Please confirm you agree to our privacy policy and accept the use of cookies - More Information Accept. The Weird Sisters, MacBeth. I do feel that Hermione owes something of a debt to Mildred Hubble but she could certainly have taught her a thing or two. The musical came from messed up source material . L. Frank Baum: teaching directions, one witch at a time. Maybe we just need to look more closely. As a teacher, I remember battling to keep my face impassive when a pupil’s mother explained confidentially that she was a practising white witch. The presence of wizards in literature is like the presence of gods, goddesses, and deities from Greek mythology in the literature of many languages, particularly in English literature. Literary witches quiz Tis the eve of Halloween, when all manner of evil will be loosed upon the world - so you should make sure you know your enemy. Top Ten Favourite Non-Book-Related Stories. Great list! For me, witches were spooky – as a child, I would jump into bed so that they could not snatch at my ankles, having a deep fear of the shadowy creatures living under the bed – but deep down I knew that they were a story. I really want to go Glad you liked the list, please do visit again! Famous Witch Doctors in Literature. Luckily for Odysseus, he has a herb which renders him immune and he is able to force her promise not to take his manhood – the two of them then become lovers despite the fact that he has a loyal wife at home … maybe she should have taken his manhood after all. Talking with Archie Comics Writer Alex Segura About the CW’s, 8 Kids’ Book Characters Who are Basically Kidnappers. Despite the fear they inspire, they still provide some much needed comedy in an otherwise overwhelmingly bleak play. Mildred Hubble is the prototype schoolgirl witch, kicking off a grand tradition. And while there is a broad spectrum of witch stories out there, there is a through-line common to them all: witches are women whose embodiment … You’ve made a terrific selection as usual, and it is fascinating to look at how our concept of the witch has been transformed through literature. Within Greek mythology, she helped Demeter search for her lost daughter Persephone and when Persephone was found to have been wedded to Hades in the Underworld, Hecate became the former’s confidante and was a permanent guest down below, further underlining her association with dark spirits. For revenge is a dish best served molten. Here witchcraft serves as a metaphor for the transience of youth. In the sequel (not quite as good), Mary’s powers become more explicit but here we see how a witch is all too often a woman who does not quite fit in and thus falls victim too easily to pointed fingers. From being particular over pronunciation “Wingarrrrdium Leviosaaa” to fretting over whether the teapot she turned into a tortoise actually looked more like a turtle, she was always a stickler for getting things right. And a witch so feared as the Witch of the Waste is in Howl’s Moving Castle deserves some grudging respect. Required fields are marked *. Like Artemis, Hecate chose a solitary life over one of marriage, travelling far and wide, often at night. It just doesn’t get any better than coming home to your cozy cave, a brewing cauldron, and the incantation that’s music to your ears: Nostradamus was a hack. Witches in literature have been running amok for centuries, turning the land into ice, fire, and making it rain toads and such. PS – Did you like Rivers of London? For our next terrifying witch we go back to classic literature and Homer’s Odyssey. Probably the best known witches in literature are the three "Weird Sisters" of Shakespeare 's Macbeth. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Again, it’s an irony that Circe becomes the devil-woman while poor Odysseus is her hapless victim – an early example of the witch being the woman who the man cannot resist. The White Witch is treacherous though and has the power to turn those who cross her into stone, cursing the land of Narnia to an eternal winter, which never reaches Christmas. Meg and Mog. In this vision of witchdom, magic is the tool of the misunderstood teenage girl – it’s very England-as-imagined-by-an-American, but fun all the same. Something wicked this way comes: Halloween’s almost here, and the witching season is at hand! In The Ocean at the End of the Lane, three women who happen to live in the same house are revealed as a witch’s coven – or are they? The answer to all your suspicions is this: some celebrities are just witches. T.H. Oh, and by the way, it’s Levi-oh-sa, not Levios-ah. Here's how I like to imagine a confrontation between Serafina Pekkala and Granny Weatherwax. Gone are the great black pointy hats and broomstick transport. After all, it’s a man’s world, but it wouldn’t be nothing without a woman or a psychotic, spurned witch. Strangely, she was at first a figure of beauty but over time her image descended into that of the old and twisted hag, huddled over a cauldron. You know, the three categories which a woman can fall into. Trio of witches who are antagonists in the film “Hocus Pocus” Sisterhood of “witches” in the “Dune” novels: Female channelers of the One Power in “The Wheel of Time” series: