Season of the Witch

Season of the Witch

This is my favorite time of year, the Autumn/Mabon season. The Fall crops are harvesting, leaves are crisp, pumpkins, and finally Halloween and Samhain. In Jefferson City every time you take a deep breath, the air is cool and clean. Some people call this time of year, “The Season of the Witch”.

How are witches portrayed in the entertainment world? If you think of the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus, you may see witches who need the essences from children to stay young. You find the need for essence in Stephen King's books to Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal. The Wizard of Oz brings us two witches, Glenda and The Wicked Witch of the West (technically three but one had a house fall on her). The concept of a green-skinned witch came from this movie. The head of MGM thought the green skin would look great with new technology for color at the time. The hit television show American Horror Story dedicated a whole season to witches. The witches were both good and evil, male and female and Angela Bassett played a voodoo queen, paying tribute to the real-life queen, Marie Laveau. Witches have been portrayed as fun, like Samantha Stevens and Endora from Bewitched. Many people like Sabrina the teenage witch. Sabrina has been portrayed many times on television and in the comics. The latest comic edition which Netflix into a series is not like the earlier Sabrina. Sabrina has witches working for Satan. The true witch does not have a concept of Satan but Hollywood wants to spice things up a bit. Hermoine Granger from the Harry Potter series is delightful and irritating as a muggle witch. Many people adore her work ethic and loyalty.

Witches have been portrayed in many ways from the girls from the Craft to the Charmed sisters. People like to dress as witches for Halloween, a tradition that will go on for a very long time. What is seen in movies and television is not reality as a true witch believes in not harm, protecting the earth, helping others, and have no concept of Satan.