Hirsuta et cornuta cum lancea trisulcata
Hirsuta et cornuta cum lancea trisulcata

Three Stories of Witchcraft and Magic in Twelfth-Century Britain

Author(s): Francesco Marzella
Subject(s): History, Middle Ages, Theology and Religion
Published by: Trivent Publishing
Keywords: Witchcraft; Hagiography; Arthurian Legend; Anglo-Latin Literature; Geoffrey of Monmouth; William of Malmesbury
Summary/Abstract: This paper investigates the perception of witchcraft and magic in three Latin literary sources that were written or circulated in twelfth century Britain. The study focuses on both historical and narrative aspects, stressing how the approach to witchcraft can be influenced by the different purposes of the texts. The analysis of the texts will prove how very often behind the images of women endowed with supernatural powers or learned in magical arts lies a warning against potentially dangerous cultural and religious ‘othernesses’.

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