Devil in the Shape of a Woman - Softcover

Karlsen, Carol F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0679721843 ISBN 13: 9780679721840

Publisher: Vintage Books, 1989

Synopsis

Confessing to "Familiarity with the Devils." Mary Johnson, a servant, was executed by Connecticut officials in 1648. A wealthy Boston widow, Ann Hibbens, was hanged in 1656 for casting spells on her neighbors. In 1662, Ann Cole was "taken with very strange Fits," and fueled an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in Hartford a generation before the notorious events in Salem took place. The witch-hunting hysteria that seized New England in the late seventeenth century still haunts us today. Why were these and other women likely witches? Why were certain people vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft and possession? In this fascinating work, Professor Carol Karlsen of the University of Michigan draws a compelling, richly detailed portrait of the women who were persecuted as witches. And in what Kirkus Reviews calls "an enlightening contribution to U.S. historical studies." The Devil in the Shape of a Woman gives us an unforgettable look at a society in transition, where fears and witch hunts were manifestations of much deeper sexual, religious, and economic tensions.

About this title

Review

A remarkable achievement. The 'witches' come alive in this book, not as stereotypes, but as real women living in a society that suspected and feared their independence and combativeness.--Mary Beth Norton, Mary Donlon Alger Professor of American History, Cornell University

Synopsis

Analyzes the belief in witchcraft in colonial times, looks at the characteristics of those charged and their accusers, and discusses Puritan attitudes toward women.

Edition details

• Publisher: Vintage Books
• Publication date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679721843
• ISBN 13: 9780679721840
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 360