The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England

The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England (1987)
By Carol Karlsen

Synopsis: This book seeks to answer the question: why were most accused witches women? It does this by tracing the rise of witchcraft accusation in New England from 1620-1725, and utilizes some case studies as well as providing a general in order to detect patterns and to extract evidence. Taking a feminist perspective, Karlsen argues that it was their situation (as victims of demographic accidents) rather than their behavior that led women to be accused as witches. The biggest constant was that most of the accused witches were women in positions to inherit property (i.e. through an absence of male heirs). Most accused women were over 40, and the three main sins accused of were: "1) explicitly religious sins directed against God or his emissaries on earth - the church and ministers, 2) sins of a mixed religious and sexual nature committed against other members of the community, and 3) predominantly sexual sins against order and processes of nature" (120). Most accused witches were those who challenged their lot in life - they challenged authority. Puritans felt that "women who failed to serve men failed to serve God" - hence accusations of witchcraft were hurled at independent women.

Interesting Specifics:

"Most accused witches were women who symbolized the obstacles to property and prosperity" (217).

"The New England possessed were rebelling against pressures to internalize stifling gender and class hierarchies" (250-51).

Interacts With:
Salem Possessed ("troublesome" women as targets), Entertaining Satan
Challenges to consensus/homogeneity; threat to the stable order results in witchcraft accusations