TOPIC: Witches and Witch-Hunting: Literary and Cultural Perspectives

4:00P-5:15P TR (15) 3 cr

What has it meant, historically, to be accused of sorcery? What role have witches/sorcerers
played in the evolution of literary history? These two questions will provide the foundation for
our reading and discussion throughout this course. We will initially look at witchcraft as it
appears in classical texts, Anglo-Saxon, and Old Norse literature. We'll explore the misogynistic
assumptions behind such works as the 15th-century MALLEUS MALEFICARUM (a handbook
for identifying witches). A good portion of the course, however, will be devoted to the witch
trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. We'll look at historical records as well as
recent interpretation of the phenomenon.

In addition, we'll examine the metaphor of the "witch-hunt," with particular emphasis on the
HUAC hearings in the fifties -- Miller's play THE CRUCIBLE will obviously be relevant here.
Finally, our discussion will take a fanciful turn -- we'll look at THE WIZARD OF OZ and other
representations of "wicked witches," ending (perhaps) with Gregory Maguire's recent book,
WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST.

There will be two short papers and a longer (10-12 page) final paper required.