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Period: 1400 to
The persecution of witches
During this period, women accused of witchcraft were often healers, widows or poor women. These women were a threat to this patriarchal society because they had knowledge or independence. These women have been massacred and oppressed. -
1487
Publicaton of Malleus Maleficarum
This book is a manual written and used by the Church to identify and eliminate witches -
The Salem witch trials
This is a series of trials in the Massachusetts, during which many people were arrested and 19 executed.
It starts in february 1692 and finished in may 1693 -
Period: to
The witch becomes a figure of fear and fascination in ghotic and romantic literature
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Publication of the Tales of Grimm
In Hansel and Gretel the witch is depicted as an ugly, scary and sneaky old woman. -
La Sorcière by Jules Michelet
This book deals with witches in a new way, they are described as women oppressed by the Church and the State. Michelet proposes a vision of witches as free and rebellious in the face of patriarchy -
Period: to
The witch and the rise of feminism in the 20th century
In the 1960-70’s there were many feminist movements -
The birth of W.I.T.C.H
Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell is a feminist collective created in 1968 that uses the image of witches as a symbol of resistance and female power. They denounced the patriarchal and capitalist oppressions for example by public events like "casting spells" on Wall Street
Their slogan: "We are the granddaughters of the witches you couldn't burn" -
Period: to
The modern witch
The witch is now a modern figure of freedom, power and spirituality through social networks and media. -
The "witchy" culture reborn on social medias
Social media has popularized the culture "witchy". This aesthetic concept has symbols crystals, the moon, tarots, the use of herbs. In short everything that relates to the practice of witchcraft and the development of spirituality -
"Hex the Patriarchy"
This slogan is used in modern protests. Modern witches now represent the struggle against intersectional oppression and personal freedom