4 The Witch’s Senses Sensory Ideologies and Transgressive Femininities from the Renaissance to Modernity Constance Classen Inthe European hletachy ofthe senses, the sensibilities of women tea ‘nally ranked ow: While men had mastery af the higher senso it ‘and ang, women were Lnked ith the Tower senses of toh, taste and “mel Both men and women were ndesioe vo make practise ofall ot ‘thie senses men couldtouch, women could ce. Nonetheless, touch slong “with taste and sel, was imagined to be essentially feminine im nate ‘uring, seductive, dsolute ints rerging of self and other. Sight, and “toa esse extent earing, was esentally masculine: Gominating ations, ordeal in its discrete categorization of the world symbole division of perception into masculine and feminine ried immense Soci weight. Men were believed 10 be by God and natu to see and oversce the mor. Women by the same foresto slay at home, stitehing the clothes, ‘the cradle. According tothe seventeen sh Hau of skils deemed necessary Beer Reston) cushy Ea ‘rewing Baking ‘stung. Impropey they Seated the semen ‘roving consi inte to women: re san Soca éominion Mas smpropey, women iad he veh supernatural force and Became wees ‘Wher the wich hunts unde the pe Sat couean nage pore 1 ceed a hv Sa wet ‘5 ered mf pope and enone ‘ck hunter te ea tine ise ge, heap hi ls ‘Sn ets ange dg “Tomo ean caa Sth etn ame an page bythe wt’ eso poe wa coed 0 Germany that accused witches be conveyed to prison ‘Sand ina ao an 88 13 “henna ete poe ae pe menounos ‘graced ema nd moet he ths ‘chan 3 ten mae es sane emi ces acpi iste cuomaly ab onom2 The srnwcspwoxns: och ofthatrmother I Women 3 Ie og thet tig, spt al death, Fach cal act was believed ine if force =o that 4 woman's | aadeven tne they were a ia fhe more ofthe mas =e aa raps det, on Donte decribed ths notion 4 veo Frat te Wo (ed in Merchant 1980-133), For (a andes mariage ws cu fl alec atone tom ten hile Ratan, ont oy is 208 Whee lg ors alow ovat comeptin, otis blinds, ‘We ou nes ropa os Kinde ‘Te constuctivedesttuctve nature of feminine touch was dramatically Aistated by the spider -the zoological emblem of the Sense of touch faustus spinning is web, the spider stod forthe good housewife “Tapping and lings pc, te spider signified the ei seductes Will worse’ touch was generally suspect twas the witch in whom [ouch feached its znith of malevolent power. The touch of a witch ‘rio anda’ wrote Nicholas my in Deronolty (Rémy 1820; 24), ‘Wich huoing manuals ansously warned that judges "must not allow es to be fous physically by the with’ (Kramer and Sprenger Witches, however, were alo able to make their touch fet at by for example, piercing wax figs of their victims. When legeabiy informed its ears, the mouth ofthe set and Sprenger 1948: 47). The witch had all the along with the supernatural powers with seat an forthright; cold and wetness made women inactive Uns ‘Secu (clen 1980; 31-5) The reputed coldness ofthe Bei Seecinion th datk, dank exes, conimed her esenti pet her destin inlenee on secier- When witches eel {ibis et col, wt feminine subversivenes was xanquished masculine sighteouness, ‘What of the witehs other sensory atibutes? When it exme | vutebes were notonauely ghatonous, fri Was not st in nich was dered ta be inatisle im women. Anda le Ch Shot in bis Ar of Coury Lave (1981 207) that Woman is. sch {ier bely hat theretmothing she would be ashamed to assent 10 tree ast fa ine ea, and:no mater how much she has {ny ope tht she can satiny her appetite when she sung This feminine fang was traced bockto the Gist woman, Bee wok sin ino the world by craving the frbidden fu in the Garden onde t subdue thelr appetites, vituous women were expect 10 behavioral guide ‘St gstatory