| dc.description.abstract | This thesis argues that there is a movement in literature and television shows beginning in the 2010s which attempts to recast the figure of the witch and connect more accurately to their historic roles which are long forgotten in popular culture. As a group of women who faced legal, religious and physical persecution, the figure of the witch has been transformed over time to be frequently depicted as a green-faced, immoral figure of evil, losing accuracy in modern depictions and detaching from historical accuracy. In particular, this thesis will use Circe by Madeline Miller, The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson and Pine by Francis Toon as well as television examples such as The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and American Horror Story: Coven. In Chapter 1 I will focus on the reconnection to the role of the witch as an early nurse, specifically focusing on Miller’s Circe. In Chapter 2 I will analyse the role of the witch as a mother and the connection to the patriarchy, concentrating on Toon’s Pine. Lastly, Chapter 3 discusses the witches’ link to religion and the occult, focusing on the aforementioned television shows and Henderson’s The Year of the Witching. Significantly, the findings of this thesis have demonstrated that there is undoubtedly a movement to depict the witch more accurately, demonstrating how popular culture examples can more precisely create forms of entertainment that enrich historical understanding rather than detract from it. | |
