Witches are some of the most enduring feminist icons of our time

The specter of the witch haunts both fact and fiction. She is all at once wizened hag, poison apple in hand; learned spinster, married to her books; and enchanting seductress with bared breasts and hypnotic stare. Although she may inhabit the same pop culture pantheon as vampires, zombies, and werewolves, the witch has long been a symbol of fear not because she can harness forces that transcend this mortal coil, but because she embodies the a powerful femininity free from male influence or ownership. Indeed throughout history the figure of the witch has both challenged and reflected patriarchal narratives about female power, making her one of the most enduring feminist icons of all time.