"The Witches of Eastwick" is a novel written by John Updike and published in 1984. It tells the story of three women, Alexandra Spofford, Jane Smart, and Sukie Rougemont, who live in the fictional town of Eastwick, Rhode Island. The women are all dissatisfied with their lives and find solace in their friendship. They share a magical connection, which becomes stronger as they delve into the practice of witchcraft. Their newfound powers attract the attention of a mysterious and charismatic man named Darryl Van Horne, who moves to Eastwick and befriends the trio. As he becomes more involved in their lives, the women discover that he is not what he seems, and their once carefree existence begins to unravel.
He does that a lot in "The Witches of Eastwick," in which he plays the devil: a role he was born to fill. He finds himself in Eastwick, a sedate New England village, after being invoked by three bored housewives who have not found what they are looking for in the local male population. Nicholson is exactly what they are looking for, by definition, because he can be all things to all people.
In the annals of body language, his may be a small skill, but it s a crucial one, because it makes us conspirators with Nicholson; he s sharing his raffish delight with us. There will always be an allure to the notion of giving into one s baser instinct, tossing aside the dreary conventions of polite society, and being free in a way that is still judged wrong or suspicious by the world at large.
As he becomes more involved in their lives, the women discover that he is not what he seems, and their once carefree existence begins to unravel. As the story progresses, the women's powers and desires intensify, leading to jealousy, betrayal, and a battle for control. They must confront their own insecurities and come to terms with the consequences of their actions.
The Witches of Eastwick (film)
Alexandra Medford (Cher), Jane Spofford (Susan Sarandon), and Sukie Ridgemont (Michelle Pfeiffer) are three dissatisfied women living in the picturesque town of Eastwick, New England. Alexandra is a sculptress and single mother of one daughter, Jane is a newly divorced music teacher incapable of having children, and Sukie is an extremely fertile woman with six daughters, who also works as a journalist at the "Eastwick Word". Besides an everlasting friendship, these three women also share the similar misfortune of being abandoned by their husbands. Unaware that they are witches, the women unwittingly form a coven, of which they have weekly get-togethers, where they share their fantasies about ideal men.
The day after one such gathering, a mysterious man (Jack Nicholson) arrives in the town and immediately stirs up trouble by buying the city's landmark property, The Lennox Mansion. The arrival of this enigmatic stranger causes fascination among the townsfolk, all except local townswoman Felicia Alden (Veronica Cartwright), the Christian wife of newspaper editor Clyde Alden (Richard Jenkins). Clyde is also the boss of Sukie', whom Felicia dislikes. Although Felicia is not a witch, she is somehow able to sense that this man, whose name is easily forgotten, is up to no good. One night, at one of Jane's music recitals, the strange man appears and makes a spectacle of himself, which leads to more gossip among the people. After the recital, Jane receives flowers and a personal note from the man with the initial "D" written on it. This sparks Sukie's memory, finally revealing the man's name as Daryl Van Horne. At the very moment Sukie’s recollection, her beaded necklace inexplicably breaks and falls to the floor, causing Felicia, who mocked Daryl's name, to trip down a large staircase and break her leg.
Not long after his arrival, Daryl begins to seduce the women one by one, beginning with self-assured Alexandra, who is at first appalled by Daryl’s arrogance and bravado, but later falls in love. After making love to Alex, Daryl moves on to his next victim, Jane, who is considered very insecure and shy. As the two sit down and share polite conversations, Jane explains to Daryl that The Lennox Mansion was once the area where people were persecuted after being accused of witchcraft. Daryl soon begins to encourage Jane to stop living a life of doubt and learn to enjoy herself by living recklessly. Taking his advice to heart, Jane begins living carelessly by letting her hair down and indulging into alcohol and sex. The next day, Daryl invites all three women over to the mansion, which allows him to finally turn his attention onto Sukie. Envy and rivalry emerges among the women, leading to a supernatural game of tennis, causing the tennis ball to telekinetically decrease its speed. Finally aware of their magical abilities, the women spend more and more time with Daryl, agreeing to share him. As the women continue their presence at Daryl's mansion, Felicia begins spreading rumors about the three women’s indecency. Due to the gossip and public opinions extending throughout the town, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie become the outcasts of Eastwick. Beginning to question their loyalty and trust, Daryl kills Felicia by causing the girls to unknowingly cast a spell against her. Later that night, as Felicia rants to her husband about Daryl being the Devil, she begins vomiting cherry stones. Horrified by his wife’s sickness, Clyde beats Felicia with a fire poker, killing her instantly.
