how the witch became a feminist icon (and how it failed)
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- Опубликовано: 11 ноя 2023
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today i have a new video essay for you guys ! this one is a deep dive into witchy characters: evil witches, empowered witches, cozy witches - all of them!
my deep dive playlist: • Deep Dives & Video Essays
00:00: intro
3:46: witch hunts & woman hate
14:58 the empowered witch
19:53: the witch as a victim
30:12 the "witch paradox"
38:27 conclusion
sources:
Witch, BBC Radio 4
Mary E. Corey. Matilda Joslyn Gage: A Nineteenth Century Women’s Rights Historian Looks at Witchcraft. OAH Magazine of History, 2003.
Sempruch, Justyna. Fantasies of Gender and the Witch in Feminist Theory and Literature. Purdue University Press, 2008.
Matilda Joslyn Gage. Woman, Church and State, The Original Exposé of Male Collaboration Against the Female Sex. 1893
www.theguardian.com/society/2...
www.faculty.umb.edu/gary_zabe...
scrippsnews.com/stories/how-w...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...
www.huffpost.com/entry/witche...
theclassicjournal.uga.edu/ind...
www.english-heritage.org.uk/l...
The Podcast Episode on Midwives: digpodcast.org/2020/09/06/doc...
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Hi! My name is Leonie and I am a 25 year old girl from the Netherlands who loves talking about books! From YA to non-fiction to classics, I read it all (although fantasy will always be my fave).
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I remember in grad school teaching a Halloween-time lesson on real life pirates and the witch trials because pirates and witches are two of the most popular costumes. But the real pirates were actually awful human beings, and the real witches were innocent victims....
Are you talking about the witch trials no if you're talking about the Witch Trials of Salem then someone told you wrong because the witch trials is Salem but innocent people that were accused of witchcraft with that information come from
@mygaaraofthedesert not sure exactly what your saying there, but I think you agreed with pendragon... the witches were just innocent people.
Well, pirates (especially those who weren't privateers) were also often victims of society - outcasts, underpaid sailors, former slaves, etc. But they did murder and pillage while the so-called witches just lived their lives, so I get what you mean.
Also witches were men as well, but for some reason the term later became associated with women
It was originally just a pejorative term for heretics
Witches were not innocent victims. Witchcraft was a severe crime, which is why they were forced to hide.
So Malleus Maleficarum is basically a 15th century incel manifesto that caused a shit tone of cruelty on women
Can't say I'm surprised.
First recorded copypasta
Very little difference between it and that screed that started gamer gate lol
@@bpblitz
Man I keep forgetting you hoes are still getting ass-blasted about that.
GG, stay mad.
maleficarum... maleficent
I love Terry Pratchett's interpretation of witches. They seem more real and subsequently, more terrifying because I would not want Granny Wetherwax angry at me. 😂
Yes! Granny is the best!
The Wyrd Sisters was my introduction to Discworld.
Yes! love them so much! just started re-reading 'wyrd sisters' and can't wait to get to the Tiffany Aching stories 🧙♀️😊
As a little girl, it was always the witch characters that captivated me. I'd sashay around, pretending to cast spells and ordering around the simpering princesses lol. I was subconsciously seizing upon the fact that witches were the female characters with power and mystery - quite alluring to a child (and still as an adult haha). Long live the witch archetype!
hehehe i loved the pointy hats and potion brewing stuff + the fact that they caused fear
hahaha. Absolutely. Witches were always so cool. I think I had 6 or 7 different witch costumes throught the years when I was little. I always loved the pretty flowy gown and the hats. Include some kind of "mystic" or "magic" necklace and done I'm sold.
@berenicemendivil7217 oh yesss, always had to be a magical necklace haha!!
I suddenly realized that many other types of magic practices were not considered nearly as bad.
For example, occultism in Edwardian Britain. For whatever reason, it is perfectly fine when distinguished gentlemen do basically the same thing.
No? Absolutely not? Not least of which because by the 20th century nobody in the _civilized_ world was burning witches at the stake.
Not only that but some of the most notorious (and consequently influential in those circles) occultists of the day were women! There are several brands of occultism still popular today that were founded by women - Theosophy _and the entire field of Aryan mysticism/Nazi occultism_ are example.
Where did you get this deeply stupid take and do they offer refunds?
I'd say it was a class thing because that movement was mostly practiced by the wives of these wealthy men. They didn't have much else to do at the time, so why not?
@@williamerickson520
I mean, occultism in general was typically only practiced by the wealthy - and then usually by spoiled wives and children.
