This is a translation of Jules Michelet’s La Sorcière, originally published in Paris in 1862. Michelet was one of the first to attempt a sociological explanation of the Witch trials. As time went on, the cult became institutionalized, which led to tacit toleration in some quarters. Michelet’s portrayal of the lone sorceress as a pioneer of medicine and science is also memorable.
Towards the end, a different kind of diabolical intervention is analyzed; the ‘possession’ of nuns in the 17th century, and how it was stage-managed by sadistic male clerics.
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