Terrified of the dangerous effects they had on the citizens of Eastwick, the three women agree never to see or speak to each other and Daryl for a long period of time. Fueled with anger and animosity, Daryl practices his powers against the girls by bringing their worst fears to life. Alex awakens into a bed of snakes, Jane transforms into an old hag, and Sukie is forced to feel intense and wrenching pain. Realizing the only way to rid Daryl from their lives is by using witchcraft against him, the girls reunite only to seduce and ultimately kill Daryl. The next morning, as Daryl visits town for a while, the women decide to practice a banishing spell against Daryl. As Sukie rushes to Daryl's office and takes a spell book titled "Maleficio", Jane gathers some personal belongings of Daryl, such as clothing, hair, and pictures, while Alex creates a voodoo doll out of wax, made to resemble Daryl. Once the spell begins taking effect, Daryl races home to punish the girls for their betrayal. Terrified of Daryl’s capability and power, the witches toss the poppet into the flames of a fire, causing Daryl to vanish.
Eighteen months later, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie have each borne a son. Although they still possess their magical abilities, in fear of resurrecting Daryl, they choose not to practice them. As the women live together in the Lenox Mansion, Daryl attempts to communicate with his sons by appearing on television screens. However, worried of Daryl's diabolical intentions, the women avoid him by clicking the TV off.
The central hook of The Witches of Eastwick is obvious. Who doesn't love a classic witch story? The trio of Eastwick women are undeniably alluring in their appeal: beautiful, sexually liberated, blessed with incredible powers, and stronger as a coven than apart. All that and they get to bang Satan? We're in. Updike seems most interested in how these women are dismissed by the world at large. Their creative endeavors are ignored or mocked and their love lives picked over with unnecessary attention. Even if they couldn't perform magic, they would still be described as witches by Eastwick's locals because women who do not fit societal norms have always been decried in such a manner. The witches are offered the chance by Darryl to live freely, to play and engage in pleasure without consequence, or, at the very least, a version of freedom wherein the consequences don't impact them. The town busybody Felicia suffers, as does her daughter Jenny. When the latter arrives in town, naive but clearly capable of something darker, the witches take her under their wing and let her indulge in their hedonism. Then she has the audacity to fall for and marry Darryl, so the women curse her with metastatic ovarian cancer. Jenny dies, Darryl flees Eastwick with Jenny's brother, and the women eventually leave town after summoning new husbands for themselves. The almighty sisterhood is shattered by, yes, petty man issues. If it's supposed to be a satirical commentary on something, I'm not sure who Updike's targets were. His tale of women battling the smothering confines of patriarchy ends as yet another story where those damn jealous women become obsessed with a d*ck (yes, there's a lot of phallus worship in this book. That's Updike's thing.).
"The Witches of Eastwick" explores themes of female empowerment, sexuality, and the consequences of unchecked desire. It offers a critique of societal expectations placed on women and the stifling of their individuality. The novel was adapted into a successful film in 1987 starring Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. It received critical acclaim for its portrayal of female friendship and its exploration of gender roles. "The Witches of Eastwick" remains a thought-provoking and influential work that challenges traditional notions of femininity and power. It continues to captivate readers with its complex characters and provocative themes..
Reviews for "The subversion of gender roles in "The Witch of Eastwick"
1. Jane Doe - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Witches of Eastwick". The story felt disjointed and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and their motivations were unclear. The plot meandered and never seemed to reach a satisfying conclusion. Overall, I found the film to be boring and unengaging. I would not recommend it to others.
2. John Smith - 1 star - "The Witches of Eastwick" was a complete waste of time. The dialogue was cheesy and cliché, and the humor fell flat. The acting was mediocre at best, and I found it difficult to care about any of the characters. The film tried to be a mix of comedy, horror, and fantasy, but it failed on all fronts. Everything about this movie felt forced and contrived. I regretted watching it and would not watch it again.
3. Emily Johnson - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Witches of Eastwick" but was let down. The storyline had potential, but it was executed poorly. The pacing was off, and the film felt overly long. The special effects were dated and took away from the overall experience. Additionally, the portrayal of women in the film was problematic, perpetuating harmful stereotypes. I wouldn't recommend this movie as there are much better options out there.
4. Michael Thompson - 2.5 stars - I didn't hate "The Witches of Eastwick", but I didn't love it either. The performances from the leads were decent, but the script didn't give them much to work with. The plot lacked depth and failed to engage me fully. Some moments were entertaining, but overall, it felt like a missed opportunity. The film had potential but fell short in delivering a satisfying story. I wouldn't actively recommend it, but it might appeal to some fans of the genre.