Summary: Symbols Of Evil

Witches: Symbols of Evil or Average People? Throughout the centuries, scholars, priests, and townspeople have changed their opinions of the defining characteristics of a witch. In their pre-modern treatise Malleus Maleficarum, Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger argue their definition of a witch (Kramer and Sprenger 12). They emphasize the term “witches” to represent women involved in dark magic using evil spells and temptation to inject misery into the lives of men (Kramer and Sprenger 14). Kramer and Sprenger then continue to state that witchcraft is futile without the Devil, a witch, and the permission of God (Kramer and Sprenger 12). However, the modern article “RELIGIOUS: Witches, not what you’d expect” from Meagan Bolds defines “witches” from a whole new perspective.
Bolds criticizes the stereotypical view of witches today stating that the term “witch” describes anyone who practices magic in any form (Bolds 1). She believes that witchcraft does not depend on gender, religion, or power (Bolds 3). While both texts discuss religion, they do so differently.
Bolds downplays the importance of religion in witchcraft declaring that a person of any religion, even no religion, can be a witch (Bolds 1). On the other hand, Kramer and Sprenger insist that witchcraft is futile without the presence of religion; even more, witchcraft is a crucial, sinful part of religion (Kramer and Sprenger 12). This proves to be strange because the concept of a witch has clearly changed drastically. During the time of Malleus Maleficarum, Catholicism was the main practiced religion (Kramer and Sprenger 16). However, many religions compose the world today. Therefore, the diversity of religion over time lead to more beliefs. Thus, diversifying the definition of a witch. Furthermore, Bolds contends that magic is not controlling great power; it is, in fact, subtly manipulating energies (Bolds 2). Kramer and Sprenger agree and add that a witch is only given the power God wants her to have; thus, witches hold a spot at the bottom of a list, in regards to power, coming in just above humans (Kramer and Sprenger 2). Hence, this implies that witches are feared as powerful even though they are considered rather
powerless. While both texts describe the detailed activities in which witches do or do not participate, they disagree on an important factor of witchcraft. In Malleus Maleficarum, Kramer and Sprenger proclaim that witches are female, and the worst crimes they commit involve diverting a man’s attention from his wife and urging him to fatuous lusts (Kramer and Sprenger 14). Bolds, on the contrary, defends that not all witches are bad people; she continues to argue that there are no limitations on the gender of a witch (Bolds 1). This is due to the fact that women have gained more power and respect in today’s society. Therefore, a woman is no longer referred to as being a scapegoat for a man’s mistake. All in all, the difference between Malleus Maleficarum and “RELIGIOUS: Witches, not what you’d expect” is due to the audiences and what the authors knew they wanted to hear.