Lewd Women and Wicked Witches : A Study of the Dynamics of Male Domination

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. During the 1970s and 1980s feminists increasingly came to recognise how the eroticisation of women's inferiority, and male sexual violence are both central to the maintenance and perpetuation of male power over women. These issues were largely taken up by radical and especially revolutionary feminists. Marianne Hester, in this book, attempts to explain how women's experience of male sexual violence, through rape and sexual abuse, can lead to an understanding of male power over women. Her analysis also helps us to understand male power in other historical periods.The book focuses on two very separate events and periods: the development of a revolutionary feminist theory of sexuality in response to male sexual violence in the present day, and the withch hunts of early modern England. While stressing the socio-historical specificity and distinct characteristics of men's and women's lives within the twentieth century on the one hand and the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries on the other, she argues that the witch hunts may be seen as an historically specific example of male violence. Relying on an eroticised construct of women's inferiority they were a part of the ongoing attempt by men to maintain their power over women. This Book Focuses On The Development Of Revolutionary Feminist Theory Of Male Sexual Violence In The Present Day, And The Witch Hunts Of Early Modern Europe, In An Analysis Of Male Power Over Women. 1. The Introduction: The Dynamics Of Male Domination -- 2. From Men Partially To Men Primarily Responsible For Women's Oppression -- 3. Men As Primarily Responsible For Women's Oppression -- 4. Towards A Revolutionary Feminist Approach: Male Sexual Violence Against Women -- 5. A Revolutionary Feminist Approach: Male Sexuality As Social Control Of Women -- 6. The Early Modern Witch-hunts I -- 7. The Early Modern Witch-hunts Ii -- 8. The Accused And The Accusations Against Them -- 9. The Conclusion. Marianne Hester. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [214]-230) And Indexes. 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