Female Sexuality & Gender Politics
"The male fear of the witch is really down to men's fear of women's sexuality, isn't it? Men don't like to admit any loss of power, so rather than say they were under someone's spell, in those days, they would accuse her of being a witch." - Dominic Hill, director of The Last Witch at Traverse Theatre
The Last Witch explores the way that refusing to abide by traditional male and female roles became fatal for some women. Janet is a confident, independent woman in a time where woman were treated as inferior to men. By ignoring typical social graces and confronting men, she upset the social balance of the time and made powerful people angry. Janet uses her sexuality as a way to exert influence over people, although her confidence end up backfiring on her. In fact, Ross offering to let her live if she says she's insane and a liar shows that Ross is more interested in asserting his dominance over her than actually catching witches.
Examples
JANET. I wouldn't lie with any male thing that didn't woo me first. The Devil's too good an idea of himself if you ask me.
JANET. Who's been calling me a whore!? Who!? Who spits that lie at me!?
JANET. Oh, I'll not fear you. I'll not. I'll show you how little I fear you. (She touches him.) Do your worst.
JANET. Is this what you did? Did you hear the roar of hooves and feet and clashing blades bearing down on you and flop down in your own terror piss, lying still...
JANET. No, they've sent you to Dornoch so you can sleep you wee life away as gentle as a fieldmouse curled up under winter leaves. No shame in it, Davey Ross. No one here cares that you'd not the courage to lift your sword.
JANET. I'm rooted in this cold earth and yet the tree's full of sap. What do you think? Am I green and supple yet? Plenty of women are withered to dust at my age. Dead in damp graves. But I'm as full of juice as an autumn bramble.
JANET. I knew where your anger would take you. Didn't I? See the charm I work, Captain Ross? See what I can do? Who has the power, Davey boy? You or me? Tell me. I want to hear you say it. Who has the power now? Who brought you here? Who kept you here? Who knows your soul better than you ever will?
ROSS. Now, say it’s so and you can sleep before we put you out in the churchyard as a common thief. You can doze as the honest folk of Dornoch spit at you and point you out to their children as a liar and a thief. Mad Janet Horne who was so dottled she fancied herself a witch. They’ll mock you to the end of your days, but you can have those days, Janet. I’ll let you have that mouldy heel of life. You have no power, Janet. It’s me that has the power over you. Isn’t that so? Janet?
JANET. It's one or the other, eh? Either I've the power to make you leap in my bed, or you wanted this hag, Davey. Wanted me so bad you pushed me over when I tried to bar the door against it.