Beyond the Broom
Throughout history, witches misunderstood
Heather Mawhiney
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Showcase
When people think of Halloween, different folkloric images come to mind: vampires, werewolves, ghosts and of course, witches. What most people don't understand, though, is why the image of witches is so prevalent in today's society, where it came from and the correlation, if any, it has to the modern-day witch or Wiccan.
American witchcraft has a long and eclectic, albeit gruesome history, believed to date back to the earliest times in Europe, according to J.A. Sharpe's article, "Witchcraft." But what was witchcraft, exactly?
According to Sharpe, the interchanged terms of witchcraft and magic were thought to have quite different meanings. Witchcraft is normally thought of as an inherited quality used to inflict harm, whereas magic involves a number of techniques acquired through learning.
Though there is little evidence to suggest the witchcraft of the medieval and early modern periods was any sort of organized religion, according to Sharpe.
Witches were generally perceived to be lower class, illiterate females, whereas the well-educated and well-born male occult practitioners were thought of as magicians, according to Sharpe.
The image of the witch most are familiar with, "the hag, the elderly, worn and probably lower-class woman" is no recent development, according to Sharpe. The stereotype exists in classic literature, mainly from the works of Greek and Roman writers.
However, originally, superstitions and accusations were regarded as bizarre and irrational, socially divisive and dysfunctional and received little serious attention, according to the Phillip Stevens Jr.'s article, "Sorcery and Witchcraft."
"The problem of magic, witchcraft, sorcery and the occult became somewhat more complex with the beginning of the era of the Christian conversions in about the 4th century," according to Sharpe.
Early Christian churches had to accommodate the pagan religions it sought to replace, building churches on Pagan holy sites and incorporating pagan practices of divination, prophecy and folk healing, to make Christianity more accessible and acceptable, according to Sharpe.
American witchcraft has a long and eclectic, albeit gruesome history, believed to date back to the earliest times in Europe, according to J.A. Sharpe's article, "Witchcraft." But what was witchcraft, exactly?
According to Sharpe, the interchanged terms of witchcraft and magic were thought to have quite different meanings. Witchcraft is normally thought of as an inherited quality used to inflict harm, whereas magic involves a number of techniques acquired through learning.
Though there is little evidence to suggest the witchcraft of the medieval and early modern periods was any sort of organized religion, according to Sharpe.
Witches were generally perceived to be lower class, illiterate females, whereas the well-educated and well-born male occult practitioners were thought of as magicians, according to Sharpe.
The image of the witch most are familiar with, "the hag, the elderly, worn and probably lower-class woman" is no recent development, according to Sharpe. The stereotype exists in classic literature, mainly from the works of Greek and Roman writers.
However, originally, superstitions and accusations were regarded as bizarre and irrational, socially divisive and dysfunctional and received little serious attention, according to the Phillip Stevens Jr.'s article, "Sorcery and Witchcraft."
"The problem of magic, witchcraft, sorcery and the occult became somewhat more complex with the beginning of the era of the Christian conversions in about the 4th century," according to Sharpe.
Early Christian churches had to accommodate the pagan religions it sought to replace, building churches on Pagan holy sites and incorporating pagan practices of divination, prophecy and folk healing, to make Christianity more accessible and acceptable, according to Sharpe.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Trae Dorn
posted 10/23/08 @ 1:09 AM CST
Geh. I said the God has EIGHT Sabbats. The Goddess has 13 ESBATS.
Heather
posted 10/23/08 @ 8:17 AM CST
You are definitely right, I switched the two around. I'm very, very sorry. We will be correcting the error on the website today and a printed correction will run in Monday's issue. (Continued…)
Genny Nations
posted 10/23/08 @ 8:56 AM CST
Though evidence suggests that the organized religion known as Wicca is indeed a modern development, witchcraft itself--in a great variety of cultural forms--is most certainly an ancient practice. (Continued…)
Dan
posted 10/23/08 @ 10:50 AM CST
"Early Christian churches had to accommodate the pagan religions...incorporating pagan practices of divination, prophecy and folk healing, to make Christianity more accessible and acceptable. (Continued…)
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