The History of English Podcast

Episode 168: Witches, Demons and Fairies

May 31, 2023
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INSIGHT

Elizabethan Literature and the Supernatural

  • Elizabethan literature reflects the era's fascination with witchcraft and supernatural creatures.
  • These themes reveal the worldview of people in the late 1500s.
ANECDOTE

Anglo-Saxon Beliefs and Laws

  • Anglo-Saxons had words for supernatural beings like "amor" (nightmare's origin).
  • Early English laws against witchcraft existed during Alfred the Great's reign.
ANECDOTE

Chaucer's Elves and Fairies

  • Chaucer's Canterbury Tales mentions a decline in elf and fairy beliefs.
  • This was likely exaggerated, as these beliefs persisted, especially in rural areas.
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