Spellbound: Witches, Witchcraft, and Witch Hunts
HCOL 41543-660
Fall 2024
Sadler 108
Wednesday, 2:00 PM – 4:40 PM
Education is not learning the facts, but training the mind to think.
—Albert Einstein
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
—Ben Franklin
A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who cant’ read.
—Mark Twain
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
--Joseph Addison
Dan Williams, PhD
Director of TCU Press and TCU Honors Professor of Humanities
Office[s]: TCU Press (3000 Sandage), Sadler 427
Office Hours: Friday, 8 AM- 10:00 AM, and by appointment (in person or virtual)
817-257-5907 office
Emails are usually the best way to reach me, and all emails from students are usually answered the same day. For appointments, please email before our meeting to be sure where I will be.
Final Exam: Our final “exam” will take place on December 9 from 2 PM to 4:30 PM.
I will email you this syllabus before our first meeting and as well upload it and other courses materials to our D2L site. I will also post grading points on D2L.
Student resources, policies, and information can be located at: https://cte.tcu.edu/tcu-syllabus-policies/
Course Description:
This colloquium will explore the cultural phenomena of witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts with a special focus on the 1692 Salem witch hysteria. Confused references to witch hunts are now commonplace, and this Honors colloquium will examine how such references evolved from the printed histories of historical events.
Belief in witchcraft and magic was widespread for centuries and in many ways supplemented standard religious beliefs. Today witchcraft is more prevalent than ever before. Wicca, part of the neo-pagan movement, is a fast-growing belief system that has countless followers worldwide, and Salem—once a site of tragedy—is now known as the Home of Halloween and celebrates Haunted Happenings, a month-long celebration, that culminates a witch parade viewed by thousands.
Far from being hunted down and eradicated, witches and witchcraft are now mainstream and marketable. Tragically, however, in certain parts of the world suspected witches are still being hunted down, persecuted, and even murdered.
Reading both primary and secondary sources (both print and digital), this colloquium will discuss historical beliefs in witchcraft and, as a case study, closely consider the infamous—yet baffling—events in Salem, where nineteen people were executed, another tortured to death, and several more died in prison. Since 1692, countless writers have offered interpretations, yet there is no single explanation to understand why, in a matter of months, several hundred people were accused of witchcraft in such a small geographic area.
Witchcraft is also a commercially successful subject in numerous popular media, such as fiction (both adult and children’s books), television, film, and now social media, and this colloquium will also study such popular depictions of witches for popular market consumption, reviewing well-known portrayals from The Wizard of Oz to Bewitched to Harry Potter to WitchTok (literally billions of viewers worldwide).
This is a 3-credit course and fulfills one of the Upper Division colloquia requirements. The only prerequisite is that you must be an Honors student who has completed the Lower Division requirements.
Required texts and videos:
A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, DK/Random House Penguin, 2020
The Salem Witch Hunt, Richard Godbeer, 2018
The History of Witches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-1fcjl5pWM)
The Burning Times; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMbGf1HGaSg)
Salem Witch Hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQhqTTeBB4
The Chilling True Story of the Pendle Witch Trials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wegs_uHDZiE)
The Real Story of Halloween: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9ltwRDR_4E
The Origin and History of Halloween: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T31hg85bqU
Additional Readings will be Taken from the Following Texts
(readings will be distributed in class prior to discussions):
Wonders of the Invisible World, Cotton Mather, 1693
American Witches, Susan Fair, 2016
The Penguin Book of Witches (2014)
A Salem Witch: The Trial, Execution, and Exoneration of Rebecca Nurse, Daniel A. Gagnon, 2021
Teaching Philosophy:
Honors colloquia are discussion-based courses, and active participation of some kind is required. All perspectives are valued and welcome. In this colloquium, there are no right or wrong answers, or dumb questions. I will not lecture, nor will I test for short-term memorization. I will present subjects, concepts, contexts, and situations, and I will do my best to engage you in critical discussions of course content. My aim is not to train you to think like me—but to motivate you to think for yourselves. Learning is a process of self-discovery, and you learn best when you are active and interested. Thus, there will be four different activities when you will be asked to conduct research and present materials back to the class. I ask you to actively contribute to the course’s success.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. A general familiarity with the historical development of belief systems in witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts, particularly as the phenomena and events took place in Europe from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries.
