Superstitions In The Elizabethan Era

551 Words3 Pages
A common belief was to self-flagellate(beating one’s self) as it was believed to drive out the plague. Believers would gather together and strip of their clothes and beat each other or themselves with a hand-held mace. This was done in the hope that sin would be beaten out of them,making them pure so the devil couldn’t curse them with the horrible disease. The superstitions arose due to fear of witches and witchcraft.Of the 270 people who were killed during witch hunts, 243 were women and only 27 were men. During the Elizabethan Era people blamed witches for unexplained answers. Some people also accused others of witchery to take their property or a wealthy spouse. Witches were able to fly using a broomstick Witches were portrayed as an old hags. Witches live in houses deep in the woods…show more content…
It was also believed that witches would kidnap small children and use them in their evil spell work before eating them. Elizabethans believed that when you sneezed and open your mouth, you gave a chance for the devil to enter your body. Saying “bless you,” stops demons from entering your body. Stirring a pot counter clockwise not only brings bad luck to the persons whom eat from it but also spoils the food. The Seventh son of the Seventh son was believed to have magical powers. Balance was thought of as a good thing in the Elizabethan Era. As the Elizabethans believed everything should be balanced, the light and dark, good and bad. Leaving a door open behind you when you came throught brought bad luck A black cat crossing your path brings you bad luck. In the Elizabethan Era spices spices such as salt and pepper were very expensive and when someone were to spill salt or pepper, it brought them very bad luck. That’s how throwing a pinch of salt over your left shoulder came into being as the left side warded off evil. Never walk under ladders- ladders are linked with gallows and
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