Creating the Myth of the Witch

Abstract

Much has been written about witchcraft, a topic which has attracted the attention of scholars from early times. But sorcery, witchcraft and evil are concepts deeply rooted in our western society and embedded in people’s mind from ancient times. Authors such as Stephen Greenblatt have emphasised the importance of understanding a literary piece of work not as an isolated phenomenon but in relation to its historical context and also focusing on its subversive potential. This article aims at offering a general overview on traditional ideas about witchcraft present in today’s society compared with what scholars and writers have said about this controversial topic in earlier times, in particular in the early Modern period when witchcraft hunts were at their peak. However, not only the figure of the witch will be analysed but also the historical background that surrounded this phenomenon and that helped give shape to contemporary perceptions on this figure.