THE PURSUIT OF WITCHES AND THE SEXUAL DISCOURSE OF THE SABBAT
Keywords:
witch, witchcraft, witches’ sabbat, Malleus malifacarum, hegemonic discourse, inquisitors, inquisitionAbstract
During the European Witch Craze (c.1450-1650) tales of the "witches’ sabbat" circulated across the continent. These tales included lurid details of sex and debauchery conducted between women and demons, supported by numerous confessions given by accused women. However, historians have long noted that there is no evidence that any such "sabbat" ever occurred. This paper argues that the idea of the "witch" was a category of person created by a European clerical elite convinced that Satan was active in the world, and tales of the sabbat were generated by these same elites in order to spread awareness of what many viewed as a real and present danger. This concept was one part of a hegemonic discourse that many found useful for its explanatory power and its anxiety reduction benefits.
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