Primordial Characters

08/21/13 • 14 min

One idea to explain the similarity of witch imagery between cultures is that the witch represents the opposite of good. As I show in this lecture, another idea is that the witch image is created through joining together some of the most basic elements of experience.

Previous Episode

Nightmare Witches

In the previous four lectures, we considered witch-hunting in various contexts. Now we need to analyze what is going on in these cases. The basic idea is that “society creates the image of the witch, and pins this image down onto particular individuals” (Mayer 1982, p. 61). So what is this image and how can understand it? The image is the nightmare witch who “epitomizes all kinds of evils”. We consider this in relation to the Balinese nightmare witch—Rangda.

Next Episode

Cannibal Mothers

In previous lectures, we have looked at how we can we analyze the image of the witch. Mair says the witch image represents the opposite of good. Needham says it is a synthesis of primary factors. As we will see in this lecture, Stephen, an anthropologist who has researched the Mekeo and the Balinese, says that the image of the witch is a fantasy the child has about the mother.