Evolution of the Witch

American Horror Story: Coven

As Halloween draws near, one starts to think about costume ideas and party planning. So let us revisit one of the holidays most iconic costumes: The Witch.

The Witch has evolved over the years from an ugly old hag with a broom into a powerful and sexy sorceress. So just how has this happened? Pop-culture plays a part of course.

Francis Goya's Los Caprichos

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft

From medieval times witches were thought to be servants of the devil and most of the folklore about them rose out of superstition and fear surrounding the unknown.  Many of the traits we now associate with witches, such as flying on a broomstick, came about because of these fears.

Read more about the the history of witches

Hansel and Gretel

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hansel_and_Gretel

Children's stories, such as Hansel and Gretel, helped shape the image of the witch as an ugly old hag.  This imagery could be the result of the Salem witch trials where many women who could not defend themselves, such as the crippled, sick and elderly, were persecuted for witchcraft.  Children learned to fear a woman living alone in the woods.

Haxan

Image Source: http://sfsilentfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2010/06/haxan-witchcraft-through-ages.html

When moving pictures began to gain popularity, people found a new fascination with witches.  Haxan is a silent documentary style film about witches and devil worship that was quite modern and risque for its time.  It was banned in America due to graphic scenes of a sexual nature.  Thus began the sexualization of the witch in pop culture.

The Evil Queen

Image Source: http://www.timeout.com/london/film/the-ten-best-movie-witches

Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs features a beautiful sorceress aka witch, who is based on film actresses of the day.  She is the most beautiful woman in the land until another shows up to take her place.  During the film the Evil Queen transforms herself into an ugly old hag in order to deceive Snow White.  Her transformation is supposed to reflect her true "ugly" self in that because she is evil she is now "ugly" inside and out.  The Evil Queen was one of the first "pretty witches" but she also reverts to the more traditional style of witch as well.

Wicked Witch of the West

Image source: http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Wicked_Witch_of_the_West

When most people hear the word "witch," Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz comes to mind.  She is THE most iconic witch in history.  She sparked the trend of little girls dressing up in black capes and pointy hats for Halloween aka the traditional witch costume.

Veronica Lake as Jennifer

Image Source: http://www.vintag.es/2011/10/i-married-witch-photos.html

Veronica Lake's portrayal of "pretty witch" Jennifer in the movie I Married a Witch, inspired the hit television show "Bewitched."  The television show toned it down to portray that witches could live among us as semi-normal people possessing magical abilities. 

Asa Vajda

Image Source: http://headhuntershorrorhouse.wikia.com/wiki/File:Asa_Vajda_003.jpg

Asa Vajda from Black Sunday shows that "pretty witches" can be terrifying too.  This movie brings back some of the gruesome to the witch.  Don't forget the added sex appeal.

The Witches of Eastwick

Image Source: http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-witches-of-eastwick-v54961

The Witches of Eastwick pose a triple threat:

1. normal women working normal jobs and raising normal families, minus husbands
2. vindictive and powerful
3. sexy bombshells

The Grand High Witch

Image Source: http://www.zap2it.com/news/pictures/zap-monstrous-evolution-vampires-werewolves-wi-025,0,54331.photo

The Witches marks the return of the two faced witch, both beautiful and ghoulish.  There is definitely some Evil Queen inspiration here, but with more of a horror flair to the ugly side.  Now when we see "ugly" witches they tend to be extremely ugly and deformed.

The Craft

Image Source: http://www.peacheschrist.com/?attachment_id=10991

The Craft helped spark the teenage witch, vampire, werewolf, "insert monster here" craze.  They were young, sexy, and best of all trendy.  Girls everywhere wanted to dress like them.  The style was schoolgirl meets goth.  I can't say that I didn't try and dabble in a little bit of witchcraft back then because of this movie.

Beautiful Creatures

Image Source: http://gnnaz.com/2013/02/14/beautiful-creatures-movie-review/

And surprise surprise, the teenage witch trend continues with the most recent popular witch movie, Beautiful Creatures, and with the new television series, American Horror Story: Coven.

If you do decide to dress like a witch for Halloween, what style will you choose? Pretty or Ugly? What about both? :-)

AHS: Coven image source: http://www.indiewire.com/article/television/american-horror-story-cover-witch-teaser