|
Author
|
Comment
|
shawncer
Unregistered User
(1/15/06 1:32 pm)
|
enchantresses vs. witches
I'm working on an article on enchantresses (in contrast to regular old witches). Any ideas? I'm working on international comparisons. Thanks!
|
Shawncer
Registered User
(1/15/06 6:22 pm)
|
sorceresses vs. enchantresses
I should have added to my original question that I'm trying to find stuff on enchantresses and sorceresses in folklore and fairy tales. I'm finding lots of stuff on witches, but that is a separate entry!
|
Writerpatrick
Registered User
(1/16/06 9:32 am)
|
Re: sorceresses vs. enchantresses
Although the terms are used interchangably, an enchantress would be a woman who "chants" or speaks her magic. It's also used to refer to women who are charming or use hypnosis to affect people.
A sorceress would be a woman who uses the supernatural or paranormal. So a witch could fall into this category, and in some cases, could also be an enchantress.
|
AliceCEB
Registered User
(1/16/06 11:28 am)
|
Re: sorceresses vs. enchantresses
Patrick is right that the words tend to be used interchangeably, however enchantress has a positive connotation, whereas witch has a negative one. This probably comes from their source meanings:
Enchantress is a French word, the female form of "enchanteur" which means magician--both the male and male are used. The French word comes from the latin "incantantre"--"in" + "cantare" (to sing), and implies the use of songs or chants for magic. Figuratively someone enchanting is someone who is charming.
Witch is an Anglo Saxon word in origin and has been understood to mean someone who derives his or her magic from a pact with the devil or some other evil spirit. In French, witch is "sorcier" (male) or "sorciere" (female), which gave us the English "sorcerer" and "sorceress". Although "sorceress" has lost some of its evil connotations, "sorcery" continues to mean magic from an evil origin.
I'm having trouble coming up with examples in folklore and fairy tales. Witches abound (Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Baba Yaga--although she isn't 100% evil). When I think of enchantresses I tend to think of fairy godmothers, old women in hovels giving magical gifts to maids who have performed good deeds, etc., but these women aren't necessarily described in the stories as "an enchantress"--would they serve for your purpose?
Best,
Alice
|
Chris Peltier
Registered User
(1/16/06 12:14 pm)
|
Re: sorceresses vs. enchantresses
Sidonia von Bork, also known as Sidonia the Sorceress; Morgan le Faye/Nimue/Vivien; Medea; Circe the Sorceress; Venus of the Tannhauser legend; and maybe Lamia.
~Chandra~
|
shawncer
Unregistered User
(1/16/06 2:47 pm)
|
enchantress vs. witch
Thanks, everybody, for the info. It helps a lot.
Best,
Shawn
|
Rosemary Lake
Registered User
(1/16/06 8:58 pm)
|
Cabinet des Fees?
If there were going to be any enchantresses or sorceresses, they might be in the Cabinet des Fees stories.
|
princessterribel
Registered User
(1/18/06 11:24 am)
|
witches
Witches were not originally thought to be bad...or to have made any pact with the Devil, however, this witchy stereotype was formed around the renaissance, thanks to the witch trials in Africa and around Europe.
Enchantress, I always imagine them to be, well....enchanting. Beautiful I gues, as opposed to the 'hag-like' witch. The enchantress does not seem to be that different from a witch as she practices magic, it just appears that as everyone concludes that witches practice black magic, an enchantress must be something of a 'white witch'.
|
Gypsy
Unregistered User
(1/19/06 2:06 pm)
|
Re: witches
In most stories, witches seem to be the creepy old women who live alone in the middle of the woods. They use plants and nature with their magic. Enchantress's are like the evil lady in the disney sleeping beauty movie. Live in castles, dress really long robes and such. well, this is just one persons opinion, really.
|
kristiw
Unregistered User
(1/19/06 3:48 pm)
|
witches and enchantresses
My first thought was that enchantresses tend to be beautiful and sexual, and witches old and barren. Melusine seems like a run of the mill enchantress to me.
|
