Witch (archetype)

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In Jungian depth psychology, the witch archetype is a common portrayal of a woman, usually old and living alone, who practices dark magic. Witches are typically considered to be a dangerous, lurking threat.^[1] How the witch archetype is viewed typically depends on the religious and political context as well as the social context and its gender politics.^[2] Jean La Fontaine wrote that the "stereotype of evil appears not to have been closely connected to the actions of real people except when it was mobilised against the current enemies of the Church."^[3]

The origins of the witch archetype have been connected to antisemitic beliefs:^[1][4] in 1215, the Fourth Council of the Lateran issued an edict that all Jews must wear identifying headgear, a pointed cap known as a Judenhat. This style of hat then became associated with black magic, Satan worship, and other acts of which the Jews were accused.^[5]