restrain. sisteonth century ‘ample, counsel women tot le sido remember ‘rar thrown out of Paradise far a bite of food, and that ‘wo went out ofthe ames in Search of tasty dlica Fnuman esha the fay tales in which the ‘he ues with teat) The wieBi veins over eca Series 07 seo Tue psoas ako Oa Te cok wetness ofthe female oy was ead Ty hw hd omen op ep momen om ine Pt ety meen cont aa ere ees co earry Tae erred ae ae rr ae ee Pe et crag So ‘sacks F175) As women were spans for thei families’ heath, every expected o nove how to concoct a variety of remedies mtb of aromatic herbs Jus as the witch re was se enchantment the wich werean abortion remedies in medieval Stern, fr instance, ido cause torts by boing foul herbs a pot and the sun Lea 1957, 1148) tases of both domesticity and Tafac, was that itmade use that were intended 0 keep women cosmic ores. A pot might et hugher‘masclin’ senses of sigh ane hearing, 3 well (sh sometimes charter as sith sete” “ppd to be uated, Ddh case dicots of tate see women’ mental ipctes and because women wer ‘he cur father Tertlian wrote is eae hate angel Jusking about ready to asi even mre ome, ch hong thee es (Cony bea 1910-239), The wth, howenee sie oe now aa "womens speech was slaty est ely men 1947: 1042-44: In The Art of Coury Love ANGE eC {hat all women ate ood-meuthed” and wl Seep up basking dog” Ge Chapada 1941: 207), Womens “onsidered another product ofthe feminine specs asthe gushed With body Bul TS Symbe for feminine vluby was bed “por ttn thea (Maclean 1980) To relation to mem, womten were accused of seductive and nagging. The fest employed76 THeSwrTVc SesoKLN sense sight, vision could no longer retain ts aesocaton with eae eee ees eas 22 sn oe Dron ne este se ernie ni tg ere a i ae ae SPeeepeplictten polioned ss vicums, inthis t was tncned te ee aber eee ee Desens cee ot ee oes eee ng fom their eyes was even greater than in young women ae oe ra the opponition between the ee of sorcery and the eve of in nsunpect be sen asa opposition between mthologeal vr Sontag of the world well as between feminine and ms vaests caro 1987) The er of he witch Hunts asa cuca ‘Ruerconment for the sientie wri wew that would come flsopean thought. The sient and the with worked side By (pull ora century of more: Dusing this pesod nds dec eer epestnental philosophy en eoeasted with a Bell in [Eanea 1980, 201-7), For the scientist confident to take (Camo however, the witeh had to be expelled The ld vies [pot needed to beeplaceby as the secretary ofthe Royal Society foritin 166, the scsi observations andexperiment. {hilosophy” (Oldenburg 1968: 667). This involved mot ‘ices because new wits ould alwaytake thei place, But Shtchetaft sel so that no with could ever gan power again. ‘revaling acount of ths clog sh isrecordedin the prominent seventeenth century physician an ‘iam Harvey with a reputed witch, Harvey visited ‘Stbish for humslf the existence or on-exstence of 0 home, the doctor sent Ue witch away on a to dissect he fala, a toad Harveys Discovering that a presmed wit’ fami sential ns inner Workings tall he oerFranptxphy te Beau Bosom of Nae ml be pst ey [epee 11 Delon ed Py con 13 (Saniaer cara of ton i no pastes Come Sed emendeannited ee es ce oer ta Seas eos aay cers ae ores woe ey eS ea eres ee nen ma Be fll in her behavior Shes said oat Harvey Uke a ld patch hs eyes the sensory seat of masculine tinal, shat the God Doctor’ was only abl to escape By he oman over to the autho, Foe when they ae potential, hero, emate senses sil requie ep dhe in chek nu wo be compte for by thet er and spe! nnd ‘yhe Noity and Excellence of Women this Wark posts values to many traditional female sensory tats. Fo “nneti argued at the cokes of women s more