Despite advances in science and technology, the witch figure remains endlessly intriguing. New books continually reexamine this enduring archetype, from the classic witch to modern reimaginings. One notable work traces a long arc from medieval superstitions through defenses of witches, exploring how the witch hunt has shaped perceptions of women across time. Critical and literary studies have proliferated, with works in 2018 by Mona Chollet illustrating the key traits and possibilities surrounding the subject.
The latest prominent example is The Book of Witches, a collection of tales drawn from world literature by Shahrukh Husain, a writer born in Karachi in 1950 who confesses a lifelong fascination with the figure. The book is organized into eight chapters, each presenting a distinct portrayal of witches across history and cultures: women who are seductive, old and wise, lovers with a unique view of romance, those who transform themselves and others for good or ill, environmental witches who guard the cycles of nature, and even witches who threaten children. A dedicated section surveys the tools associated with them, such as cauldrons, brooms, and potions, alongside their legendary gatherings of the damned.
Husain’s introduction and the stories in The Book of Witches illuminate how history reshapes the concept of womanhood: guilt, fortitude, independence, and self-determination. The volume gathers narratives from Indian, Jewish, Arab, Chinese, Japanese, Siberian, and African American folklore, as well as a variety of European oral traditions.
Shahrukh Husain The Book of Witches Translation, Andrea Daga Impedimenta 392 pages / 25.25 Euros
The exhibition traces the evolution of the witch from early magicians mentioned in sacred texts and Greco-Roman demigods to sorcerers who could be seen as benevolent or malevolent. The witch as a figure becomes a subject of debate during the Inquisition, when the so-called witches are cast as allies of the devil in debates that echo through time. The infamous treatise written by Dominican priests Jakob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer in 1486 frames this struggle. The witch image shifts from a tragic or demonic profile in older literature to a more nuanced, sometimes even sympathetic portrayal in later periods, and finally to contemporary depictions that range from the innocent to the ominous, with iconic examples in popular culture that have lasting impact.
The witch is a mutable character, shaped by prevailing religious, political, and cultural tastes. It holds real sway in social life, even when treated primarily as a literary or cultural theme. For some women, this visibility carries danger: no longer burned at the stake, but facing different forms of social exclusion, imprisonment, or torture depending on the setting and era.
Because of these shifts, one scholar notes that describing the witch succinctly is almost impossible. A notable historical movement has emerged, suggesting that when women claim space for self-knowledge, freedom, and utopian ambitions, they are labeled as witches. This stance is reflected in the era’s activism and in feminist thought that views the witch as a symbol of resistance against oppression.