of women is ingrained in our society and going strong even today, though perhaps in less obvious ways. We still face a gambit of unseen injustices. Even so, I’m hopeful for a brighter future – for my daughter and yours. In the wise words of Jane Goodall, “It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.” Here’s to progress, and being a difficult and witchy woman!
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There’s a quote that goes… “Who knows why we were taught to fear the witches and not those that burned them – or those who stood by, watching.” (Attributed to Affinity Soul.)
🙂
