Vexed with Devils: Manhood & Witchcraft in Old & New England

From the earliest beginnings of modern England, there have been stories of witchcraft and demonic possession. While most victims and so-called witches were women, history overlook the ways manhood factored into witchcraft cases. Vexed with Devils shows this hidden side and how cases of witchcraft centered on the role of men and patriarchal power, revealing how witchcraft trials had as much to do with who had power in the community as they did with religious belief. Arguing that gendered dynamics contested meanings of manhood and the struggle to maintain authority, this book shows how the decline of possession and witchcraft cases were not merely a product of change over time, but rather an indication of the ways in which patriarchal power had changed. (This title may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)