Oh Bonnie, I love this piece! I also feel a deep draw to examine the ancestral wounds of the witch hunts. I love this point- "Those who were killed as witches were NOT witches, they weren’t part of some strong and secret coven" and it reminds me of how many people became accusers in order to protect their own families from being accused. It seems more likely that we are the descendants of their guilt and betrayal, and how that informs our generational stories of staying small, not calling attention to ourselves, and not trusting other women. We can't heal what we can't see.
Thank you! It is so easy to paint it purely as bad men victimizing strong women, and there’s something empowering in trying to reclaim that, but as with most things, it is so much more endlessly complex than that, and simplifying it doesn’t do justice to all the people whose lives were lost or irrevocably changed by accusations and suspicions. Thanks for reading!
Really interesting - I'm looking forward to your novel! Just wondering do you know Spelt Magazine? Your writing would be perfect for it - submissions are open until 31st May xx
Thank you! That novel’s not the one I’m currently working on (!), but I will definitely come back to it. I don’t know Spelt but I will definitely have a look - thanks so much for the tip!
What a very odd remark. Quite annoying when strange men feel entitled to comment on women’s behavior and label them as witch-adjacent…though that just begs the question: what’s wrong with witches? I mean, some women are witches, so what—? People can be so strange. Your swimming adventures sound lovely.
This us such a beautiful piece Bonnie. I read it last week when i was on holiday and remembered I need to come back to it to reply. And what a creepy guy. I hate moments like that when the incident is so subtle yet also so aggressive you are not sure you can even be angry about it - yet you carry it with you.
I am sure you have come across it in your research - but if not I will find it - there is a really good piece of research on Scottish witches by an edinburgh uni project. I found it fascinating - esp as a land and gender researcher - how many of the women who were accused of witchcraft were land owners and therefore powerful.
Oh Bonnie, I love this piece! I also feel a deep draw to examine the ancestral wounds of the witch hunts. I love this point- "Those who were killed as witches were NOT witches, they weren’t part of some strong and secret coven" and it reminds me of how many people became accusers in order to protect their own families from being accused. It seems more likely that we are the descendants of their guilt and betrayal, and how that informs our generational stories of staying small, not calling attention to ourselves, and not trusting other women. We can't heal what we can't see.
Thank you! It is so easy to paint it purely as bad men victimizing strong women, and there’s something empowering in trying to reclaim that, but as with most things, it is so much more endlessly complex than that, and simplifying it doesn’t do justice to all the people whose lives were lost or irrevocably changed by accusations and suspicions. Thanks for reading!
I love this interpretation Jes. I hadn’t thought of that angle before and I agree. That explains a lot the kinds of teaching I received.
Wonderfully written and expressed.
Thank you Jenny!
I do so agree with what you say. Our choice of words and use of language do matter!
They do! It’s so easy to say little things don’t matter, but those little things build up into an all pervasive picture!
Really interesting - I'm looking forward to your novel! Just wondering do you know Spelt Magazine? Your writing would be perfect for it - submissions are open until 31st May xx
Thank you! That novel’s not the one I’m currently working on (!), but I will definitely come back to it. I don’t know Spelt but I will definitely have a look - thanks so much for the tip!
What a very odd remark. Quite annoying when strange men feel entitled to comment on women’s behavior and label them as witch-adjacent…though that just begs the question: what’s wrong with witches? I mean, some women are witches, so what—? People can be so strange. Your swimming adventures sound lovely.
This us such a beautiful piece Bonnie. I read it last week when i was on holiday and remembered I need to come back to it to reply. And what a creepy guy. I hate moments like that when the incident is so subtle yet also so aggressive you are not sure you can even be angry about it - yet you carry it with you.
I am sure you have come across it in your research - but if not I will find it - there is a really good piece of research on Scottish witches by an edinburgh uni project. I found it fascinating - esp as a land and gender researcher - how many of the women who were accused of witchcraft were land owners and therefore powerful.