An Examination of Witchcraft and Sorcery: Magic, Society, and Remedies

This essay examines witchcraft and sorcery, exploring their significance in the studies of magic, science, and religion. It delves into the anthropological perspectives on sorcery and witchcraft, highlighting the role of occultism and superstitions. The essay discusses the inheritance of magic, the misuse of knowledge, and societal views on witchcraft. It analyzes the phrase "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" from Macbeth, emphasizing the deceptive nature of appearances. The essay also presents remedies from the Atharva Veda to protect against witchcraft's effects and concludes by emphasizing the importance of knowledge and skills in practicing witchcraft, acknowledging both its positive and negative impacts on society. The essay uses the Malleus Maleficarum and other sources to discuss the Catholic Church's view on witchcraft and the power of God versus the devil.

Running head: WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY
WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY
Name of the Student
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Author Note

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Witchcraft and sorcery are important concepts in the studies of the magic, science,
religion and there are many research papers regarding this topic. According to the anthropologist,
the sorcerer’s is learned and the witchcrafts are inherited. This witchcraft and sorcery are
involved in the field of occultism and superstitions (Eves). The proper knowledge and skills are
required for practicing this thing. This essay will discuss the witchcraft and the sorcery and how
the problem arises in the understanding of magic. This study discusses the witchcraft and its
effects on society and the remedies by which human beings will be able to protect themselves
from the effects of witchcraft. This also includes the problems, which rises in understanding the
magic.
The magic behind the witchcraft and sorcery is inherited and generally, it is seen that the
magic is handed down from the father to sons and this continues throughout the generation. In
most of the cases, this has been found that the women take interests in this field and practices it
(Douglas). This has been found out that in Indonesia a group of people follows and Hinduism
and most of the people living in Lombok practices sorcery and in that community, there are
many people who secretly practices and everybody knows to perform some sort of magic. The
society mostly view magic as something of any physical creature, which is mainly women
stereotyped. This has been found out in some societies like Balinese society; the most significant
part of their society is that their culture is considered as the notion of the religion which includes
God, demonology, people and witchcraft (Van Der Meij). This society implements their
knowledge of sorcery and practices magic in order to protect them from the evilness. Some
people misuse their knowledge and some go deliberately to the shaman to instruct evil on
somebody whom they hate or dislike.

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“Whoever believes that any creature can be changed for the better or the worse, or
transformed into another kind or likeness, except by the Creator of all things, is worse than a
pagan and a heretic. And so when they report such things are done by witches it is not Catholic,
but plainly heretical, to maintain this opinion” (Institoris et al.). This phrase denotes
that anybody who believes that except the creator of the universe, some power can change any
creature to the better one or the worse one or can transform into any kind or likeness then that
will be worse than a heretic and a pagan. Everywhere it is reported that witches do such things, it
is not considered as Catholic whereas plainly heretical, for maintaining such opinions. In
addition to this, this has been seen that the witchcraft cannot create any permanent effects on
human beings. In accordance with the teachings of the church, the demons are unable to create a
permanent effect on human beings as if that happens then they can destroy the whole world.
Whenever any alteration is considered as the effect of the witchcraft but it can be due to any
natural causes and most of these depend upon the influence of the stars. “But the devils cannot
interfere with the stars.” The creator of the universe is the only person who can do these
(Stringer). Therefore, it can be said that the witches cannot create any permanent effect on the
human bodies and the power of God are obviously more than the power of the devil. The divine
works are truer than the demoniac operations and it will be unlawful to believe that the evil spirit
is more powerful than God is (Rao).
Various problems arise in the process of understanding the magic of the witchcraft. The
occultism is the study of the supernatural forces and it often involves the practice of black magic.
The occultist possesses secret knowledge that aggravates the personality disorders and the
techniques involved in it can be injurious to the health of the practitioners and their helpers
(Ouspensky). Superstation is the belief in the spirits, magic, taboos, witchcraft, this belief exists

