how the witch became a feminist icon (and how it failed)

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!

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

🌼 s o c i a l m e d i a
• twitter: @thebookleo
• instagram: @thebookleo

🌺 a b o u t m e
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).

🌹 m u s i c
Music, art, and video by Jokabi

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[pendragon]

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....

[spinstercatlady]

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!

[SashaS-sz]

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.

[gabriellewade]

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. 😂

[AtlasPro]

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!

[grybentinas]

So Malleus Maleficarum is basically a 15th century incel manifesto that caused a shit tone of cruelty on women

[itowilltube]

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.

[llloonie]

The amount of research she does for these videos is great!

[MegaCrazyhand]

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.

[Tatiana_Palii]

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!)

[ginarocher]

As a catalan person i'm so happy to hear you mention Catalunya and our history with witches!!! <3

[AngHemenway]

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 🥰🥰

[stephanibauduccio]

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!!

[mollika]

OMG. How does everytime I'm interested about something The book leo makes a video about that? I'm so happy 💛

[ericasosa]

The change in lighting throughout the video is just ✨ethereal✨

[evelynstenberg]

Your deep dives are the best. They're like little cozy classes and you're just this amazing teacher. I love these videos.

[sofiasireno]

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! 🔮💜

[gecko]

“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

[alinabarbieru]

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 ❤❤❤

[moose]

oh I love Leonie's video essays, they're always so interesting and well researched!