Course and Reading Assignments: German 363. Fall 2008.
Click on the dates to get an outline for your lecture notes.
| Tu. Sept. 2 | Introduction,
Syllabus, Course Requirements & Objectives; Introductory Lecture: The
Image of the Witch (slide presentation) Read: Definitions; Guiley: “Wicca,” “Witches,” “Witchcraft”; Illustrations of Historical Images of the Witch. |
| Th. Sept. 4 | “Witches”
& the Old Testament; Transition from Paganism to Early Christianity
|
| Tu. Sept. 9 | Transition
from Paganism to Christianity: The Witch in the Norse Tradition Read for today: short excerpts from Munch, Norse Mythology; excerpts from The Vinland Saga & the Eyrbyggja Saga; excerpts about Gulveig taken from Padraic Colum, Nordic Gods & Heroes; “Freya” taken from Turville-Petre, Myth & Religion of the North |
| Th. Sept. 11 |
Medieval Concepts of the Witch & Demonization of Medieval Heretics Read for today: (typed summary) of laws indicating the legal “Transition from Paganism to Christianity” in regard to witches; Cohn, “The Myth of Satan”; Gratian: Canon episcopi |
| Tu. Sept. 16 | Redefining
the “Witch” in Early Modern Europe Read for today: Brauner, “The Modern Witch: Concept, History, Context” |
| Th. Sept. 18 | The European Witch Persecutions: Fear of Female Sexuality Read for today: Brauner: “The Malleus Maleficarum: Witches as Wanton Women” |
| Tu. Sept. 23 |
The European Witch Persecutions: The Malleus Maleficarum Read for today: Innocent VIII, “Summis desiderantes affectibus” (“The Witch Bull”); H. Kramer& J. Sprenger, Malleus Maleficarum, excerpts from Parts I & II |
| Th. Sept. 25 | Witch
Trials, Torture, and Execution Read for today: Malleus Maleficarum, excerpts from Part III (concerning trials and torture); “R. Lemp”; “The Witch-Persecution at Bamberg”; “The Witch-Persecution at Würzburg” |
| Tu. Sept. 30 | The
Reformation and the Protestant “Witch” Read for today: Luther, “St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians,” “Sermon on 1 Peter 34-6”; and S. Brauner, “Martin Luther: Witches & Fearless Housewives” (The reader contains excerpts. These links are the whole essay. Scan for passage on witches.) |
| Th. Oct. 2 |
Witches in Early Modern Europe: Protestantism vs Catholicism Read for today: Hans Sachs,“The Devil Married an Old Woman"; |
| Tu. Oct. 7 | In-Class Film Screening: The "Burning Times" |
| Th. Oct. 9 | Review of European Witch Persecutions & The "Myth" of the "Burning Times"? Read: Diane Purkiss, “The Myth of the Burning Times" -or -Sharpe, "Women Jurors" |
Tu. Oct. 14 |
No Class Today. |
| Th. Oct. 16 |
In-Class Test I: The European Witch Persecutions. A-L = ECSC II, 119, M-Z = TBA |
Tu. Oct. 21
|
Puritanism & Witchcraft Read for today: C. Mather, excerpt from “A Discourse on Witchcraft”; “Statutes Relating to Witchcraft in New England” taken from D. Hall, Witch-Hunting in 17th Century New England; and “List of Known Witchcraft Cases in 17th-Century New England” taken from John Putnam Demos, Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft & the Culture of Early New England; Godbeer, “Rape of a Whole Colony” from The Devil’s Dominion |
| Oct. 21. Make-UpExam I |
6-7.30 pm. Toom TBA. |
| Th. Oct. 23 | Witchcraft Trials in 17th-Century New England (Before the Salem Trials) |
| Tu. Oct. 28 | Possession, Affliction, and Religious Conversion in Salem Read for today: "1692: Some New Perspectives” from Boyer & Nissenbaum, Salem Possessed; Karlsen, “Brands Plucked Out of the Burning” from Devil in the Shape of a Woman. |
Th. Oct. 30
|
Salem Possessed: Salem Town v. Salem Village/Factionalism |
| Tu. Nov. 4 | Fictional Representations of Salem: Arthur Miller’s Drama The Crucible Read for today: Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible (not the film script/movie version!) |
Th. Nov. 6 |
Tituba; Racial Otherness & Witch Beliefs
|
| Tu. Nov. 11 | Holiday. No Class Today. |
Wed. Nov. 12 |
European Folklore & Folk Beliefs |
| Th. Nov. 13 | In-Class Examination II: New England Witch Trials. A-L = Room TBA, M-Z = ECSC II, 119 No Assignment. |
Tu. Nov. 18 |
Image of the Modern Witch: Brothers Grimm & Fairy Tales Read for today: Brothers Grimm, original and revised versions of “Hansel und Gretel,” “Snow White,” and “Brier Rose” |
Th. Nov. 20
|
The Teen-Aged Media Witch: Buffy/Willow, Sabrina, etc. Read for today: Gibson, tba |
Tu. Nov. 25
|
Introduction to Modern Neo-Paganism (Professor Cocalis) Read for today: Guiley, "Witchcraft"; excerpts from Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon |
| Tu. Dec. 2 | Modern Neo-Paganism. Laura Wildman-Hanlon, HPs |
| Th. Dec. 4 | Modern Neo-Paganism. Laura Wildman-Hanlon, HPs |
| Tu. Dec. 9 | Modern Neo-Paganism. Laura Wildman-Hanlon, HPs |
| Th. Dec. 11 | Last Class.Modern Neo-Paganism. Laura Wildman-Hanlon, HPs and guests No Assignment. |
| alternate date | Final Examination, Room TBA |
| as scheduled | Final Examination, Room TBA |