“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” – Exodus 22:18
For thousands of years, humans have been fascinated by witches; magical creatures who draw from malevolent forces to subvert the natural order.
Witches and witchlike figures have been a pervasive presence throughout history and provide a fascinating lens through which to explore societies of the past and present – from mythical figures of antiquity such as Hecate, Circe and Medea, and the late medieval text Malleus Maleficarum, to early modern witch trials, Victorian spiritualism and modern popular culture.
Over the course of four stimulating lectures, this hybrid day school examines how witches have been represented over time – from the classical world to modern times. In doing so, we’ll unravel a cultural history with far reaching effects and ask: why do witches hold society in such thrall? How have ideas about magic and unnatural power intersected with justice, stigma and literature? And, what do historical manifestations tell us about the time in which they appear?
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT (UTC) on 30 October 2024.