Heard-but-not-seen title witch of a 1999 horror film: The Good Witch of the South in the Land of Oz J.K. Row- ling creates a magical world with many different places and characters. But to summarise, the Wicked Witch has become a cultural point of reference – the song “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead” soared through the charts after the death of Margaret Thatcher. Contrasting starkly to the above, Circe is the enchantress, having the power to remove someone’s manhood with her wiles. The ginger witches in fiction do their own thing. Their main adventure came from when Perseus was obliged to seek their counsel over how best to go about killing Medusa. She is the go-to for answers for so many of the book’s mysteries, she is the organised one and the quick-thinker – but more than anything she seems to have managed a brand-change for witches. I haven’t read The Crucible, or else I might include that here. Despite a youthful fling with Mustrum Ridcully (I heard how the events of The Shepherd’s Crown affected him, poor soul), she chose the spinster life, but still had a mentor role. I think it’s brilliant but I do wonder how it comes across to a non-UK audience. Who they are: When you think “witch,” the first words that probably pop into your head are “double, double toil and ... Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz. I am a crazy little Wizard of Oz fan but I haven’t ever read the source material, highly unusual for me! She is believed to be derived from the Welsh goddess figure Modron, but developed into being the daughter of Arthur’s mother Igrayne via her first marriage. They’re also entrepreneurial, with a plan to turn all English children into mice via laced sweets dispensed by their candy conglomerate. Muggleborn and unaware of her powers until she got her Hogwarts letter (how so many of us have longed for one of those), the young Miss Granger arrived at Hogwarts full of a determination to do well. Imagine my relief (I scared easily – I still scare easily) to discover that in this context, worst means ‘least effective’. The precise truth of the tale is left for the reader to imagine, the who-did-what and what-was-real is subtle and beautiful. So I got to thinking about how the concept of the witch had evolved – we did not start off with the pointy hat and the broom, so what was a witch originally and how did she end up where she is now? The whole thing is an exercise in making a character that is supposed to be one-dimensional and unsympathetic into a character with depth and emotions. Her first appearance in literature is in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s " The Life of Merlin," written in the first half of the twelfth century. The Famous Witch’s Interests Grow. My own personal favourite is that within Le Mort D’Arthur, where Morgan’s proficiencies as a healer are put more to the fore. Roald Dahl’s witches are great because they’re so practical. The three witches accost Lord M on his way back from battle and tell him a pretty tale about what future lies before him for the taking. Let them put a spell on you: You don’t really have to take it from me. Here are just a few of the leading ladies you’ll find circling a cauldron, with or without a sassy black cat. They are the coven of witches and together they are stronger. The Wicked Witch of the West is an interesting one because although she is overshadowed by the depiction in the classic (and my personal all-time favourite) film, Elphaba has over time become rehabilitated via the medium of Wicked. Learn how your comment data is processed. Mary Poppins exists to put us all to shame – magic has rendered her perfect. 7 Grand High Witch (The Witches) It’s hard to imagine that a witch so cruel, evil, and physically revolting would be front and center in a movie aimed at children. Spending my university years around Christians, I was always surprised about how many people I would encounter who would casually remark that they had been banned from reading Harry Potter while growing up due to concerns about promoting witchcraft. She knows everyone’s life histories, she can summon up passing magical folk with ease and all of it without ever deigning to smile. It was hard to pick just one here … so hard, that I gave up. I have ranted more than once about my views on Roald Dahl’s vision of witchdom, which is essence a manifestation of his misogyny. The image of the witch is one that has been wrangled over for centuries. Known to be currently dating a river goddess, Peter works hard to make the term ‘practitioner’ a gender-neutral substitute for the loaded ‘witch’ and ‘wizard’ – similarly, he refers to ‘ethically-challenged’ practitioners rather than the racially insensitive term ‘black magic.’  It may have taken him about three books to cast a decent fire-ball, but the boy does his best under trying circumstances. Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz. During the grim Middle Ages, many women and children were executed for allegedly practicing witchcraft, which was actually just a term for alternative forms of worship and anything that fell outside the pale of the dominant culture of the times.At some point, however, the witch's reputation as an evil, dangerous outcast shifted to … In addition, Doreen studied esoteric religions including Spiritualism. Bow down to Agnes Nutter, whose Nice and Accurate Prophecies set the stage for Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s ultimate tag-team effort, Good Omens. Yes! Winnie the Witch picture books. For the best possible experience please confirm you agree to the use of cookies as set out in our privacy policy. Serafina Pekkala believes in the old ways, in the prophecy that concerns Lyra, she floats through the story and the reader never quite feels that we get to the heart of her. It’s such a deep story, so many levels. 7 Classic Witches to Scare You for Halloween. The concept of the witch reflects back our own fears – but with our changing fears, how have we changed the witch? She gets a bad rap for that, as well as her penchant for taking that which isn’t hers when she gets you into bed. I read this as a six year-old, feeling apprehensive beforehand since ‘worst witch’ to me surely meant most evil and therefore most frightening. It’s the Good Witch of the North that bestows a mark of protection on Dorothy, defeater of bad witches, erstwhile savior of Munchkinkind, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Take this quiz to see how much you know about the most famous witches in TV, film and books! She is the Wicked Witch, we hate her, we delight in her destruction and never pause to consider whether or not she deserves it. Titchy Witch. This is a small sampling of some of the most memorable, with a few real world witches mixed in :) . There are no boys allowed in Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, or as I like to call it, Divine Secrets of the Supernatural Sisterhood. Instead, they hide in plain sight, looking just like us (so be sure to check everyone you meet for a wig or lack of toes) and holding down respectable jobs. This is perhaps the most classic depiction of witches – hubble, bubble, toil and trouble! She is ageless, almost immortal and she takes lovers knowing that they will fade away into wrinkles and white hair, that any children they may have will also die and still she will live on. She did right but she didn’t do nice. Is it really so fair that she has become known as the ultimate figure of evil simply because she wanted … She provides a meal to the crew which transforms them into swine when they consume it. Feb 21, 2019 - From the dawn of time, witches have been featured in many of the greatest stories: in myth, legend, literature, film and television. Beautiful mansion, nice location, buffets aplenty, bewitched animal friends…oh, and the ability to turn men into pigs. Serafina Pekkala is distinctly more ethereal than her decidedly earthbound Discworld sister. I could go on. Maybe it was a game that led her to tell him to wait inside the circle and not move. Please confirm you have read and agreed to our Privacy Policy. Forget Sabrina, she is the most recognisable teenage witch and all of it without a black hat in sight. While the trick-or-treating masses still play up the nastiest of stereotypes—green skin, black robes, obsession with people’s pretties—literature offers up any number of wonderful (and wonderfully bad) witches, many of whom don’t always fit the mystical mold. Not that men can’t enjoy the plight of the sisters and their witchy aunts; it’s just that the ladies handle themselves fine without them—without living men, anyway. I assume when you say “Wicked” you mean the musical not the book? Hecate remains a key figure within Wiccan traditions but she has changed a lot since her first appearance. But it is that closing scene when Morgan accompanies Arthur to Avalon and all their differences are finally set aside that brings a true tear to the eye – Morgan had some issues but I am not sure she really deserved her wicked reputation. The Worst Witch. I guess that continues down the centuries? These three witches are some of the most famous literary witches, known for giving Shakespeare’s Macbeth his portentous prophecies. Elphaba is very sympathetic, because you learn of her birth and childhood (and young adulthood) which give the reader a real character with real challenges and flaws. Discover the haunting legacy of 9 famous witches. Nobody would ever call Donald Trump a witch – he’s just revolting and rude. Unlike the later image of the witch, Hecate was traditionally associated with dogs, having the ability to transform into them. Morgan is another character who has been transformed dramatically down the centuries. The 10 Most Famous Witches in History . Sybil Leek was taught witchcraft at a young age and was around during Gerald Gardner’s time. testing in four books instead of seven. The White Witch, The Chronicles of Narnia. As he had a habit of doing, Shakespeare set the standard for literary hocus-pocus with the Three Witches who drove poor, pitiful Macbeth to distraction and doom. The Wicked Witch of the West is an interesting one because although she is overshadowed by the depiction in the classic (and my personal all-time favourite) film, Elphaba has over time become rehabilitated via the medium of Wicked. This was the first time I had ever encountered magic being practised for the sake of itself – Miss Cackle’s Academy are not wicked witches, they wish nobody ill. I know – stories reflect back our own attitudes so I do find it fascinating how humanity’s views of the witch have shifted. Honestly. Granny Weatherwax first appears in Equal Rites as mentor to young Esk and quickly became one of the Disc’s most enduring and most beloved characters. I’ve been wanting to see Wicked for YEARS! Unlike Hecate though who despite being threefold remain essentially one, or the Graeae who were more or less interchangeable, the three here tend to be seen as Maid, Mother and Crone. Glinda, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum The yang to Elphaba's yin, Glinda is perhaps the most famous of all the benevolent witches. It remains an insult even now when a woman speaks out of turn. Morgan LeFay. Rosemary Ellen Guiley points out that this play, written at the very beginning of the seventeenth century, is one of the most influential literary works to help establish the negative stereotype of … The first time we truly see her is when her sleigh glides into sight when Edmund first visits Narnia. We can put all of our hatred for any female figure on Elphaba and we will all understand what is being referred to. When Uther, Arthur’s father, tricks Morgan’s father to his death, he earns Morgan’s enmity for life and this vengeance is visited upon Arthur too. Not only is she always right, this 17th-century witch is also sassy as all get-out. With a sidekick gone rogue and a governor who is aging backwards, Peter Grant is not only a tongue-in-cheek dig at politically correct modern policing but also a hilarious imagining of the magical world in a world all too recognisably our own. Freed from the mark of being ‘good’ or ‘evil’, witchcraft here takes a standard boarding-school story (rendered mundane by the likes of Blyton et al) and adds an aspect of escapism. Dorrie the Little Witch series by Patricia Coombs. Mary is a strong heroine, courageous and admirable but in her search to remain true to herself, she has to flee. Though John Updike’s novel is heavier and darker than its film adaptation, it’s hard to get the image of Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, and Cher as the three eponymous Rhode Island vixens out of your head. Though her identity is lost to myth and legend, she has managed to appear in more contemporary literature. Circe is the OMG of sorceresses and the perfect evil witch. What else would you expect of a group of witches from a place called Todcaster? An interesting list given I’ve not ready any of the books concerned though I’m aware of many of them. Perhaps it is the threat of an intelligent or strong woman that existed down the ages, so gets labelled by most men and some women as something to be wary of, if not frightened. The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches. Agnes Nutter from Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. She travels to America for a new start, hoping to put her past and the suspicion of witchcraft behind her but it is not so simple. — they’re genuinely horrifying. Written accounts of women who practice magic are as old as recorded history, and continue to the present day (to this very week), with two much buzzed-about books: Alex Mar’s Witches of America and Stacy Schiff’s The Witches: Salem, 1962. Naturally, one society (and the most important in the series) consists of wizards and witches who live with the Muggles2 together in one world. While they’re easterly and westerly counterparts were pure evil, the good witches of the North and South are delightful helpers. Is it just to be prejudiced against someone because they have green skin? Is it really so fair that she has become known as the ultimate figure of evil simply because she wanted to have her late sister’s shoes returned? June 16, 2012, zubair, Leave a comment. Circe is best known for the part she played in Homer’s The Odyssey, where Odysseus and his men land on her island. From Maryland's Moll Dyer to Louisiana's Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, these women still cast a spell. With her ruin, all that is good and fun and beautiful is finally able to return. I’m sorry but Mary Poppins was definitely some kind of magical practitioner – there is no other real explanation for the amount of weird goings-on which congregate around her. Known for her expertise in potions and spells, mere mortals and even some of the gods feared her intently. The crimes she was accused of were pretty heinous—Mother Waterhouse and two other witches stood trial for dallying with the devil, cursing people, and even causing bodily harm and multiple deaths through their black magic. I love Mary Poppins, The White With and Hermione. Witches from mythology were passed down in literature under one form or another: it is said that the three witches from Shakespeare’s Macbeth were borrowed from the myth of … She was a powerful witch and enchantress who oversaw Avalon. I must admit many of these I read some years back. Mildred tries hard, means well and somehow plans still go awry. This book intrigued her, as well as Aleister Crowley’s books on ceremonial magic.
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