Magic and Modern Culture
Witches and magic have long been portrayed in literature in western culture, both in positive and negative ways. In most cases magic is somewhat a children’s realm in this respect with stories of good and evil witches peppering fairytales. Examples of evil magic can often be seen in Grimm Fairytales and Disney, examples of such as the Hansel and Gretel and Snow White. The Wicked witch is often a stereo typical old crone with the pointed hat and warts whereas the good which is usually an attractive young woman. It is not just in children’s tales that we see magic and witchcraft; Shakespeare famously portrayed the three witches in Macbeth for example.
More modern mediums have begun to change this stereotype with the immense popularity of Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett Discworld series. No longer is it so easy to distinguish the good from the bad simply from outward appearance. There also tends to be a somewhat more comical approach to magic in these new mediums whereas previously the aim was to create fear, the case now is often to have fun with the characters. It has raised concern in some religious cultures that this lighthearted approach to something that holds such negative connotations is extremely dangerous to young and enquiring minds, and as a result some of these literatures have been banned.
Television and film is now littered with magic based movies and TV series examples such as Harry Potter movies, Bewitched, Sabrina the teenage witch, charmed and Buffy have proved the popularity and curiosity that people have with magic and witchcraft.