The witch trials of J.K. Rowling have become a subject of much debate and controversy in recent years. Rowling, the renowned author of the Harry Potter series, has faced criticism for her comments on social media regarding various topics, including gender identity and transgender rights. These comments have led to calls for a "cancellation" of Rowling, with some accusing her of being a transphobe. The controversy surrounding Rowling began in 2019 when she tweeted in support of a researcher who had been fired for expressing views critical of transgender identity.
2 Lorie , James and Brealey , Richard . Modern Developments in Investment Management . New York : Praeger Publishers , 1972 , p. 101 .Google Scholar
Among the topics that have been subjected to intensive research by businessschool scholars over the past two decades, few have received more attention than those which collectively comprise the field of investments. 14 The verb is sell , isell tear off, remove, extract ; in the south, more common is mass , imass suck for the same practice, and the person doing it is called massa.
The controversy surrounding Rowling began in 2019 when she tweeted in support of a researcher who had been fired for expressing views critical of transgender identity. Many transgender activists and allies saw this as an attack on their rights and an endorsement of harmful beliefs. Rowling followed up with a blog post explaining her concerns about the impact of gender identity on women's rights and safety, but this only further fueled the controversy.
Witchcraft in Shetland
Between around 1615 and 1680 Shetland was afflicted by a mania that was disturbing other parts of Europe. Ordinary Shetlanders and their superiors suddenly began to worry about ‘witches’. They yearned to destroy them.
May 11th 2021There had been witches in Shetland during Earl Patrick’s administration (1593-1615). Patrick, however, seems to have been relatively tolerant about them. He fined them; he didn’t strangle or burn them, as far as we know.
One good point about Shetland is that there weren’t many witch-burnings here. I suspect there were less than ten: ten too many. The contrast with other parts of Scotland, and, say, with Northern Norway, where there were major witch-persecutions, is stark.
The first big witch-trial in Shetland took place in 1616. The historian Kirsty Larner argued that brand-new regimes in the seventeenth century liked to pose as ‘new brooms’, and make examples of witches and other miscreants. That is what happened here. Following the fall of Earl Patrick a new administration took control at Scalloway, and they had their eye on three women to be examples.
Catherine Johnson, who lived at Stenness in Eshaness, was their first target. For thirty years she had been in the habit of sleeping with the devil, they said – and she seems to have admitted it. She was also in the habit (they said) of chatting with trows in the kirkyards of Hillswick and Stenness.
Jonka Dynneis also found herself in court. In 1616 she was living in Fetlar, but around 1606 she had been at Aith in Aithsting. One day that summer her husband, Peter Kettle, was fishing six miles offshore, and found himself in danger. People saw Jonka standing outside their house in a trance, and when they questioned her she said that Peter was in danger.
Afterwards Jonka lived in Hillswick, and fell out with a man there. She cursed him and said that a few days later his bones would be ‘raiking’ around the banks. ‘And so within a short space thereafter,’ the court recorded, ‘he perished by sea by her witchcraft and devilry’.
The third witch was Barbara Thomasdochter in Delting. She specialised in spells to cure people. In 1613 someone called Garth, in Yell, was suffering from severe insomnia. He went to see Barbara and she treated him with what was called a ‘resting thread’. She made ‘certain crosses and conjurations’ over it and told Garth to wear it on his head for nine nights, and then burn it. That worked.
Sometimes the effect she had on people was less wholesome, or so it was alleged. In around 1600, a widow, she had begun to live with a man called Bothwell Magnusson. But he refused to marry her. So she ‘took the power of his member, so that he was never able for a woman since – although he tried’.
There were other preposterous charges against the three women. A jury of landowners and ordinary Shetlanders heard the cases against them in Scalloway Castle. Of course, they were all found guilty. The executioner frogmarched them to the top of the hill of Houll, west of the village. He tied them to stakes, strangled each of them and burnt them to ashes.
No doubt the new brooms of 1616 felt pleased with themselves. Then in 1644 another new Shetland administration got to work. The first thing they did was to fill the castle with witches. One of them may have been Andrew Stephenson from Califf. Andrew had the nickname Luggie, no doubt because his ears had been mutilated for some crime or other. (It was a cruel era.)