Look at Wicca, it was invented by the mid-20th century equivalent of a fuck-boy, dude literally just made that shit up so he could get laid and upper-class white women are _still_ eating it up.
@@williamerickson520also, in the nineteenth century, with the advancement of science, things have changed considerably since the witch trials. And these guys were considered eccentric rather than dangerous
There always have been and always will be different rules for the rich than for the rest of us.
Everyone I've ever known from the Salem area has really hated being asked about the witch trials, even if they worked in the museums. It's telling that there wasn't a memorial until 1992- as I have had it recounted, the people in charge of the town didn't even want to publicly acknowledge that the Trials happened for a long time. Despite this, the town now really seems to lean into the witch imagery for the tourists which gives the impression that the town is celebrating that time they successfully killed everyone of a fictional group.
As another aside, a large number of Wiccans I've known are survivors of SA and other violent crimes and turned to Wicca as a way to feel like they could take control back in their lives. I think there is something poetic in that- that the label used by the state to murder woman is now used by woman to provide a sense of control over the world.
Whyy would you have a memorial for witches? Do you have memorials for nazis as well? What kind of world, do you people live in..? Curious.
This was really interesting! I've been writing a collection of short horror stories for years now and one of them focuses on a witch. I tried my hardest to make her character relatable, as she's not the monster of some other character's story, she's the focus of the story, and her "witchness" or wickedness only develops as cruel deeds are done to her throughout the story. This video really gave me a new perspective on this, and may force me to rethink some things!
Hey, idk if this is something you would care for, but if you want to make your witch even more realistic, then I thought I would offer. I am a practicing witch and an aspiring author, so I would be happy to help you with making her witchcraft practice realistic if that is something your story entails. 🤍
So cool finding you here, love both channels.
omg!!! keep writing!!! i want to read them by next halloween!🖤💛🖤
I would love to read this!
I love villain origin stories (the novel I'm currently writing is one in-fact). I'd be happy to beta-read/edit your witch story if you'd like.
Oh, thank you so much for mentioning Baba Yaga! She is not completely evil though - in some fairytales she eventually helps the hero on their journey. Like in the Russian folk version of Cinderella she gives Vasilisa (Cinderella) a human scull with burning eyes on a stick, so it can help her to light her way through the woods (and to burn down her house, killing her evil stepmother and stepsisters, hooray!)
That either has to be the coolest or the creepiest version I've ever heard of cinderella, and I'm immediately going to look it up because I need to know more.
@@berenicemendivil7217 I guess it's both cool and creepy at the same time :)
Baba Yaga is completely misunderstood. I've always liked her, and that crazy house she lives in. If I could live in a house which walked around, I'd be thrilled.
This video essay was an educational slay!
She did thorough research and I'm glad she acknowledged for the idea that this happened. Continues to occur in Asia and Africa as well as Western world.
As a catalan person i'm so happy to hear you mention Catalunya and our history with witches!!!
The amount of research she does for these videos is great!
I took a course at university called "The History of European and American Witchcraft" for my gender/sexualities studies minor and it was incredible - a lot of what you discussed I learned about in that course. Well done, super interesting stuff!!
As a writer I'm so glad I found your channel, I've learned so much about what readers like and don't like. As a woman, I love this video even more. Thank you for your videos 🥰🥰
For anyone interested, I highly reccomend "The Mercies" by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, based on the real events of 1621 witch trials in Finnmark, Norway. After a storm claims all the men of the village, the women of Vardø are left to face not only the harsh Arctic elements but also the looming threat of witch trials. Slowly, the island becomes a battleground of survival and superstition. Evocative and beautifully written - I adored it!
Btw, loved this one Leonie! 🔮💜
I loved Hargrave's 'The Deathless Girls' so I'll have to give that one a try, thanks for the recommendation!
Oh I have to read that one as well then! Thank you😊
“When I was a child, the witch was a-“
Me: Hag? Ugly nasty jealous Hag? Extremely evil envious gossiping female hunchback of notredame?
“-n evil villain”
Me: Oh yeah, that works too I guess
omg I don't know if she's read the hunchback, but if she has I don't know if she's mentioned it yet, otherwise I'd love her to do a review on it!
OMG. How does everytime I'm interested about something The book leo makes a video about that? I'm so happy 💛
Same 😊
She a mmmm
Leonie is the most well-researched BookTuber.
Exactly what I came here to say!
@@rachelherway7379 Isn’t she amazing
This was a great video. To me, it’s especially interesting how incredible widespread the demand for these “female empowerment fantasies” is among readers. It’s pretty telling of the underlying cultural feeling.
