Multimodal Project 2 (ENW445)
Storyboard Text
- Slide: 1
- William Perkins, an early Puritan theologian and author of A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft influenced many within his lifetime. Perkins lived just as the witch hunts of the late 14th century began emerging in England, and as a result, many of his teachings surrounded the practice of witchcraft.
- A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraftis a book that details the particulars of witchcraft: where it came from, why it is a sin, and what makes it unnatural. Perkins uses the Bible as proof that witchcraft is a potent form of evil that is caused by the combined efforts of Satan and humans. This is compared to the miracles of the Bible, feats that Perkins uses contrasting language to emphasize.
- Many of my teachings surrounded the practice of witchcraft!
- While A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft serves as an overarching theological expose of witchcraft by making repeated use of words like “miracle,” it also reflects the broader fears that society of 14th and 15th century England had regarding the role of Satan in human affairs.
- Slide: 2
- Perkins delves into a conversation about the specifics of miracles and acts of witchcraft. On pages twelve and thirteen, Perkins declares that “wonders therefore be of two sorts; either true and plaine, or lying and deceitfull.” By categorizing acts of witchcraft as “lying” wonders parallel to miracles as “true” wonders, he ostracizes the idea of witchcraft and further reinforces the common fear that wickedness is easily caught.Perkins continues to reinforce the distinctions between God and Satan in his next paragraphs by listing different miracles of God that were recorded in the Bible. The miracles listed were entirely supernatural works- works that Perkins declares were only capable through God. Later, Perkins moves on to the second type of wonder. He details the fact that Satan is a spirit who fell from God’s graces and therefore is a being that can influence different facets of nature. Perkins concludes that acts of witchcraft “are no true miracles, because they are not aboue and beyond the power of nature” (28). This conclusion might offer a slight comfort to his audience, reminding them that although Satan and his witches can harness the laws of nature, they cannot alter them completely.
- I spend the first few pages of my discourse discussing the origins of witchcraft and the differences in the laws of God and the laws of Satan.
- Slide: 3
- Perkins further differentiates the work of God and the work of Satan by detailing the extent to which God will allow Satan to manipulate humanity. When discussing the plight of Job, a Biblical figure who was tormented and cursed by Satan, Perkins says
- Perkins repeatedly claims that although Satan is a powerful being, he will never be more powerful than God. His strategy of discussing the powers of Satan and witches outright served to remind his audience that witchcraft is something to be taken seriously. Perkins’ use of the Bible throughout his discourse was likely a sort of relief to his audience, as the Bible was viewed as the utmost authority during the English witch hunts when the biggest fear of much of England was being forsaken by God because of Satan’s hold on society. Perkins’ use of Biblical stories and language served to reinforce and remind his audiencethat God was above all, despite the prevalence of sin.
- “All these were true reall works, very strange admi∣rable, and yet no miracles, because they exceeded not the compasse of nature” (28).
- A Discourse of the Damned Art of Witchcraft serves to reflect and occasionally condemn the morals of early English society. Although he does highlight the differences between God and Satan, Perkins uses specific terms like ‘miracle’ to emphasize that God ultimately has control over the universe. Perkins may have included this emphasis as a cautionary message: if God is all-powerful and allows Satan to manipulate humans through witchcraft, should Perkins’ audience conclude that God is punishing humanity? This analysis is a reflection of the broad fears of society at the time in which this discourse was written and hints at larger theological ideas that were prevalent at the time. Ultimately, Perkins’ discourse serves to reflect 14th and 15th century England’s views and fears surrounding the complexity of witchcraft and the involvement of Satan in human affairs.
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