Lesson Four | throughthestones

Lesson Four - Witchcraft

La Dame Blanche

Witchcraft is another role that is emphasized throughout the Outlander series. Claire seems to take on the role as a witch due to her nature as a healer. Also her ability to foresee the future and her mysterious background . My personal favorite is when Claire is in France and she is refereed to as La Dame Blanche. Who is La Dame Blanche you may be wondering?

While Claire is in France with her husband Jamie , she becomes known as La Dame Blanche, which means the white lady. Jamie is the one whom spreads the rumor that Claire is La Dame Blanche to explain his fidelity to her and this reputation prevents her from being taken advantage of while in Paris . La Dame Blanche is a sorceress - She is called a wise woman, a healer and can even turn a mans soul to ashes if she sees fit.

Les Dames Blanches are found in French folklore, particularly in the Celtic regions of France such as Normandy. They seem to share some characteristics of Irish Banshees such as warning mortals of impending deaths by lingering outside homes and weeping and wailing. In Normandy they were believed to be faeries who lurked near bridges, streams and ravines and would stop travelers and force them to dance or answer cryptic riddles. If the travelers refused, Les Dames Blanches would torment them and toss them into ditches.

North Berwick witch trials

A recurring character, tried and convicted of being a witch, is named Geillis Duncan. Her character actually portrays an actual woman named Gillis Duncan whom was convicted in the North Berwick with trails. The North Berwick witch trials took place in 1590 . It consisted of a number of people from

East Lothian, Scotland whom were accused of witchcraft. These trials lasted for two years and implicated seventy people, including Gillis Duncan.

The first major witchcraft persecution in Scotland began with a case involving the royal houses of Denmark and Scotland. King James VI had set sail to Copenhagen to marry Princess Anne, sister of Christian IV, King of Denmark. On their return to Scotland they experienced storms that caused them to take shelter in Norway for several weeks. The admiral blamed the storm on the wife of a high official in Copenhagen whom he had insulted. Several nobles of the Scottish court were implicated, and witchcraft trials were held in Denmark. The first Danish victim was Anna Koldings, who, under pressure, admitted the names of five other women; including Mail, the wife of the burgomaster of Copenhagen. The women confessed that they had been guilty of sorcery and had raised the storms that menaced Queen Anne's voyage. They also admitted to sending the devil to climb up the keel of her ship. Thus began the North Berwick witch trails.

Geillis Duncan

Many Scottish witches were linked to storms at the time. Then there was a maid named Gillis Duncan, who worked for a man named David Seaton in the town of Tranent, Duncan was forced into confessing she was a witch due to her ability to heal. She was also caught sneaking out of the house late at night. When Seaton confronted Duncan and she could not explain where she had gone or how she had this ability to heal. Therefore Seaton had her tortured. Under torture, she confessed to being a witch and accused many others of witchcraft.

In the Outlander series Geillis Duncan is the wife of the procurator fiscal, Arthur Duncan. Together they reside in Cranesmuir, a village near Castle Leoch. Geillis has a passion for herbs, though her interests extend beyond simple healing and remedies into much darker practices.

Assignment Four - Due by Jan.10th- Please send all assignments to holthroughthestones@gmail.com

(Remember to include you Hol Name and ID)

Fill in the blank: (worth 10 points)

1. Claire becomes known as La Dame Blanche, which means ______ ______ _______.

2. Les Dames Blanches are found in ______ folklore, particularly in the Celtic regions of France such as Normandy.

3. Claire seems to take on the role as a _______ due to her nature as a __________.

4. She is called a ______ woman, a ________and can even turn a mans soul to ________ if she sees fit.

5. They seem to share some characteristics of ________ ___________ such as warning mortals of impending deaths by __________ outside homes and weeping and wailing.

True or False: (worth 10 points)

1. Geillis Duncan is actually a character based off a real person?

2. The North Berwick witch trials took place in 1600?

3. These trials lasted for three years and implicated seventy people, including Gillis Duncan.

4. The first major witchcraft persecution in Scotland began with a case involving the royal houses of Denmark and Scotland.

5. King James VI had set sail to Copenhagen to marry Princess Diane,

Short Answer (worth 10 points)

After reading about Gillis Duncan, do you believe she was a real witch? Could she have gone to a school such as Hogwarts? Pretend Gillis was one of your classmates. What house would she be sorted into? Why? What classes would she excel in based on her life style? (No less than 100 words please)

Extra Credit - (worth 30 points)

1. Write a poem about La Dame Blanche. It can be in any style you see fit.

2. Draw a picture of what you think La Dame Blanch would look like.