Stories like "The Lord of The Rings" are literally about how desire for power is the most corrupting and evil force there is. When you have this as an "underlying cultural feeling", then that society will become corrupt and die. It's less "interesting" than it is "insidious".
Your deep dives are the best. They're like little cozy classes and you're just this amazing teacher. I love these videos.
So I remember reading a book in school called “The witch of blackbird lake” which is about a Quaker woman accused of witchcraft. That happened a lot in real life.
OMG I've read that book three times! I've always been bothered by it, because I think she was botanist. I remember my mom planting a lot of herbs I always thought we were cool witches. Maybe we still are : )
love ur video essays leonie, so insightful and thought provoking
Mona Chollet’s “In Defense of Witches” dives deep into this subject of you want to read more! It’s a great read ☺️ love your videos!
I really liked that book too!
I'm glad you addressed the "small city problem", I live on a pretty big city (6.7M habitants) and tbh I think it's great because it grants us some degree of freedom and privacy because no one knows us, whenever I visit my extended family on a smaller city (11K habitants) if I sneeze during the sunday mass, "can you believe the big city girl, you know, ____'s granddaughter, sneezed during mass?" will become the talk of the city, I love my grandma but it's a hellish experience
beautiful video! love the editing & it's very well researched
Love these little documentaries you make! hope you make more of them!
Thanks for putting so much time into this video!! Incredibly interesting
Thank you for this! I love witches, literary archetypes and especially I LOVE deep dives and video essays, so this checks out all of my fav elements 🧙🏻♀️🖤
i always look forward to your video essays about (book) tropes & themes, this was amazing as always 💜
Love this! You go so in depth into the history and folklore. This was so interesting!
Love everything you post Leonie! So cozy and informative
I love when you do videos like these. It is super interesting. Thanks for the commitment and the research!
I love the video essay format, especially diving into aspects of stories like this
I love your video essays ❤
I cannot get enough of these deep divesssss. Always impressed by the amount of research into these videos
LOVED this Leonie! You put so much thought and effort into these video essays, and I enjoy them so much.
Your deep dive videos are fantastic! It’s obvious that you put so much work into them ❤
The amount of research that went into this really shows, absolutely love these types of videos!
What an excellent deep dive! Thanks for the great quality content Leonie
I always love when you do a deep dive or analysis video!! ❤ You have such an interesting and academic way of presenting the subject. I hope the algorithm is kinder to you in any next video you make 😢
The editing in this vid is lovely, it’s giving all the dark autumn (but still cozy!) vibes ✨
Your videos are so relaxing and informative!
I adore when you make this type of videos. They are both educational and engaging!
I love these video essays you do! Hope they keep coming. You're incredibly good at them, and I thoroughly enjoy watching 😊
I love how much research and thought you put into this video! This is a proper video essay and the depiction of witches in media is such a wide topic! Thank you for working so hard on making an informative/interesting video that's also fun to watch! I also love your vibes and your make up a lot :)
You look majestic as hell in the dark lighting👏🏻 it matches the vibe of the video!
I love your video essays about the history of mythical creatures and beings and how they came to be as we know them today🌸
Such an interesting topic Leonie, I love how history and fictional interpretations and tropes get intertwined. Thanks for making this video, really awesome!
Love all the witch art you were able to find and add
This video was a great and interesting analysis. Always appreciate the vibes you bring to your videos too ❤
This was such a fun video, I really love these deeper dives into a specific topic!
Love how you approached this deep dive! A really interesting video as always 💜
I loved everything about this video!! The amount of research is incredible and the atmosphere is just right
I really love your deep dive videos. I learn a lot and am thoroughly entertained. So far I’ve read quite a few books on your recommendation, my favorite being Bunny. And the broken earth trilogy, but I’m only finishing the second book at the moment. So thank you, you’re great at what you do!
I love your videos talking about the history of some modern tropes or archetypes, it's always interesting to see where the idea came from and how it changed
i’m loving these video essays!!
Pleaser never stop making these types of video's!! I love them sm!
I love these deep dives. Thanks for your hard work!
Absolutely loved this well researched video.. Always love these deep dives that you do on various themes, genres and famous tropes.. Much love.. You are awesome.. And Your videos always give a very happy vibe...
i loved this video so much!
i think it was wonderfully edited and so aesthetically pleasing!
It is also so fascinating to think about the power structures behind these witchy books (which I also love) but had never thought about critically in the ways that you brought up!
I honestly love this kind of explanation videos. It's super interesting to hear you go in depth about any topic✨
Found your channel just a few days ago and cant stop watching! ✨🌱
You put so much research into these videos 😳😍 I love this!
