Everyone’s flocking to the cinemas right now to catch “Wicked,” which premiered in the Philippines on Nov. 20, 2024. The buzz is real — this Broadway musical-turned-movie has already enchanted audiences worldwide. Fun fact: it’s now officially the biggest worldwide opening for a Broadway-inspired film, surpassing “Les Miserables” $103 million in 2012 according to Variety (as of press time).
But since we can’t spill any spoilers — or talk about how Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo made “Wicked” equal parts heart-wrenching, magical and downright fun — let’s dive into the world of witches instead.
In L. Frank Baum’s classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” first published in the early 1900s and later brought to life in the iconic 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” the Wicked Witch of the West cemented her place as one of cinema’s greatest villains. (The American Film Institute even said so!) So iconic, in fact, that the Wicked Witch helped shape how we picture witches in modern cinema and literature!
Ever wondered why witches are often portrayed with pointy hats, crooked noses, black robes and a trusty broomstick? This article will take you on a spellbinding journey through the history of these classic witchy tropes.
Pointy hats
The iconic pointy witch hat has some pretty wild possible origins, according to National Geographic in a 2024 article. One theory traces it back to dunce caps forced on heretics, while another points to Puritan or Quaker headgear — since Puritans were quick to link just about anything unusual to witchcraft. Then there’s the medieval hennin, a towering fashion statement worn by noblewomen that eventually trickled down to the countryside. But the most interesting theory? It might have come from the hats worn by medieval alewives — women who brewed beer and stood out in the marketplace with their bold, pointed headgear.
Crooked noses
Let’s face it: witches in pop culture have a bit of a PR problem. Thanks to centuries of wild assumptions and spooky storytelling, they’re almost always portrayed as ugly, evil and definitely rocking a crooked nose. But where did this look come from? Well, let’s dive into two classic films that helped cement the witchy stereotype.
In 1937, Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” premiered to a packed house at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. As the first full-length animated film, it was a total game-changer — and so was its villain. The Evil Queen, in her creepy old hag disguise, is the textbook definition of sinister: she’s got the hunch, the wrinkles and of course, the gnarly, hooked nose to match her sinister plan.
Fast forward two years to 1939, when “The Wizard of Oz” gave us one of the most iconic witches of all time: the Wicked Witch of the West. According to NPR (2011), makeup director Jack Dawn went all out with Margaret Hamilton’s terrifying look, adding a sharp nose, a massive wart and a chin so pointy it could poke an eye out. Oh, and let’s not forget the green skin — because nothing screams “evil” like a face that looks freshly dipped in a swamp.
Black robes
Witches’ iconic black attire wasn’t always a mark of evil or magic — historically, it was simply practical. According to a 2023 article from History, during the medieval period, witches wore the same everyday clothes as their neighbors, usually homemade cloaks and hoods. It wasn’t until the Renaissance, when black became associated with the devil and “black magic,” that the color took on a sinister reputation, sealing its place in the witch’s wardrobe.
Brooms
The association between witches and brooms dates back to 1451, in illustrations from the French manuscript Le Champion des Dames by Martin Le Franc. In these drawings, one woman is shown flying on a broom, while another flies on a stick, both depicted as Waldensians — members of a Christian sect. The link between witches and brooms may also be rooted in a pagan fertility ritual, where farmers would leap and dance on brooms or poles to promote crop growth under the full moon. Over time, this “broomstick dance” became intertwined with stories of witches flying to illicit gatherings, further cementing the broom’s iconic place in witch lore. The broomstick has even more become an unmistakable symbol of witchcraft in pop culture, thanks in part to iconic characters like Elphaba and the Wicked Witch of the West.