Elaine is a young woman who finds herself utterly captivated by the allure of two powerful forces: witchcraft and love. These two elements intertwine in her life, creating a dynamic that she is unable to resist. From a young age, Elaine has always been drawn to the mystery and enchantment of witchcraft. She is fascinated by the idea of wielding supernatural powers and using them to manifest her desires. This interest leads her to immerse herself in books, studying the history and practices of witchcraft, and even experimenting with some basic spells. As Elaine delves deeper into the world of witchcraft, she discovers that her abilities go beyond simple incantations.
We can have both style and substance; we can both recognise our innate power, and see how that power has fallen under systematic abuse. The witch is a complex portrait of womanhood, but one that can feel so freeing in the way it embraces all those internal conflicts. Really, there's no better time for the season of the witch.
Early in Anna Biller s 2016 film The Love Witch , Elaine Samantha Robinson is at work on a painting of a nude woman standing beside a horse in the woods. It s the kind of debate, in fact, that only recently flared up when Emma Watson posed in what was deemed a provocative manner for Vanity Fair ; surely an act of a woman in ownership of her sexuality, or was it one played out strictly under the male gaze.
As Elaine delves deeper into the world of witchcraft, she discovers that her abilities go beyond simple incantations. She possesses a natural talent for magic, and the more she practices, the more her powers grow. It's as if the universe is responding to her desires, amplifying her abilities and granting her the power to shape her own reality.
The Love Witch and witchcraft's appeal in the era of Trump
When such all-encompassing darkness seems to wrap itself around America, rebellion can come in the strangest of forms. Headlines across the world spoke of mass rituals taking place amongst the witchcraft community, enacting a binding spell on Donald Trump in the hope he could be prevented from causing further harm.
A phenomenon only further pushed towards the cultural mainstream when Lana Del Rey posted a mysterious tweet detailing the dates the recurring ritual would take place, and a note that the ingredients for the spell could be found online.
Meanwhile, Anna Biller’s vibrantly feminist horror The Love Witch has taken the cult cinematic circuit by storm, finally now arriving on the shores of the UK. The film follows modern-day witch Elaine (Samantha Robinson) – though the aesthetics are strictly vintage – as she becomes obsessed with the use of love magic; enraptured and bemused by her own powers to tether men to herself, yet also keenly aware of her limitations within a patriarchal world.
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- Lana Del Rey using witchcraft to rid the world of Donald Trump
Certainly, Del Rey and The Love Witch’s use of witchcraft appears far more of a symbolic dalliance than any sincere engagement with the Wiccan way or any of its practices, but there’s something uniquely powerful about its use; an appeal to the witch – and all her surrounding mystique – in an age in which Trump's administration seems more than happy to declare open warfare on women and their bodies.
The witch now, in its most modern iteration, seems almost to embody the “Pussy Grabs Back” mentality, the act retaliatory self-empowerment. As one of Elaine’s fellow witches in Biller's film states, their kind have long been perceived as dangerously powerful entities; feared by the men who, for centuries, attempted to subdue them by burning them at the stake or shackling them to loveless marriages, reducing them to nothing but “servants, whores, and fantasy dolls”.
Witchcraft, of course, accrued more generalised allegorical symbolism through the likes of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible; with the 'witch hunt' now a catch-all term for the hysterical drive to root out an invisible threat, as in the McCarthy-era obsessions over Communist infiltration. Trump may have attempted to use the term to describe his own situation but, certainly, “witch hunt” seems far more accurately reflected in his own fixated, empty declarations he'll “drain the swamp” or root out the “bad hombres”.
Though its persecution has afflicted all genders – from the 20 individuals, 14 of them women, hanged in the infamous Salem witch trials to continuing modern day prosecutions across the globe, largely of elderly women and children – witchcraft has also become resolutely tied to larger historical narratives on the punishment of rebellious women, standing side-by-side with those who were diagnosed with hysteria and locked up in psychiatric institutions merely for disobeying their husbands or fathers.
However, from the early 20th century onwards, there’s been both a rise in the actual practice of witchcraft and in its appeal as a positive cultural phenomenon; bolstered over the decades by figures such as Bewitched's Samantha, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter's Hermione.
Furthermore, the practice of Wicca has become increasingly tied to the feminist movement, with the Sixties seeing the birth of Dianic Wicca, which worships a monotheistic goddess envisioned in a variety of guises, from the Roman Diana to the Egyptian Isis. Their spells are often directly intended to combat the patriarchy's domination, such as in the casting of binding spells against rapists.
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Yet, perhaps what's uniquely appealing about witchcraft – as opposed to any other token of female empowerment – is its inherent complexity. The Love Witch is very much a film that tussles with witchcraft's embedded ideas of fear, punishment, and power, especially when it comes to a woman's sexuality.
Biller refrains from presenting her titular character as a one-note grrl power icon, but instead recognises that a woman’s ownership of her own sexuality doesn’t always feel so straightforward when it’s been so often claimed by male objectification. It's the kind of debate, in fact, that only recently flared up when Emma Watson posed in what was deemed a provocative manner for Vanity Fair; surely an act of a woman in ownership of her sexuality, or was it one played out strictly under the male gaze?
