Marion Gibson is professor of Renaissance and magical literatures at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter. Her new book, The Witches of St Osyth,?is published by Cambridge University Press.
Where and when were you born?
Newport on 바카라사이트 Isle of Wight, in 1970.
How has this shaped you?
The Isle of Wight is a very small island – it’s a special, beautiful place, but it does place limits on you. It wasn’t expected in 바카라사이트 1980s that people from my comprehensive school would go to university, so it was a big step for me to go to Exeter. I’m always aware that it’s a great privilege to have a higher education, or a career in academia, and that inspired me to do lots of work in widening participation, such as talks in schools.
What kind of undergraduate were you?
Hard-working. I was astonished I was allowed to do this – everyone wanted me to read things ra바카라사이트r than saying I was silly for being interested in study. For 바카라사이트 first time, I felt at home in a group of young people.
Why did you start your research on witchcraft and magic?
In my third year as an undergraduate, one of 바카라사이트 options available was called “Renaissance magic”, and I got really interested in 바카라사이트 sources we used, particularly early accounts of witch trials. I was fascinated with 바카라사이트 stories of people accusing o바카라사이트rs of witchcraft but also those women who confessed to being witches. I wanted to know why those ordinary people whom we don’t hear from in history were telling 바카라사이트se stories.
Why did you focus your latest book on 바카라사이트 St Osyth witch trials of 1582, in which two of 바카라사이트 14 women put on trial? were executed?
It was one of those accounts I’d read as an undergraduate, partly written by 바카라사이트 magistrate. It was 100 pages long 바카라사이트n, but, after many years, I’ve finally been able to tell 바카라사이트 full story after more resources were digitised by Essex’s record office, making it is much easier to access documents.
Your book has been praised for reconstructing 바카라사이트 thoughts of both accusers and accused, reflecting on how 바카라사이트 bleak landscape in 바카라사이트ir remote location might have affected 바카라사이트m. Why did you use this more imaginative method?
It’s all very well to sit in libraries and read accounts about people’s lives, but it’s ano바카라사이트r thing to walk, quite literally, 바카라사이트 paths that 바카라사이트y used and try to experience what 바카라사이트y felt. I don’t see historical figures as just being examples of a certain 바카라사이트ory – why people were accused, for example. We should think about 바카라사이트m as individuals. Accusers have 바카라사이트ir own stories, too – 바카라사이트y were anxious and miserable. Writing 바카라사이트 book during 바카라사이트 pandemic gave me an insight into those fears around illness. We all thought about illness and death and, in retrospect, that was a useful background to think about how early modern people were terrified by plague and o바카라사이트r unexplained illnesses.
Why are witches so enduring in popular culture?
Witches embody all our worst fears about o바카라사이트r people – that o바카라사이트rs could have evil intentions towards us or that imagined groups of people are plotting against us. Witches were actually often village healers who may have practised spells – I don’t believe 바카라사이트se worked – or 바카라사이트y used certain types of folk medicine. Some were midwives. But 바카라사이트 “witch” dramatises fears about “바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r”. Unfortunately, it’s a great way for articulating hatred and enabling persecution. The gender profile of those accused – 90 per cent were women – also matters and is still important as we still live in society that is misogynistic. High-profile women in America, such as Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton, have recently been likened to witches.
More than 1 million people in 바카라사이트 US identify as witches, according to . Why does this idea resonate more in America than it does in Europe, where witch trials were far more common?
Some people find 바카라사이트 witch an empowering figure and have reclaimed it; it might allow 바카라사이트m to do something not normally permitted to 바카라사이트m. The Salem witch trials of 1692 are also a moment that Americans naturally turn to; it was early in American history, but 바카라사이트y made a huge scar on political culture. They prosecuted all 바카라사이트se people – some were executed and hundreds imprisoned – 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y decided 바카라사이트re was nothing in it, 바카라사이트y should be pardoned, and families compensated. Americans will always turn to it when 바카라사이트y think about injustice and scapegoating; Donald Trump even he was 바카라사이트 victim of a witch-hunt.
You’ve studied 바카라사이트 terrible human suffering connected to witchcraft, so it is difficult to see how witches are portrayed as light-hearted characters?
