The Witch in the guise of an owl by Arthur Rackham
Katherine Langrish drew my attention to this particular Brothers Grimm tale, which is laden with heavy symbolism, from the owl, the transformation of the female form - to the flower wet with dew, the entrapment and capture within the bird cage and the subsequent unlocking and release. If you get the chance I thoroughly recommend getting your hands on a copy of her Seven Miles of Steel Thistles book, which has a detailed analysis of this tale.
illustration by Mervyn Peake
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The owl is an ancient symbol of the goddess Athena, and was and still is seen as a portent or omen - in the Roman world (the equivalent deity being Minerva) an owl hooting on top of a building was seen as a harbinger of death. The owl is nocturnal, therefore can see in the dark, giving it the quality of wisdom. Along with creatures such as the toad (see my previous post on toadlore) the owl is frequently linked to witchcraft. Here the character of the witch can metamorphose into an owl - women frequently possess shapechanging abilities, especially into the form of a bird in mythology - we see this repeatedly in Ovid's collection of tales Metamorphoses. It is interesting that both female characters in this tale morph into birds - one willingly and one forcibly.
Katherine Langrish drew my attention to this particular Brothers Grimm tale, which is laden with heavy symbolism, from the owl, the transformation of the female form - to the flower wet with dew, the entrapment and capture within the bird cage and the subsequent unlocking and release. If you get the chance I thoroughly recommend getting your hands on a copy of her Seven Miles of Steel Thistles book, which has a detailed analysis of this tale.
illustration by Mervyn Peake
.:.
The owl is an ancient symbol of the goddess Athena, and was and still is seen as a portent or omen - in the Roman world (the equivalent deity being Minerva) an owl hooting on top of a building was seen as a harbinger of death. The owl is nocturnal, therefore can see in the dark, giving it the quality of wisdom. Along with creatures such as the toad (see my previous post on toadlore) the owl is frequently linked to witchcraft. Here the character of the witch can metamorphose into an owl - women frequently possess shapechanging abilities, especially into the form of a bird in mythology - we see this repeatedly in Ovid's collection of tales Metamorphoses. It is interesting that both female characters in this tale morph into birds - one willingly and one forcibly.
illustration by Chris Beatrice
The tale seemingly explores notions of coercion and consent. Langrish likened the Witch as being like a modern day marriage counsellor, as she imprisons Jorinda, making Jorindel prove his worthiness and seriousness of his intentions, only then is she rescued and they are reunited in marriage. It is almost as if the witch is forcing Jorindel to prove his worth, keeping the girls imprisoned in bird form to protect them. One could be tempted to run away with this entirely interpreting the Witch through a strongly feminist slant, creating her own community of females devoid of the male gaze, and therefore reclaiming female space. The Witch is a character who has complete autonomy... but I will refrain.
illustration by Anne Anderson
The symbol of the flower is laden with obvious sexual connotations, and reminds me of a similar symbolic use in one of my absolute favourite films Valerie and her week of Wonders, where daisies are coated with drops of blood, symbolising sexual maturity and the onset of menstruation. Here the flower possesses the power to 'unlock' the birdcages, and free the entrapped girls within.
still from Jaromil Jires, Valerie and her Week of Wonders, 1970
.:.
illustration by Arthur Rackham
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