Robinson uses spells and magic to make men fall in love with her in ‘The Love Witch’In The Love Witch, Elaine’s attitudes towards sex may be deemed brazenly anti-feminist when she stresses that, “giving men sex is a way of unlocking their love potential. you have to give a man his fantasy”, but at the same time there's something powerful about how she envisions herself as a kind of dutiful goddess. She recognises both that her sexuality gifts her immense power over men, but also that it's a gift worth doting on her devotees.
Yet, to complicate things further, Elaine is reminded that these gifts are not always graciously received; that goddesses in the modern world are as feared as often as they are worshipped. She is still a woman who has long-suffered, and continues to suffer, at the hands of men; a fact that she never seems to be able to escape from no matter how doting she may attempt to be. In a way, that's the core identity of the witch: of the woman who recognises both the extent and limitations of her own power.
A useful mindset, perhaps, and particularly apt in a time when the core Republican party seems intent on the control of a woman's body. Witchcraft has always been intimately connected with fertility rituals; in The Love Witch, Elaine crafts herself a protection spell by mixing a bottle of her own urine and a bloodied tampon. As she wisely notes, “most men have never even seen a used tampon”, so it seems a simple form of protest to attach such power to the things women know so intimately. Indeed, it's likely those who attempt to legislate women's bodies would treat the lowly tampon with the same fearful awe as a mythical beast.
The inevitable argument here will be that the cultural engagement with witchcraft remains largely superficial; yet, by filtering the aesthetics of witchcraft into its broadest forms – from Elaine's winged eyeliner, to the pristine black dresses of American Horror Story: Coven, or the Goth Nineties nostalgia of The Craft – its intrinsic femininity can become a coded guise for much greater things.
We can have both style and substance; we can both recognise our innate power, and see how that power has fallen under systematic abuse. The witch is a complex portrait of womanhood, but one that can feel so freeing in the way it embraces all those internal conflicts. Really, there's no better time for the season of the witch.
The Love Witch is available now on VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray, as well as in select cinemas
However, from the early 20th century onwards, there’s been both a rise in the actual practice of witchcraft and in its appeal as a positive cultural phenomenon; bolstered over the decades by figures such as Bewitched's Samantha, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter's Hermione.
However, it is not just witchcraft that captivates Elaine. Love also plays a significant role in her life. She is a hopeless romantic, yearning for a deep and passionate connection. Love, like witchcraft, carries a sense of magic and enchantment for Elaine. She finds herself constantly daydreaming about her perfect partner, longing for a love that transcends the ordinary. In a curious twist of fate, Elaine's fascination with love and witchcraft collide when she meets a mysterious stranger. This person embodies all the qualities she has been longing for in a partner. They share a deep connection, and their relationship quickly becomes a whirlwind of passion and enchantment. As their love intensifies, Elaine's powers as a witch also reach new heights. It's as if her emotions fuel her magic, making her spells more potent and her manifestations more powerful. Love becomes a catalyst for her abilities, and she becomes spellbound by the intensity of her own power and the depth of her emotions. However, as Elaine's powers and love continue to grow, so does the complexity of her situation. She begins to question the ethics of using her magic to manipulate others, even if it is in pursuit of love. She grapples with the weight of responsibility that comes with her abilities, aware that they can have unforeseen consequences. Ultimately, Elaine is faced with a choice. Will she continue to be seduced by the charms of witchcraft and love, succumbing to their intoxicating power? Or will she find a way to navigate the complexities of her situation, using her powers responsibly and honoring the true essence of love? Elaine's journey is a testament to the irresistible allure of witchcraft and love, but it also serves as a reminder of the importance of self-reflection, responsibility, and finding a balance between one's desires and the greater good..
Reviews for "Falling in Love Under a Witch's Spell: Elaine's Transformative Journey"
- Samantha - 1-star rating - I really did not enjoy "Elaine is spellbound by the charms of witchcraft and love". The writing felt sloppy and the plot was predictable. The characters lacked depth and their actions felt forced. I couldn't connect with any of them and found myself constantly rolling my eyes at their cheesy dialogue. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointing read.
- John - 2-star rating - "Elaine is spellbound by the charms of witchcraft and love" just didn't do it for me. The story started off promising, but quickly became repetitive and unoriginal. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry, making it difficult to invest in the main characters' relationship. The magic aspect of the book was also underwhelming and didn't bring anything new or exciting to the table. Overall, I found this book to be mediocre and forgettable.
- Lisa - 2-star rating - "Elaine is spellbound by the charms of witchcraft and love" fell short of my expectations. The writing style was dull and lacked the flair that I usually enjoy in this genre. The pacing was off, with unnecessary plot points dragging the story down. The main character felt one-dimensional and her choices were often frustrating and illogical. Unfortunately, this book didn't capture my attention and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
- Eric - 1-star rating - I was really disappointed with "Elaine is spellbound by the charms of witchcraft and love". The storyline lacked coherence and the transitions between scenes were confusing. The romance felt forced and the chemistry between the characters was non-existent. Additionally, the author's attempt at incorporating witchcraft into the plot felt cliché and unoriginal. Overall, this book was a letdown and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging read.
- Rebecca - 2-star rating - "Elaine is spellbound by the charms of witchcraft and love" failed to capture my interest. The characters were poorly developed and I couldn't find myself rooting for any of them. The plot was predictable and lacked any surprises, making it a tedious read. Additionally, the writing style was uninspiring and did not draw me in. Overall, this book fell flat and I would not recommend it to fans of the genre.