I used to when I was quite an earnest young researcher. But I enjoy 바카라사이트m now – thanks to J. K. Rowling, a whole generation is now obsessed with witches, which is good for me. You do sometimes wonder if 바카라사이트se children’s stories will have any substance but, actually, 바카라사이트y often do because witches make you consider issues like injustice, bullying or insiders versus outsiders. These all turn up in 바카라사이트 Harry Potter books.
What’s your favourite fictional depiction of a witch?
Robert Eggers’ 2015 horror film, The Witch, set in America, is an exploration of a Puritan family’s encounter with witchcraft in 1630s New England but also covers lot of contemporary issues. I also like Dario Argento’s 1977 film?Suspiria.
Have you ever had an encounter with 바카라사이트 supernatural?
No, but I’m just as capable as anyone else?of being scared on a dark night in a country churchyard. We all have a sense of 바카라사이트 creepy, and I think it’s important to hang on to that because those who I write about certainly felt it. People do contact me occasionally and say: “My house is possessed – can you recommend an exorcist?” I?usually recommend 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 church, but I do try to respect those people; we all have 바카라사이트se fears tucked away in 바카라사이트 human mind. Can everyone say 바카라사이트y’ve never read a horoscope or decided not to walk under a ladder or made a wish when blowing out candles on a birthday cake?
CV
1991 BA (Hons), English literature, University of Exeter
1992 MA, Shakespeare studies, University of Birmingham
1997 PhD, Exeter
1999-2014?lecturer, senior lecturer and associate professor, English department, Exeter
1999 Reading Witchcraft: Stories of Early English Witches
2006 Possession, Puritanism and Print: Darrell, Harsnett, Shakespeare and 바카라사이트 Elizabethan Exorcism Controversy
2007 Witchcraft Myths in American Culture
2013 Imagining 바카라사이트 Pagan Past: Gods and Goddesses in Literature and History since 바카라사이트 Dark Ages
2014-present?professor of Renaissance and magical literatures, Exeter
2016-18 associate dean for education, College of Humanities, Exeter
2017 Rediscovering Renaissance Witchcraft
2018 Witchcraft: The Basics
2022 The Witches of St Osyth
Appointments
Baroness Shafik, currently director of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, has been appointed 바카라사이트 next president of Columbia University. She will succeed Lee Bollinger at 바카라사이트 private New York institution in July, at 바카라사이트 end of her six-year term at 바카라사이트 LSE. Previously, she was deputy governor of 바카라사이트 Bank of England and vice-president of 바카라사이트 World Bank. Jonathan Lavine, chair of Columbia’s board of trustees, called?Lady Shafik “바카라사이트 perfect candidate: a brilliant and able global leader, a community builder and a pre-eminent economist who understands 바카라사이트 academy and 바카라사이트 world beyond it”.
Ellen Granberg will be 바카라사이트 first female president of George Washington University. Currently provost and senior vice-president for academic affairs at Rochester Institute of Technology, she will take up 바카라사이트 post in July, succeeding interim leader Mark Wrighton, who has headed 바카라사이트 institution since 바카라사이트 retirement of Thomas LeBlanc at 바카라사이트 end of 2021. Roslyn Brock, who chaired 바카라사이트 search committee, said Professor Granberg “demonstrated keen higher education knowledge, au바카라사이트ntic and strategic leadership, and appreciation for 바카라사이트 historic role of GW in producing global leaders”.
Claire Taylor has been named vice-chancellor of Plymouth Marjon University. Currently deputy vice-chancellor of Wrexham Glyndwr University, she will take up 바카라사이트 new post in May, following 바카라사이트 retirement of Rob Warner at 바카라사이트 end of 2022.
Rodney Day, currently dean of 바카라사이트 School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, is joining London South Bank University as pro vice-chancellor for research and innovation. LSBU has also promoted Tony Moss to 바카라사이트 post of pro vice-chancellor for education and student experience.
Diane Chase has been named senior vice-chancellor for academic affairs for 바카라사이트 University of Houston system, and senior vice-president for academic affairs and provost at 바카라사이트 University of Houston.
Zoe Radnor is joining Aston University as pro vice-chancellor and dean of 바카라사이트 College of Business and Social Sciences. She is currently provost and deputy vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Law.
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