From Myth to Enlightenment and Backwards: How the Enlightenment Worldview Developed by the Example of Medieval England’s Witchcraft Persecution

Social crises create an atmosphere of uncertainty: established institutions, rules, and social norms disintegrate. When a crisis is structural in nature, this uncertainty can lead to a radical shift in the worldview of certain societies. The conventional foundations of social life become unstable, and in the vacuum that ensues, something new emerges, often co-opted by various political forces for their own interests. In this article, we will explore how, using the perception of witchcraft and witches in medieval and early modern England as a case study, one dominant myth was replaced by another, and the social consequences that arose from this shift. This case illustrates the historical evolution of attitudes towards witches, from uncertainty to power struggles and eventual exclusion from the public sphere.

The main actors in this narrative were not the witches or sorcerers themselves, but European intellectuals who inadvertently became the tools of local politicians. These politicians seized the opportunity to solidify their political dominance using the instruments of civil science and political philosophy. By examining the case of medieval witchcraft and English political thought of the 11^th and 12^th centuries, we will demonstrate how dominant worldviews shifted during times of crisis and the factors that influenced the success of one narrative over another. Based on this material, we will illustrate the transfer of ideas from the academic realm to the political, and then how they trickled down to everyday life. Additionally, we will delve into contemporary research on myths, fairy tales, and urban legends, highlighting the differences and similarities between the Enlightenment and other prevailing myths across different historical periods.