conde pment te heat of men, which overex te ai. [nc doen th age tat they Become sonable “hevntensty of the wath becomes more tpi han ‘osr othe feminine nature, heats more wisely an Sastre 199223). Femunine uty, according to Mariel: Was tthe are crest ith thee hygiene, haa fo women, (hich reer thee prety bodies hy nd all ny gor (Allen and Salvatore 1998-28, ‘Manne nots tht in some aes such a teh {hat women who and by them ae obliga Salvatore 199228), Marinelli cleats women “pest and estesbutes i tome, who slander ai, accoeding to Manne, omen) senses are ‘ay comapt pasion Allen and Salvatore 199220) ascline domination ofthe rising eld «number of women- Ine seventeenth ‘Civen awter whose oupourag ofDG caceen ener nn ramones er cere nec ree ee eer =a aed atari st pomt y een nee este Secor thir. boone Secu rt issn bone acer seas a ns ct ‘move nto sphere that lid not belong to me aS spncres, rms, Micioscopes.. "(Mller 1963579). "fat all women were convinced of te validity of scientie sna or net they wese exci fom tan stony New aa CEIGish pesttioned her as Empress ofa land inhabited Dy GAn"cxpestmental philosopher, bed-men’ astronomers and ‘rami, among oters, Thebearmen scents iy toundetand cing through telescopes and microscopes It son becomes however that such magnifying lenses havea series of dec whieh them wo peseat a gos distorted image ofthe Worl Lenses cp {magnified mage of a owse, but not ofa whale they can opera tut oti drnes; they can enhance One sense but re noe tD the thers (Cavendish 1992: 140-5 150-1)-Thelt very eine on {ac makes posible foe ‘pick glass’ to perceive ‘the obs tt Nature’ (Cavendish 1668: Preface) The hearse scents Confess that tet lases would do them bu ite sevice tn the ‘he ean (Cavendish 1992-180). The inhabitants ofthe inner ter the try to explain chat they employ altematve mod in ther world Opte devices can be of no use in discern lives ofthese beings unless scientists cn provide gas that perception’ (Cavendish 1982: 181). ‘Th Empress ells the beat-men that: Your lasses ae you to break them’ (Cavendish 1992: 141), The however, cannot do without dei optical ald They) in the humble manner petitioned that they might not[mci fee thin ns try bude pe he tc bet inact the ee of eon or the tstumens ates Seta tone seeps Caverns airrerive cosmology runt that Haney ee-opeting disetion failed to caahinh the amen tcc, that experimental palesophies cannot altogether fade aoe ters of Nite, and that theese some apts of exience tat encae before int its Notes 4, Foran anys of Margaret Cavendin ngs with an ehatenge to he pr ery oer Ca (1998 9108 2 tary was og the st fhe new enti esto be emo om te {ese domain The stay lars egos ares nt sass ay for rren (no wer temas oes ops fame and te 089% es lmeted tat seriou ele tty ha toca te epee ‘genoa woman or pent spite he 199111, 3. Ancient crt wee war a pics che het income ‘stan posed ty ema ak eran 197918. ‘Bam Natr has n her a Decors Deg, sth ates and ph tee Chaplin, A e198), The ref rg a. case C198, The Cabra A Coat Tone: ute owe 0 ayant 1990, Ams comes EC (910), Ate Mage Mea4 _TirSarmesesomn Tarstntin hing Cate oe. Te Woks. ane (DR) The Rk fhe Cf Lateran I. Rs, New Yo ay S081) my, sans A Ate, Lenore athe spy and Mla (os 94), Terabe! Rent Now Yk "ins Sehbngt L(999, The int ar Ne Se? Wore i Ue Ore of Md Sou, ‘aa MA Hanan Une Pes “eh 8990) Cumann Neon eating Sue hs agra tay dan 170 9186, ore Te ots Hopi nest rs Sco: 1969), The Dee of Wat Londen Cetns Ps Sea i yf eo Sony I Cope 1 Jon Stee "sito Uw Pos “tm 097} lin hci of Mag es a opr lef in Sed ‘see cn nn oo Wena an Neston ols 1964) W CaF ee Clo OX in As Nye to enamine {e967 ern de mse nnn Ve Orcas ol Ree ated Aga (975) Te ec of Ago Te At of Heng 170-180, Loedon: