What is a Witch?

Traditionally, a witch is a woman who has magical powers that she uses for malignant purposes. But this definition changes depending on what lens you’re looking through. 

"Hers is a slippery spirit; try to pin her down, and she'll only recede further into the deep, dark wood." - Pam Grossman, 'Waking the Witch' (2019).

In this blog post, we’ll talk about the cultural, historical and feminist definitions of what a witch is. 

Witches in History

The problem is that the records don’t give a full picture. The witch trials in Europe, England, Scotland and America took place over hundreds of years, from the 15th century through to the 18th. And it was before the UK’s judiciary system became (more) unified, so the way things were conducted wasn’t the same across regions, or even from trial to trial.  

It means that who was accused of witchcraft and why is not necessarily as clear as we would like it to be.

However, what we do know is that the majority of those accused were women - in Scotland, around 84% of the accused were women. We know that women were seen as the weaker sex, more susceptible to temptation by the devil (we have Eve to thank for that).

The rest - whether they were married, what social status they had, how old they were, etc, is not as clear cut. Put simply - it’s not a ‘one size fits all’. 

The idealised version of the women accused of being midwives, healers and cunning folk who lived on their own, at the edge of society, happily tending to their garden and their animals, is not necessarily the truth for everyone.

What Did Witchcraft Mean Historically?

The first Witchcraft Act in England was passed under Henry the Eighth, in 1542, making deals with the devil and summoning spirits illegal. Over the years, various updates and additions were made, most notably in 1604 where the practice of witchcraft brought the penalty of death (enforced by Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins). 

This was brought to England by James’ accession to the English throne. He was the Scottish King as well before this and had made witchcraft a capital offence there in 1563. 

But what did ‘witchcraft’ mean for the everyday folk? Well, it was rarely about being seen casting spells, and more about behaviour. If you were gobby or argumentative (and had had a conflict with someone), you had ‘healing powers’ and they didn’t work, or you disrupted social norms, then you might have an accusation heading your way. 

Witchcraft was often used as an explanation for chaos. 

Witches in Folklore

Folklore is traditional beliefs and stories passed down through generations through word of mouth (primarily). Fairy tales, legends, mythical creatures, superstitions, crafts and foods all fall under folklore. 

There are many witches within folklore. From the Witch of Endor in the Bible, Circe in the Odyssey to Baba Yaga from Russian folklore, they are contradictory and diverse. A witch could be a terrifying villain (think Hansel & Gretel), a seductress (Morgan Le Fay) or a benevolent healer and helper (La Befana). Whatever role they play, they are often operating on the edges of ‘normal’ society. 

Witches in Literature & Pop Culture

In literature and media, the witch remains without one definition. She is by turns dark and horrifying, funny and fantastical. 

Over time, she becomes more human, but not necessarily a more empowering or feminist character over time. There are times where she is definitely antagonistic - think the Weird Sisters in Macbeth, or the hags in Roald Dahl’s The Witches, but also living their own lives with trials and tribulations, and moral ambiguity, in shows like Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and more. 

The Witch as a Symbol

The witch symbolises a number of things:

• Female power and autonomy. She symbolises an empowered woman who is independent of patriarchal control.
• Disorder and refusal to comply with societal norms. The witch represents a darker side of femininity, the mother figure who is dangerous or consuming - not the caring, nurturing matriarch she’s supposed to be. Refusal to comply with societal norms also, historically, made her a scapegoat for misfortune. 
• Wisdom and transformation. The Crone symbolises the final stage of life (i.e. post-menopause) where she has accumulated knowledge, experience and the confidence to exist as she pleases.    

So, What is a Witch?

The witch is ever-evolving. She stands at the intersection of fear, power, gender and control. She is fascinating. While those accused of witchcraft in real life aren’t always female, the witch  stands firmly as a female icon, whether you feel empowered by her eating children or fighting off the bad guys. 

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