Penelope Geng

Associate professor of English at Macalester College specializing in early modern literature and demonology; teaches a course on demonology and discusses 16th–17th century beliefs about witches, ghosts, and demons.

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Oct 30, 2025 • 25min

Ghosts vs demons: a 16th century Halloween showdown

Penelope Geng, an associate professor of English at Macalester College, dives into 16th-century fears surrounding witches and demons. She recounts James VI's terrifying royal journey and his witchcraft fears, prompting him to write ‘Daemonologie.’ Explore the clash between Protestantism and ghostly beliefs, and how this shaped societal views on supernatural entities. Geng also discusses the lingering impact of these beliefs in modern culture, contrasting the fear of demons with the nostalgia for ghosts.

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