SH+2013+P5+Demonologie+(1587)

Aim: Laura Faoro

//Demonologie//, as a work, is aimed towards trying to decipher the actions behind witchcraft and sorcery. However, as it is finely put to help assist in finding the main point of the text, “  James brought the issues of witchcraft and magic to the forefront of Scottish consciousness and highlighted their importance within both the religious and political spheres” (Hight).  James VI had been intrigued at a young age by those who were said to practice dark arts and once he was put into power he set about heightening the witch trials in order to prevent this practice from spreading. His dislike of witchcraft is also due to his faith in Christianity, that of which he felt unwaveringly f or. Another similar purpose for this book was a rebuttal versus another’s work, arguing that witchcraft was not real, nor should it be penalized. //Demonologie// also served to alert the country with the threat of what these people can do, and their supposed plots against the government. It was meant to scare and put people at ill-ease, to gain their support in conducting more witch trial and scouring the land of such people. //Demonologie//’s main purpose as a work was to spread distrust and the unacceptance of witchcraft throughout the land, that of which it did successfully at the time.

__Works Cited: __ Sharrat, Mary. “King James I: Demonology”. Wonders & Marvels. Web.14 November 2013

Hight, Alison. “Theological treatises and Jame VI’s Demonologie”. It.edu. Web.14 November 2013.

“James V and I (r. 1567-1625)”. The British Monarchy. Web. 14 November 2013.

Audience: Bear Turner

Historical: Natalie Marcantonio



The work of Demonology by King James I was written in 1597 and it had the intention of bringing “ the issues of witchcraft and magic to the forefront of Scottish consciousness and highlighted their importance within both the religious and political spheres” (Hight). The Demonology was influenced by King James’ earlier influence to the witch trials that he saw and his interest in magic and witchcraft contributed to his making of the work. In the work it contains information that gives awareness to readers on supernatural elements that are included in Shakespearean plays as well. Along with that the witch hunts that occurred during the middle ages, and the making of this work, included people who made pacts with devils, demons, and Satan. This affected the work because it gave him insight to spirits that are mentioned in the work. Many of his chapters in the actual text are about pacts, and the different demons and spirits that torment people. This made history because it caused an uproar among his people that were already tormented by the witch trials that took the lives of people condemned for having believed to have made a pact with Satan. James’ purpose also affected readers as the well known quote, “the assautes of Sathan are most certainly practized, & that the instrumentes thereof, merits most severly to be punished” (Haison) shows. The quote shows how James explains about the spirits, demons, and pacts in his book and the consequences of practicing any practice that had to do with demons, witch craft, and pacts with Satan.

Hight, Alison. “Theological treatises and Jame VI’s Demonologie”. It.edu. Web.13 November 2013. Harrison, G. B. “Introduction to Demonologie”. sacred-texts. Sacred Texts, n.d. Web. 13 November 2013.

Cultural: Kyleigh Sacco Though the actual literary work of //Demonologie// by King James VI is not referenced much in today’s culture, the ideas found within the text have, in fact, made an impact; in addition, the culture of the time was largely affected by the work. In regards to the work impacting the culture of the time, one article states, “ Outbreaks of witchcraft hysteria, with subsequent mass executions, began to appear in the early 1500s” (Linder). Within a culture that was already plagued with a fear of witches, demons, and the dark arts, //Demonologie// was published in just the right time to start an uproar. The publishing of this work was enough to strike fear into the hearts of individuals and cause them to spiral into deeper ‘witchcraft hysteria’; however, within today’s society, this work does not have the same relevance that it did at the time. The introduction to //Demonologie// states, “To the modern mind, after three centuries of scientific discovery, many of Epistemon's arguments will appear somewhat naïve, and, it must be confessed, that Philomathes, in his laudable efforts to draw out his companion's erudition, sometimes puts questions which are very inadequately answered”(Harrison iv). Within today’s culture, people tend to take everything with a grain of salt, and the persuasion of //Demonologie// is no exception; however, though what is actually said within the work may not be believed, the ideas behind the work are still very present in today’s culture. The ideas from //Demonologie// can be found in everything ranging from books to television shows to video games; though none of these things are necessarily taken seriously the ideas regarding the supernatural are still amusing to think about and ‘interact’ with via media meant for entertainment. Many popular games and television shows enlist the ideas of //Demonologie// in them, such things include: the television series Supernatural, the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, and the acclaimed series of Harry Potter. Though the actual pamphlet //Deomonologie// is not necessarily found in today’s culture, it did greatly influence the culture of the time and the media of today.

__Works Cited:__ Linder, Douglas. “A Brief History of Witchcraft Persecutions before Salem”. umkc law. University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2005. Web. 13 November 2013.

Harrison, G. B. “Introduction to Demonologie”. sacred-texts. Sacred Texts, n.d. Web. 13 November 2013.