| The witch is certainly a powerful and popular | | | | Double, Double Toil and Trouble…. |
| figure, and the witch has appeared and | | | | For those Shakespeare buffs out there, why not |
| reappeared in myths, cultural stories, legends, and | | | | find two good friends and go as the three |
| literature through the ages. In fact, in almost | | | | witches from William Shakespeare's Macbeth? |
| every culture, in almost every period, you can | | | | Actually, if you have a group of four friends, have |
| find a witch-like figure. There is Lilith, a female | | | | one of you dress up as Hecate, the powerful and |
| witch-demon who appears in Jewish folklore, as | | | | historic witch of the night. As Shakespeare does |
| well as Iranian, Christian, Greek, Mexican, and Arab | | | | not provide too much detail about the witches' |
| literature. | | | | costumes, you and your friends can let your |
| In recent years, there are the young wizards and | | | | imagination decide what your Halloween costumes |
| witches of J.K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter | | | | will look like. You could even rent one of the |
| series. It is rare indeed to go an entire Halloween | | | | many versions of Macbeth (Scotland, PA is a |
| night and not see a few dozen Harry Potter | | | | particularly odd one), and see how other people |
| Halloween costumes. So which witch do you want | | | | have imagined the witches. This Halloween |
| to be for your Halloween costume? Do you want | | | | costume gives you a great excuse to dress up |
| to be a spooky witch, a green-faced witch, or | | | | as a spooky, dark witch and memorize some |
| even a good witch? Below I've given a brief | | | | beautifully creepy Shakespearean witch lines, like |
| explanation of three popular witch figures and | | | | "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: hover through the fog |
| legends, as well as some suggestions on how to | | | | and filthy air." |
| make a great witch Halloween costume. | | | | I Saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I Saw Goody |
| I'll Get You, My Pretty! | | | | Osburn with the Devil! |
| Often, the first witch people think of is the | | | | My last suggestion for a witch Halloween costume |
| Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of | | | | is to do a little research about the Salem Witch |
| Oz, with her flowing black robes, pointed black | | | | Trials and Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Most people |
| hat, buckle shoes, warty nose, and emerald green | | | | encountered The Crucible in high school classes. It |
| skin. Add in a good cackle, maybe even a flying | | | | is a play detailing a witch-hunt that occurs in a |
| evil monkey, and you've got a great Halloween | | | | Puritan community. This sounds like an odd lead-in |
| costume. It's also a good Halloween costume to | | | | to Halloween costume advice, but Miller's tale |
| make at the last minute. You just need some | | | | about people accusing others of witchcraft and |
| black clothing, green face paint, a household | | | | "dancing with the devil in the forest" provides a lot |
| broom, and some brown or black makeup. If you | | | | of fun possibilities for Halloween costumes. Like |
| can scrounge up a black hat, you'll surely be | | | | the Macbeth witches, this could be a great group |
| instantly recognized as a witch. Many Halloween | | | | Halloween costume idea. Have some bewitched |
| costume shops sell or rent out witch costumes, | | | | Puritans, have some religious folk, and maybe |
| which is often cheaper and less time intensive | | | | even a witch or a devil. |
| than buying all your items individually. | | | | |