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in the advanced cultures and this can become the sources of embarrassment for the government.
Political superstation is practiced universally and has also facilitated the rise of dictatorship
(Khan, Nasra and Anwaar). Religious and political superstations are practiced in Africa, Europe,
and Asia in the combined form (Roper). People who have interest in witchcraft often find that
spell only works and demands the beginner spells with which they can start their practices. The
mistake of thinking spell can do anything without skills and knowledge, and this wrong belief
can harm them. Spells are like the reciepies, which need to be prepared by the proper techniques
for which knowledge and skills are essential (Szymanski). From the play Macbeth, this has been
seen that the three witches recite the phrase “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog
and filthy air” (Campbell). The denotative meaning of these lines was that whatever appears to
be appealing is actually impure and what appears to be impure is appealing and this involves
hidden truth. Like the three witches actually fooled Macbeth as he considered the second sets of
the prophecies were true and that boost his level of confidence and caused ultimate downfall.
King Duncan is also fooled by depending on Macbeth; Macbeth also feigns the friendship with
Banquo. In the overall play, Shakespeare portrays that appearances are deceiving and utilizes the
phrase “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air” for developing this
theme (Campbell). Thus, this can be said that the witches will be able to make a spell and utilize
it only if they know the knowledge behind it, then it will create the proper spell. Meditation is
also involved in this process and Witchcraft involves no special activity except mental training is
one of the essential factors for this knowledge.
In accordance to the Atharva Veda, the remedies to remain safe from the effects of the
witchcraft scare the following things: the white, brown, black and red plants need to be called on
for the protection. The herbs whose father is the sky, the mother is the earth and roots is ocean

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can protect the human being. The plants those spreads forth and those that are busby and have
single sheaths are the universal remedies against the harmful effects of witchcraft (Middleton,
John, and Edward). “I call in thy behalf the plants that have shoots, those that have stalks, those
that divide their branches, those that are derived from all the gods, the strong (plants) that furnish
life to man”( Lanman and William).
Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that the witchcraft and sorcery
are powerful enough to create any effect on the human beings, but that is unable to create a
permanent effect on the human bodies. There are many people who are interested in practicing
witchcraft, but in most cases, this is noticed that they only look for the spell to start their practice
but there should be the presence of abundant knowledge and skills, otherwise, it will harm them
only. Thus proper knowledge is required to carry out the knowledge of the witchcraft. This
essay involves few remedies of protecting human beings from the harmful effects of witchcraft
and this study also reflects the impacts of witchcraft on the society. This can create both positive
and negative impacts on the society and it is noticed that the people practiced witchcrafts secretly
and nobody practicing it conveys the secrets behinds it.

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References
Campbell, Stancil. "" Macbeth" by William Shakespeare. 2004." (2017).
Douglas, Mary. Witchcraft confessions and accusations. Routledge, 2013.
Eves, Richard. "Sorcery and Witchcraft in Papua New Guinea: Problems in Definition." (2013).
Institoris, Heinrich et al. The Malleus Maleficarum. Cosimo, 2007.
Khan, Nasra, and Anwaar Mohyuddin. "Socio-Economic Impacts of Superstitions among
Pakhtoon Women."
Lanman, Charles Rockwell, and William Dwight Whitney. Atharva-Veda Samhita. Harvard
University Press, 2012.
Middleton, John, and Edward Henry Winter. Witchcraft and sorcery in East Africa. Routledge,
2013.
Ouspensky, Peter D. The Symbolism of the Tarot: Philosophy of occultism in Pictures and
Numbers. Leonardo Paolo Lovari, 2017.
Rao, A. Venkoba. "17 INDIAN AND WESTERN PSYCHIATRY: A
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Roper, Lyndal. Oedipus and the devil: Witchcraft, religion and sexuality in early modern
Europe. Routledge, 2013.
Stringer, Morgan L. A War on Women? The Malleus Maleficarum and the Witch-Hunts in Early
Modern Europe. Diss. The University of Mississippi, 2015.

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Szymanski, Stefan. "Fair Is Foul: A Critical Analysis of UEFA Financial Fair
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