In the sixteenth century and seventeenth centuries it was women who were almost exclusively persecuted as witches. However, the witch craze has been subjected to surprisingly little feminist analysis. In Lewd Women and Wicked Witches, Marianne Hester reviews and develops revolutionary feminist thinking. Accordingly, she shows how witches can be seen as victims of the oppression of a male dominated society.Concentrating on English source material, the author shows how witch-hunts may be seen as an historically specific example of male dominance. Relying on an eroticised construct of women's inferiority, they were part of the ongoing attempt by men to maintain their power over women.
Author(s): Marianne Hester
Edition: 1
Year: 1992
Language: English
Pages: 256
Book Cover......Page 1
Title......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
Acknowledgements......Page 9
The introduction: the dynamics of male domination......Page 10
From men partially to men primarily responsible for women's oppression......Page 17
Men as primarily responsible for women's oppression......Page 42
Towards a revolutionary feminist approach: male sexual violence against women......Page 67
A revolutionary feminist approach: male sexuality as social control of women......Page 86
The early modern witch-hunts I......Page 116
The early modern witch-hunts II......Page 140
The accused and the accusations against them......Page 169
The conclusion......Page 207
Notes......Page 214
Bibliography......Page 223
Name index......Page 240
Subject index......Page 244
