Superstitions

  Superstitions By: James Benedict 

 Superstitions Beliefs During the Elizabethan Era there was a lot of superstitions beliefs all around England.

The superstitions out on sea believed storm-driven ships were bewitched and any that suspected of being a witch might be thrown overboard (Emerson 162). They believed the evil could be driven away by nailing two red-hot horseshoes to the main mast (Emerson 162). The superstitions on land believed that life was more interesting when seeing the new moon through glass brought bad luck and so did a broken mirror (Picard 271). They also believed that when dropping a fork meant that your sweetheart was thinking of you, but there were few forks about in our period while dropping a knife foretold a death and putting shoes on a table was not only in sanitary, but downright dangerous (Picard 271). The two colors blue and green should never be worn together, hawthorn should never be brought into the house, and if you put a garment on inside out on the morning you had to stay that way for the rest of the day (Picard 271). Many people believed that death was foretold by certain events, such as a cow entering the garden. Another common belief was that those who stayed awake and fasted on Midsummer Eve “June 24” would see all the townspeople destined to die in the following 12 months (Day 81). The act of ringing the church bells was thought to scare away evil spirits and bay leaves were used as charms to ward off danger. In Richard II, for example, he alludes to the common belief that the dying can see into the future (Day 82). It was commonly believed that omens preceded disasters. Many people claimed that the appearance of a comet in 1596 foretold a catastrophic flood that struck England later that year (Day82).  In Elizabethan Era it was believed that when you open your mouth to sneeze, you give the devil a chance to enter your body and bring about spiritual harm. Saying, “bless you” allegedly stops the devils the from entering since they thought that no demon could stay in a place that a Christian has blessed (Elizabethan England Superstitions). The seventh son of the seventh son is believed to have supernatural powers (Elizabethan England Superstitions). Leaving the door open behind you, keeping a peacock’s feather, a lunar eclipse, spilling salt and a cat crossing your path (or any encounter with a cat for that matter as they are associated with witches- another superstition to be discussed later) brought about bad luck (Elizabethan England Superstitions). Many good luck charms involved the following elements: iron, silver, fire, salt, and running water (Elizabethan England Superstitions). It was also believed that if you touched a man about to be executed, if a cow breather on you or if you spit into a fire, then you would have good luck (Elizabethan England Superstitions). Sailors wore golden hoop earrings all the time. It is said that this was done so they would have gold to pay their fare in the underworld if ever they sink and drown (Elizabethan England Superstitions). Sudden loss of hair was also seen as unlucky. It supposedly meant that there would be health problems and financial turmoil. Elizabeth 1 had red hair and it was said that red hair meant that the person has a short temper (Elizabethan England Superstitions). The superstitions that originated during the Elizabethan Era were based on various beliefs and traditions. The historians opine that many of the traditional English customs were based on the myths and superstitions that date back to the Dark Ages (Superstitions of the Elizabethan Era). Fear of the forces of nature coupled with a fear of the supernatural resulted in the belief in superstitions during the Elizabethan period. Superstitions and belief in witches and witchcraft were at its height during the Elizabethan period. People believed in the supernatural ability of the witches and this led to the development of many superstitions during this period (Superstitions of the Elizabethan Era). During the Elizabethan Era, around 247 women were put under trial for allegedly engaged in witchcraft. A witch had an image of an old crooked woman who kept pets such as black cat, wolves, snarling dogs, and blackbirds for company (Superstitions of the Elizabethan Era).  Many superstitions during the Elizabethan period dated back to traditions and beliefs from much earlier times. The superstitions were also steeped in the belief in old magic and the mystical properties of animals and herbs (Elizabethan Superstitions). Many traditional English customs are based on the mythical relationship to superstitions dating back to the Dark Ages and even further back to the Romans and their Gods and Goddesses (Elizabethan Superstitions). An irrational belief that an object, or action, or circumstance which are not logically related to a course of events can influence its outcome. Ignorance and fear of the unknown combined with a false conception of causation and cessation resulted in many Elizabethan superstitions (Elizabethan Superstitions). ). New Elizabethan superstitions arose due to the fear of witchcraft and the persecution of witches. Women were those most often accused of being witches! There were 270 Elizabethan witch trials of 247were women and only 23 men (Elizabethan Superstitions). An eclipse was seen as an omen of evil. Touch wood to against bad luck. This Celtic superstition dates back to the Dark Ages when it was believed that a tree possessed magical powers (Elizabethan Superstitions).

Works Cited Day, Karen, ed. //Shakespear’s World and Work//. Vol. 2. Princeton, NJ: Charles Scrioner’s Sons, 2001. Print. 3 vols. //Elizabethan England Superstitions//. N.p., 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. . //Elizabethan Superstitions//. N.p., 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. . Emerson, Kathy Lynn. //Everyday Life in Renaissance England From 1485-1649//. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books, 1996. Print. Picard, Liza. //Restoration London//. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1997. Print. //Superstitions of Elizabethan Era-Black Cat//. N.d. //buzzle//. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. . //Superstitions of Elizabethan Era - 4 Leaf Clover//. N.d. //mystries24//. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. . //Superstitions of the Elizabethan Era//. buzzle, 2009. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. .