I looove when you make videos like these!!! They are so good :)
This has the feeling of a video essay. Loved your insights❤
Fav book content creator again and again!! This was so thought-provoking and felt like chatting with a friend over tea ☺️🖤
Can i just say absolutely loved this video like im down for any type of analyse video but u just made this one 100% better
I love your deep dive content soo much. The amount of research is just insane!! ❤
Really cool analysis on witches! I definitely haven't thought of these concepts in depth before!
oh I love Leonie's video essays, they're always so interesting and well researched!
every video you make is somehow better than the last - always so much thought and research, a great vibe, stellar production
I really love how well researched, aesthetically pleasing and actually interesting Leonie's video esssays are
I love your trope deep dives. These reviews are so well educated and helpful in expanding our knowledge when we read. Thank you!!
You did great job, Leo!❤
You Can just See how much work this video was!! Thank you so much for that!
I love your videos so much, I clicked on it as soon as I saw it in your story!
Thank you for all your work, it's always a pleasure to watch your videos ❤
I love your essays Leonie !!!
This is such a beautiful and informative video essay! I love the deep dive and I can tell how much passion you have behind this subject. This is great and please keep up the great work Leonie!
LOVE YOU LEO AAAAAA YOUR VIDEOS ARE ALWAYS SO INSIGHTFULL AND WELL-RESEARCHED
Just commenting for the algorithm!
Loved the video - I always enjoy your deep dives and your videos are always so pleasant to watch aesthetically speaking
15:34 I’ve read some of Cotton Mather’s writings on witchcraft. (What can I say? I’m a history nerd who loves The Legend of Sleepy Hollow-which mentions Mather several times-and I enjoy deep dives into the minutia of stories. 😂) The witches were NEVER considered to have their own inherent power. It always came from having some kind of relationship with the Devil, making a deal with evil spirits, being given a familiar, etc. There’s also a surprising amount of “we thought the accusation was crazy and impossible, but after exhausting every other option it seemed the only explanation.” The description of the witch’s victims, usually children, seemed like possession to me, but that might be because the recent Exorcist movie is fresh in my mind… 😅
Love the vibe of the video, and I found it really interesting
The editing is so cool in this! Love it
This is such a cool video !! Thank you for teaching me about witches history
Loved this video! The editing is perfect and I gained lot of new perspectives on the topic!🥰
A book I really enjoyed this year that hits so many of the story beats you mentioned is Weyward by Emilia Hart. It tells the stories of three ladies across time that share a bloodline and their witchiness. One is straight up in the witch trials, one is a teen during the 1940s dealing with a controlling father, and one is modern day trying to escape an abusive partner. Each story is in part about their victimhood but also how they overcame their hardships. Would definitely recommend!!
These deep dives are so wonderful and my favourite. Hope you keep doing them. 🧹🪄🧙♀️🧙
I love whenever you post and you finally did a witch video 🧙🏻 love the vibes and these essay type of videos! ❤❤❤
It's fascinating...the study that went behind...Thank you for putting so much effort and presenting your ideas beautifully ❤
The research and the editing that went into this video was so impressive! And I love how the lighting slowly dimmed as the video went on, def added to the witchy vibe!
This is soo well made and so well researched. I love it! 🖤
I really love watching these deep dive videos you make. It makes me want to research tropes and characters that peaks my interest. So yeah THANK YOU for teaching us and inspiring us to learn more.
You never fail to impress me and bring me confort!
- From a fellow booklover in the Netherlands that found peace and enjoyment in your videos in rainy days, learning to embrace this otherwise awful weather. Love and thanks ❤❤❤
This was was so interesting and well-researched, as always! I'm currently reading many witchy books and you gave an important perspective that gets too easily forgotten. Thanks
I really enjoyed this video. Also, I got so excited about the Good Omens clips.
Omg I loved this video so much!!! The research, the different perspectives, the aesthetic, the sleeves, the candles, the whole deal! U slayyyyy!!!
I loved everything about this!! Can't imagine how much research must've gone into this❤
Agreed 👏
Thank you for this video! I always enjoy your deep dives and also your bookish content but this is a topic I've also been thinking about a lot lateley and it was really nice to gather more information that I might not have stumbled upon otherwise. Plus as a history student I love that you questioned the connection between actual historical facts and the myths based on them (+ the other way round) and how those myths have changed over time while also maintaining a lot of themes, not necessarily only good ones I'd say. Probably gonna start my own deep dive into witchy topics now haha :)
Love the fact that all sources are given in the caption ❤
Your videos are very insightful ❤
A really insightful analysis! I love how it got darker throughout the video haha, really added to the ✨vibes✨ In fact I love every video from you, such interesting topics and cosy vibes!