The witch is one of the most contentious figures of the present day: from victim of persecution to stock character to magical practitioner the witch embodies our fears and desires. In the Anglosphere, the witch has been actively reimagined since at least the late nineteenth century. This module tackles some popular myths associated with the witch, explores their origins, and ask how these myths are used today.

Are witches always female? Why do they fly on broomsticks and wear pointy hats? And where does a witch’s magic come from? The module answers these and other questions using a mix of historical, esoteric, literary and critical texts that get to the crux of how witches are depicted in fiction and history, and what witches themselves have to say about that.