2. A general familiarity with the historical events that took place in Salem Village in 1692, particularly regarding gender issues and social hierarchy.
3. A general familiarity with selected primary and secondary texts discussing witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts with special focus on the Salem events and various interpretations of these events.
4. A general familiarity with depictions of witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts in art and popular media from the eighteenth century to the present, particularly in film, television, art, and social media.
5. Improved personal skills in critical thinking, reading, and writing.
Honors Colloquia Outcomes:
1. Students will integrate knowledge across different modes or domains,
2. Students will develop informed, course-related perspectives grounded in their identities, values, and academic learning.
Course Assignments:
Wednesday, August 21
Introductory discussion of course outcomes and requirements
Reading and Discussion: Short selections from Cotton Mather’s Wonders of the Invisible World (1692), including Martha Carrier’s trial. Text of 4 pages will be sent to you in advance
Wednesday, August 28
Initial Discussion: Witches in Popular Media and the Popular Media Assignment
A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, 12-47
Wednesday, September 04
Decisions: Popular Media Assignments
A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, 62-119
Wednesday, September 11
A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, 122-189
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, September 18
A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, 192-245
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, September 25
A History of Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult, 248-301
YouTube video: The Chilling True Story of the Pendle Witch Trials
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, October 02
American Witches, 89-119
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, October 09
The Salem Witch Hunt, 1-31
“Bridget Bishop, Tuesday, April 20, 1692” (from The Penguin Book of Witches)
“The Notorious Giles Corey, Tuesday, April 20, 1692” (from The Penguin Book of Witches)
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, October 16
YouTube video: Salem Witch Hunt
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, October 23
The Salem Witch Hunt, 49-61
YouTube video: The Real Story of Halloween
Witchcraft in
popular media presentation
Wednesday, October 30
The Salem Witch Hunt, 67-94
YouTube video: The Origin and History of Halloween
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, November 06
A Salem Witch, xiii-xix, 104-119
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, November 13
A Salem Witch, 247-271
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, November 20
Salem Today: Commemorating or Trivializing the Past
Witchcraft in popular media presentation
Wednesday, November 27
Thanksgiving Break
Wednesday, December 4
Class Performance—A Salem Witch Trial
Monday, December 9, 2 PM-4:30 PM
Final Exam—presentation of What-Have-I-Learned videos
Course Requirements:
1) Attendance and Participation. Discussion and participation are essential requirements of this colloquium. You are required to take an active part in the colloquium and to contribute to its success. In every class we will discuss the assigned readings or videos and related issues, and in nearly every class there will be some sort of in-class activity (brief writing assignments, group work, assigned research and discussions). Anyone absent will not receive credit for these activities. Missing more than three classes during the term will result in a class drop or failure.
2) Familiarity with the Texts and videos. A knowledge of the assigned texts and videos are crucial and expected. Please read and view. I have not assigned excessive amounts of reading or viewing, and I will expect a familiarity with the assigned readings and viewing for every class. While I will not quiz on content, I will expect that you demonstrate familiarity with our course content and discussions, and I will weekly assign participation point to those who demonstrated such familiarity. There are three ways you can do this: speaking up during class discussions, writing about content and your reactions in your blog entries, or talking with me during my office hours (in person or virtual).
3) Journals. Throughout the semester you are required to keep an online journal (a blog) and post a minimum of ten entries—five before Spring Break, and five after. In these entries you are asked to comment specifically on your learning experiences—particularly about what you’ve read in this course, but also more generally about all your learning experiences (both inside and outside of classrooms). In response to our assigned readings and class discussions, please describe what you found interesting, useful, and/or relevant in your learning experiences. You are also welcome to comment on what you did not find to be interesting, useful, and/or relevant. What you write is up to you, but I ask is that you honestly reflect on your learning experiences and assess the value of these experiences in terms of your own life. Entries should be a minimum of 1 page in length.
Where you keep your journal is up to you, but I strongly recommend that you use Google’s Blogger. It is one of the oldest blogger platforms, but it is by far the easiest. There is no learning curve. I will create a central course website using Blogger, and I will use it for course content and to link all of your individual blogs. My primary interest is having you keep a record of your learning experiences. I encourage you to reflect on the relevance of these experiences.
