From What They Wrote Came Fire: An Analysis of the Malleus Maleficarum and its Impact

This paper aims to examine the spread of misinformation regarding witches, the cultural environment that allowed texts like the Malleus Maleficarum to flourish, the impact of that text, and the subsequent, bloody consequences that followed for the accused. Using the current literature available I will examine the history of witchcraft and witch hunting, the possible reasons for the witch hunts, and the reality of what it meant to be accused and tried as a witch. I will perform textual content analysis of the Malleus Maleficarum, which I believe to be a foundational text in understanding the cultural and religious implications of subsequent witch hunting practices.Master of Science in Information Scienc