Witchcraft Essay

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Recommended: Witchcraft in the late 16th early 17th century

Witchcraft was practiced and believed in, ages before Christianity first appeared. However, it did not fade away with the introduction of Christianity in the sixth century. Even though it was presented and seen as a crime it was not treated as one. The existence of witches and their terrifying abnormal powers in the Elizabethan-Jacobean period prompted the belief in superstitions like: Witches can fly, which clarified how they could get immediately to the desired and far destinations in a blink of an eye, they were also admitted to preserve Crows, Bats, and Mice in order to use them for malicious spells. Anne Boleyn, mother of Queen Elizabeth was surprisingly blamed for witchcraft because most people at that time believed that a sixth finger was developing on her fifth finger. Also, she had a noticeable and strangely looking mole on her neck. In the age of Shakespeare, witchcraft started to be considered more seriously as the authorities penalized anyone connected to this evil deed, viewing witchcraft as an insult to their Christianity. Scot Reginald defines witchcraft as
“witchcraft is in truth a cousening art, wherin the name of God is abused “ ( scot 397)
During this time a lot of witches were tortured and killed as a model for society and undiscovered witches, to prevent any future attempts to practice this evil deed and eventually ...

... middle of paper ...

...ainly for his different way and style in addressing and incorporating the supernatural along with the Greek myths in his writings.
To Seneca is usually attributed the introduction of the ghost and the chorus, the division of the play into five acts, as well as the introduction of various themes, such as revenge...but in the general management of his subjects, Seneca makes many of (Boyer 13-14)
This illustrates the importance and influence of Seneca on the Elizabethan literature and especially his various contributions in the division of the play into five acts and the incorporation of various shocking yet familiar themes for the Elizabethans, mostly of the supernatural into his literary work. The most remarkable association between Seneca and most of the Elizabethan writers is the revenge tragedy, which is presented with a character;

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