Even before the European Trials, witches have remained a mysterious force of nature hidden within our imaginations. With blood sacrifices, familiars, and hexes at their disposal, the witch has remained a staple of the horror genre. Even with authors such as J.K. Rowling, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohi, there’s no doubt that witches still do inspire fear in the literary world. 

So what about it? Why is the witch such a popular archetype to write about? Why is the witch even associated with the horror genre, even with the advent of its more fantastical depictions? But most importantly, what makes their characters so interesting? 

Well, below are a few reasons why.

Flirting with the Devil

It’s tough to shake off the grotesque reputation witches have garnered. For past centuries, it was believed that witches made pacts with the Devil himself to attain their magical prowess. They use familiars to spy on their neighbors and enemies, cast curses with just one look, and can even gain control of someone with a single bone or lock of hair. Sometimes depicted as an old crone, other times a beautiful woman, either way no one can see beneath their disguise. They are considered outside the realm of the church, and because of their powers, they are feared.

Dancing in desperation

Why a person decides to turn to witchcraft is anyone’s guess. Perhaps a broken heart led them astray. Maybe their loved ones abandoned them. There are even people who equate it with independence and power. Whatever the case may be, a character’s desperation can make any reason seem alluring enough to lead them down a terrifying road where there is little, if any, light in the nightmare they’ve thrust themselves into. 

Whether guilt or remorse 

Just like in Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus, by the end of the story it doesn’t matter what a witch’s past was, what their reasons were, or whether or not society chose to accept them. Their fates are always the same. They may become someone with no equal, someone that could bring suffering to the whole world, someone that could kill their friends and family and smile while doing it. But they’ve lost themselves, drowned in their sins while greedily asking for more. Of course, there are other other endings, such as being dragged off to hell. To be honest, I’ve rarely read a book that offered a happy ending. Still, one thing remains certain; whether you feel guilt or remorse, you still reach the same dead end.

But with all of these characteristics lies one thing; ambition. Not productive ambition, or the desire to protect your loved ones. Rather, this ambition comes from arrogance, from vanity, from pride in that you thought you could solve your problems on your own. It’s a mistake a lot of characters make, and it’s that mistake that has twisted the character to destroy their own selves, to devour the weak, enslave the strong. 

Still, what they choose to do, I’m not at liberty to say. Some spells, after all, are better left unsaid.