This essay illustrates many factors in Kent’s theory that address the witchcraft accusation is about belief of witches instead of misogynistic persecution of women. The analysis will include three claims that Kent makes in his argument. Specifically, the three major reasons the accusation of witchcraft is not female-targeted are: men have power over women and the society as a whole, and they manipulate such power; second, as well as women, men are also influenced by maleficium, and they practice some black magic and behave abnormally; third, some of the powerful men do dreadful things in their households, and they inflict damage not only on their wives, but also on local communities. I am looking into such topic because there has always been
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Kent mentions several times about the accused men are accused differently than women because they are powerful, as “The relationship between male witchcraft and the mediation of anxieties about male power suggests that we need to recognize that men gained reputation as witches because their accusers believed them to be powerful, not powerless.” (Kent, 298) This excerpt is from the case of Hugh Parsons. In the context, the accusers believe men to be powerful because men typically have economic power, ethics, and the image of manhood. These features of men are typically established and are gradually becoming the ingrained image of what men actually are. However, women on the opposite of the men become the image of powerlessness, since typically they do not have economic and political power, nor the influence on the society. How powerful men are considered as male witches is that they may express anxieties with their practice of power. (298) John Lowers says so because his theory supports the claim that men can manipulate the society and cast pressure on people by abusing the power to accuse people as witches, simply because they are powerful on a societal level. Moreover, the accusation of men as witches include their power not only in the society, but also in other aspects that involve the features of masculinity, as …show more content…
Maleficium is the Latin translation of evil deeds and harmful magic, and it is extensively used in the historical documents of witchcraft. The typical identification of witches is whether they practice maleficium. Because it is categorized as a harmful magic as opposed to magic that contributes to the good deeds, people who practice maleficium are commonly identified as witches. However, Kent’s theory supports that maleficium is performed not only by female witches, but also by male witches, as “But men were also accused of maleficium and were believed to perpetrate the black magic of harm and injury.” (Kent, 297) It can be interpreted as witches also practice black magic regardless of gender. Since both men and women practice maleficium, the witch accusation is not solely about misogynistic accusation. Furthermore, the influence of maleficium on men cannot be ignored. Such impact comprises the masculine role in witchcraft. It is said that, because of the influence of maleficium, men do not observe communal consensus, mutual obligation, duty, personal and public matery. Moreover, these male witches tend to be very selfish, assertive, and somewhat problematic because they marginalize themselves from the other people but still remain in affiliation with them. Such behavior ruins the masculine culture, and become
Kent mentions several times about the accused men are accused differently than women because they are powerful, as “The relationship between male witchcraft and the mediation of anxieties about male power suggests that we need to recognize that men gained reputation as witches because their accusers believed them to be powerful, not powerless.” (Kent, 298) This excerpt is from the case of Hugh Parsons. In the context, the accusers believe men to be powerful because men typically have economic power, ethics, and the image of manhood. These features of men are typically established and are gradually becoming the ingrained image of what men actually are. However, women on the opposite of the men become the image of powerlessness, since typically they do not have economic and political power, nor the influence on the society. How powerful men are considered as male witches is that they may express anxieties with their practice of power. (298) John Lowers says so because his theory supports the claim that men can manipulate the society and cast pressure on people by abusing the power to accuse people as witches, simply because they are powerful on a societal level. Moreover, the accusation of men as witches include their power not only in the society, but also in other aspects that involve the features of masculinity, as …show more content…
Maleficium is the Latin translation of evil deeds and harmful magic, and it is extensively used in the historical documents of witchcraft. The typical identification of witches is whether they practice maleficium. Because it is categorized as a harmful magic as opposed to magic that contributes to the good deeds, people who practice maleficium are commonly identified as witches. However, Kent’s theory supports that maleficium is performed not only by female witches, but also by male witches, as “But men were also accused of maleficium and were believed to perpetrate the black magic of harm and injury.” (Kent, 297) It can be interpreted as witches also practice black magic regardless of gender. Since both men and women practice maleficium, the witch accusation is not solely about misogynistic accusation. Furthermore, the influence of maleficium on men cannot be ignored. Such impact comprises the masculine role in witchcraft. It is said that, because of the influence of maleficium, men do not observe communal consensus, mutual obligation, duty, personal and public matery. Moreover, these male witches tend to be very selfish, assertive, and somewhat problematic because they marginalize themselves from the other people but still remain in affiliation with them. Such behavior ruins the masculine culture, and become