Students determine whether quoted lines come from seventeenth- or eighteenth-century conversations with God or the Devil, or modern songs. This one might not fit in very many modules! I used it in a class on early modern possession, to get students thinking about the kinds of relationships people might have with supernatural beings. We did the activity in an era of social distancing, so I set up as a poll on Vevox that students accessed with their laptops or phones. In normal times I’d probably have them in pairs or groups. After the activity we discussed early modern theories about how the Holy Spirit or the Devil might have direct influence on human bodies and souls, and thought about the physical and emotional intensity of relationships with supernatural forces.