4) Popular Media Preview Assignment. Throughout the semester we will review popular media depicting witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts (primarily films, television, and social media (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok). Students will work in teams of 2 to preview, introduce, present, and discuss the witchy depictions in terms of our course’s subjects and themes. Each team will preview its film, tv show, or social media site in advance, choose up to 20 minutes of video, and then prepare brief introductions for each of the sequences they’ve chosen. The primary focus of their introductions and discussions should demonstrate how witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts were dramatized (marketed) for popular audiences and as well how these depictions compare to the historical representations in our primary texts. Teams may also offer critical assessments on their media’s overall quality, representations, techniques, and relevance. Instead of rotten tomatoes, our class will award broomsticks. Each team will present twice, and at least one of these will be on a film.
5) Witch Trial. At the heart of the Salem hysteria were the witch trials that resulted in the hanging of 19 people, the deaths of several others and the collapse of communities. As we will be reading historical and popular narrations of these trials, it seems only appropriate that we should hold our own witch trial. Midway through the semester students will choose a slip of paper out of a hat to discover their historical roles. These roles will include an accused witch, judges, jury members, witnesses, and confessed witches who confessed to save their lives. Once you have your role, you will have the rest of the semester research your role to prepare for the trial. Knowledge of the historical trials and a demonstration of your research and role preparation are expected. The witch trial will take place on December 4, our last class day.
6)
Final Class Assignment: What Have I learned
Videos. For the final course
assignment, teams of 2 students will be required to create and present a
brief video (8-10 minutes max) that offers a concluding reflection of the
team’s thoughts, observations, and experiences throughout the semester. There is no specific format or formula, but
teams are asked to reflect on what they experienced as learners that was
relevant. Teams may reflect on what they
liked or disliked, what they were fascinated with or repelled by—and especially
what they think were the most relevant things they learned. These videos should be engaging and
creative. Ultimately, each team must
create a video responding to one overall question: What are you going to
take away from this course? What ae
your actual outcomes compared to the course outcomes?
These videos will be shown on December 9, starting at 2 PM (our designated final exam slot during finals weeks).
7) Never Use the Non-Word “Very.” For the rest of the semester you are asked to exclude this non-word in your blogs, PowerPoints, and/or short in-class assignments. It is used so frequently that it has become meaningless. English has a rich vocabulary, and there are far stronger words to intensify thoughts and feelings. People who frequently use it demonstrate a lack of vocabulary. There will not be points taken away for its use, but there will be 3 extra credit points for never using it in your writing assignments.
For alternatives to the non-word, see:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/196117758769502967/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1477812373015523/
Grading Scale:
Attendance and participation 10 points
Journals 40 points
Popular Media Assignments 30 points
Witch Trial Performance 10 points
Final Presentation 10 points
Eradicating the Non-Word Very 2 extra credit points
Visit to the Kimbell Art Museum to view “The Torment of Saint Anthony” : 2 extra credit points
I do not ordinarily use the plus/minus system but reserve the right to use it to distinguish between exemplary work and good work.
Technology Policies:
Laptops and iPads are welcome in class, but I ask you not to use cell phones for anything during class time.
Writing and the Use of AI-Generated Writing:
Writing is an extremely important requirement in our course. I consider writing to be an act of discovery and a significant learning tool. You learn about your subjects, your thoughts, and ultimately yourself by writing.
Use of Chat GPT and other AI platforms are neither forbidden nor required. If you use it, I require that you cite its use as a source the same way you cite other sources used in your research and writing. Unacknowledged use of AI-generated text may be academic misconduct and/or a violation of professional ethics.
Keeping a personal blog tracking your learning experiences is your most important assignment in this course, and I expect you describe your personal thoughts, observations, and reactions to our course content and discussion. Chat GPT cannot do this for you. Your course blog is not academic discourse that you need worry over. Your blog entries should be a personal letter rather than anything resembling a formal essay. I challenge you to develop your critical perspectives and to be ambitious about your writing, but my primary challenge is for you to honestly reflect on your learning experiences.
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