The Misogyny of Witchcraft

The beginning of the end

By the end of the 17th century, the zealotry over witch trials was starting to come under scrutiny. In addition, the beginning of the Enlightenment saw an increasing number of writers presenting arguments not only against witch trials, but also against the validity of witchcraft, and witchcraft as heresy. Many of these writers were responding to the instances of mass executions that resulted from panics about witchcraft. Some of these events had led to judicial reforms in parts of Europe, which in many ways can be viewed as the beginning of the decline in witch trials.
 

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