Halloween, Mythology, and Popular Culture: Witches

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14 Jan 2024

Halloween, Mythology, and Popular Culture: Witches

Isn't it time to talk about witches? I've prepared a magical article starting from the story of Halloween and delving into the representation of witches in popular culture and mythology. If everyone has their black cloaks ready, we can hop on our brooms and embark on an adventure.

From Samhain to Halloween

When we explore the origins of Halloween, we find that it evolved from the Celtic celebration of Samhain on November 1st, marking the Celtic New Year. The classic elements of Halloween stem from the eve of Samhain. According to legends, on this eve, the spirits of fairies and demons were believed to roam freely. To protect themselves from malevolent spirits, the Celts wore costumes and performed specific rituals. The celebrations on Samhain included singing in front of homes and distributing food. Additionally, everywhere would be adorned with turnips carved with spooky faces.

Doesn't all of this sound familiar to the Halloween we know today? The costumes, food distribution, and spooky face carvings. The transformation of Samhain into Halloween occurred when the Pope shifted the celebration of All Saints' Day from May to November 1st. With the migration of the Celts to America, their traditions blended with the new world. So, why does the witch costume become the central representation of Halloween? The answer is quite simple. The rituals performed on the eve of Samhain were associated with witchcraft, hence making "witch" the main theme of the celebration. Pointed hats, long noses, and black cloaks, plus broomsticks—this detail also originates from the Celtic Samhain eve. In popular culture, witches use brooms to fly, but the Celts used brooms for a much simpler purpose: to clean up after rituals and prepare for the upcoming festival!

In conclusion, the foundation of Halloween, as we know it, lies in the Celtic New Year rituals, where people wore costumes, cleaned their surroundings with brooms, and distributed food, all on the eve of Samhain.

Witches in Popular Culture

Now, let's delve into contemporary popular culture. There's a classic portrayal of witches in popular culture: flying broomsticks, pointed hats, black cloaks, black cats... From beloved series like Harry Potter to recent animated films with witch themes, they all share a remarkably similar appearance.

In my opinion, the crucial factor that distinguishes witches in popular culture is whether they align with good or evil. Especially in content with period themes, like Luna Nera, we see witches portrayed as a group often misunderstood by society, despite not being inherently evil. On the other hand, some choose to focus on witches' connections to dark magic, as seen in the series Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. Additionally, in the same series, we shouldn't forget the references to three sisters and Hecate.
Regardless of the theme, the constant truth is that witches continue to captivate people's curiosity from the past to the present. They remain an integral part of fantasy movies, series, books, and even pagan folk songs.

Significant Witches in Mythology

Now, if you're ready, let's take a look at how witches are represented in mythology. Unlike the uniform portrayal of witches in popular culture, each witch in mythology has unique characteristics.

Triple Moon Goddess: Hecate

Hecate's origin is surrounded by various theories. Although this mysterious witch is part of Greek mythology, there are discussions that she might have Anatolian or Egyptian roots. Hecate is often depicted as three women standing in a row. Later, these three women become influential in the emergence of the belief in the triple moon goddess (Hecate, Artemis, and Selene). Hecate's depictions also frequently include keys, snakes, dogs, and torches.

Hecate is a goddess with diverse attributes. At times, she is seen as the goddess of boundaries, at other times of the underworld, and sometimes as the goddess of the moon. Hecate is also the owner of the keys that open doors between worlds, making her a protector in all journeys, including those to the otherworld. Notably, she is associated with cleaning paths for all journeys, including rituals and the upcoming festival.

One interesting fact about Hecate is that, unlike many figures in Greek mythology, she is never mentioned in Homer's works. Nevertheless, her presence can be observed in Hesiod's

Enchantress Goddess: Circe

Next, we have the enchantress goddess Circe, whom many of us—perhaps all of us—know from Greek mythology. Although it is certain that she is the daughter of Helios, there are two different views about her mother. According to some sources, her mother is Perseis, while others claim it is Hecate. In the latter version, Circe learns magic from Hecate.

According to myths, Circe spends the majority of her life on the island of Aeaea. Although today this island is said to be in Italy, there is a point that raises doubts: the location in Italy is a cape, not an island. Circe, a witch renowned for her extensive knowledge of elixirs and plants, was said to be able to transform people into animals using her magical staff.
If you want to read her story, including the parts where she transforms her rival into a terrifying monster for revenge, you should definitely add "Circe" to your reading list. Of course, you can also compare her character with the one in Homer's Odyssey.

Forest Guardian: Baba Yaga

We know Baba Yaga from Russian folk tales with her wild portrayal. In these stories, she appears as both a forgiving and a malevolent character. This witch lives in a hut with chicken legs in the depths of the forest. Baba Yaga's famous hut moves continuously through the forest thanks to its chicken legs.

Baba Yaga is not just a dangerous witch; she is also, probably, a Pagan goddess. What's interesting is that in many stories, there are three versions of Baba Yaga. In these versions, you can see one of the three sisters trying to help the others while the other tries to harm them.

Baba Yaga is quite different from Western witches. Unlike the attractive but malevolent witches often portrayed in the West, Baba Yaga has sagging breasts, a long nose, and sharp iron teeth. This witch, the guardian of the forest, tests those who come to her hut. In the end, she either helps her guests or kills them. You might cross paths with this intimidating witch in the Hellboy comic series or in Naomi Novik's book "Uprooted."

Avenger Witch: Medea

Medea is one of the greatest sorceresses in Greek mythology, highly skilled in making potions and poisons. Although she is a part of Greek mythology as a priestess of the goddess Hecate, Medea is best known for her role in a love story. In this story, she is the "assistant" who uses magic to save Jason from love while he searches for the Golden Fleece. In Euripides' "Medea," we see her as a woman rejected by her husband Jason, seeking revenge.

Medea is a character that does not conform to the ideals of women in her time. Some define her vengeful actions, driven by her sharp mind and unique talents, as a symbol of freedom. They are not entirely wrong. Without her, it's a well-established fact in both modern and ancient texts that Jason would never have succeeded.

Master of Dark Magic: Morgan Le Fay

At the end of our list is the mysterious and talented witch of Arthurian legends, Morgan Le Fay. There are opinions that Morgan's character might have come from Welsh mythology or other figures in ancient myths. Nevertheless, many agree that Morgan's powers resemble those of fairies in Celtic folklore.
According to some sources, Morgan is both Arthur's sister and Merlin's apprentice. In the Arthurian legends, Morgan represents the archetype of the beautiful but villainous character. According to some accounts, Morgan not only dabbled in dark magic but also planned to destroy the entire world.

This enthusiast of dark magic has been featured in many poems throughout history. Today, we recognize her as Morgana from the famous TV series Merlin. If you want to explore the events from a different perspective, you might want to give T. A. Baron's "Merlin" series a try. The author of the series also served as a script consultant for the show. He is undoubtedly a great fan of Merlin!

We have come to the end of our article discussing magic, witches, and their stories. We hope it has been an enjoyable adventure for you. Which witch intrigued you the most? Don't forget to share your thoughts with me.

Thank you for reading.

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