Luggie ‘had a trick’, according to a near-contemporary writer, ‘at any time when hungry at sea, to cast out his line, and would out of Neptune’s lowest kitchen bring cleverly up fish well boiled and roasted; and his comrades … would make a merry meal thereof, not questioning who was cook.’
And on days when it was stormy Luggie went across the voe to Kebister for his dinner, to the steep knowe there which still bears his name. It is now partly obscured by a windmill. On top of the knowe there was a deep pit – it isn’t there now – ‘out of which with his lines he drew up codlings … for his provision.’ Luggie too was executed, probably at much the same time as Marion Pardone of Hillswick, another well-known Shetland witch of the time.
The last witches burned at Scalloway seem to have been an old woman, Barbara Tulloch, and her daughter Helen. They came to court around 1680, and afterwards the sheriff depute climbed up the hill to watch them die. ‘When [the daughter] had hung some little time on the gibbet,’ he reported, ‘a black pitchy-like ball foamed out of her mouth; and after the fire was kindled, it grew to the bigness of a walnut, and then flew up like squibs into the air. … It was taken to be a visible sign that the devil was gone out of her.’
Soon after 1680 the authorities realised, belatedly, that witchcraft was bunkum. In the first decade of the 18th century the Presbytery of Shetland investigated some alleged cases of it in Sandness; but witchcraft had ceased to be a capital offence. The parties went free.
It went on being a matter of concern to less intelligent members of the population: in 1883 Sheriff Rampini heard a case where someone in Yell had been accused of ‘witching’ a boat. But by then accusers of such crimes were a laughing-stock. There was loud laughter in the court.
The gibbet; the trows of Hillswick and Eshaness; the resting thread and Bothwell Magnusson’s limp member; Luggie’s codlings; the ‘black pitchy-like ball’ and the flames: they are symbols and fantasies from one of Shetland’s more unpleasant eras.
A fantastic play for radio by Islesburgh Drama Group which is based on the true story of Mistress Marion Pardone who was accused of witchcraft. Featuring a short interview with archivist Brian Smith.
23 See A. Zempleni, “La ‘maladie’ et ses ‘causes’,” L’Ethnographie, 96–97 (1985): 13–44.
Critics argue that Rowling's comments perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to the discrimination and marginalization of transgender people. They argue that her platform as a successful author gives her a responsibility to be more mindful of the impact of her words. Many believe that she is using her influence to spread harmful misinformation and fuel prejudice against transgender individuals. On the other hand, there are also those who support Rowling and believe that she is being unfairly targeted for expressing her opinions. They argue that Rowling is entitled to her beliefs and that freedom of speech should be respected. Some argue that her concerns about women's rights are valid and that she should not be silenced for expressing them. The witch trials analogy refers to the intense scrutiny and backlash that Rowling has faced, with many calling for her to be "cancelled" or have her work boycotted as a form of punishment. This concept of "cancel culture" has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, with public figures facing severe consequences for expressing controversial opinions. Overall, the witch trials of J.K. Rowling reflect a larger societal debate about freedom of speech, the rights of transgender individuals, and the responsibility of public figures to consider the impact of their words. The controversy has highlighted the need for respectful and open dialogue on these important issues, as well as the need to find a balance between the rights of individuals to express their views and the responsibility to ensure equality and inclusivity for all..
Reviews for "In the Crossfire: How J.K. Rowling's Witch Trials Have Divided the Fanbase"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Witch Trials of JK Rowling." As a fan of the Harry Potter series, I was expecting a lot more from this book. However, the plot was all over the place and lacked coherence. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth. Overall, I found the book tedious to read and it didn't live up to my expectations at all.
2. Mark - 1/5 stars - I regret reading "The Witch Trials of JK Rowling." The book was poorly written, with numerous grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The story was predictable and lacked originality. The author's attempt to delve into social issues fell flat, and it felt forced and artificial. I was hoping for a thrilling and thought-provoking read but was sorely disappointed.
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5. Emily - 1.5/5 stars - I regret wasting my time reading "The Witch Trials of JK Rowling." The book was riddled with cliches and tropes, making it predictable and unoriginal. The characters were unlikeable and lacked depth. The dialogue was wooden and uninspiring. Overall, this book was a disappointment and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.