CSC: The Devil Made Me Do It

Coastal Senior College Presents: “The Devil Made Me Do It!” Understanding the Witch-Craze and Persecutions in Early Modern Society

8 Thursdays,  1:00 – 4:00  September 26 – November 14

What was witchcraft? Who were the witches? Were any men persecuted? Was there a gender issue involved in persecutions? Why were some people accused of witchcraft?  Why was there a dramatic upsurge in numbers of accusations and trials in the 16^th and 17^th centuries? What was sorcery? Did it differ from witchcraft? What about Magic? What is hysteria? These are questions that have fascinated historians for the last forty years. Few issues in the early modern world have been more studied. And there are almost as many theories about witchcraft in early modern Europe and Colonial New England as there are historians of the subject. Through reading, discussion and film, we will examine some of the most famous cases of witchcraft and possession by the devil and what historians have said about them.  Students should contact the instructor by e-mail for the suggested books at charmeme1934@gmail.com  Class Limit: 40

Instructor Charmarie Blaisdell holds a Ph.D. in Early Modern European History, an M.A. in Medieval History and a B.A. in Art History.  She taught both traditional and adult learners at Northeastern University for 35 years, and was twice the recipient of the University’s award for Excellence in Teaching. Her course repertoire includes Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation history and the French Revolution.  She was one of the creators and first instructors of the first Women’s Studies course at Northeastern in the early ‘70s.  During her last five years there, she held a joint appointment in the Departments of History and Education.  She is a founding member of CSC.

Skidompha Library, Damariscotta

To register, visit https://coastalseniorcollege.org/register-for-csc-courses/