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From witchcraze to bitchcraze: a comparative dimension between the malleus maleficarum and Hustler magazine

University of British Columbia

This thesis examines the Malleus Maleficarum and Hustler magazine for themes they may have in common. The purpose of this comparison is to display a manner in which women have been constructed and reconstructed within different social cultural contexts, maintaining similar personifications, specifically the personification of women as the witch/bitch. Qualitative content analysis was employed to glean the comparative dimension between the two publications. There were four categories of inquiry: 1) damage caused to male genitalia or reproductive capacity, 2) the disgusting and repugnant nature of women, 3) the insatiable sexual desire of women, and 4) the use of the words witch, bitch and synonymous terms. Comparisons between the Malleus and Hustler were found in each category. These are discussed as well as some differences between the two publications. The evidence supports the proposition that some of the images of the witch in the Malleus are reconstructed in Hustler. The latter usually does not refer to women as "witches" but the word "bitch" is found to be used multiple times per issue. The significance of the reconstruction of the witch to bitch is examined, as is the use of ambiguous terms. The censorship argument is also addressed and this avenue of intervention is suggested as counter-indicated and inappropriate.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2009-06-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9079

Anthropology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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