The witch temperament assessment is a tool used to determine a person's temperament or personality traits within the context of witchcraft. It is aimed at helping individuals understand themselves better and to harness their natural inclinations within their practice. There are four main temperaments or archetypes commonly associated with witches: the Elemental Witch, the Herbal Witch, the Astral Witch, and the Divination Witch. The Elemental Witch is connected to the elements of nature - earth, air, fire, and water. They have a strong affinity for working with these elements and may find their power heightened when in nature. They are grounded, practical, and attuned to the physical world.
Now 24 years old, Mary has been married to Thomas Deerfield for five years. Two decades her senior, Thomas owns a successful mill in Boston’s North End. He is also a mean drunk who verbally and physically abuses Mary, but who has enough feral cunning to treat her politely when others are around. Mary has also become adept at living a double life: to friends and family, she explains away bruises she can’t hide with tales of clumsiness.
Hour of the Witch is wholly different from Bohjalian s 2020 novel The Red Lotus, a plague-related thriller set in present-day New York and Vietnam written before the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout Bohjalian s prolific career, he has rewarded readers with indelibly drawn female protagonists, and the formidable yet vulnerable Mary Deerfield is a worthy addition to the canon.
They are grounded, practical, and attuned to the physical world. The Herbal Witch is deeply connected to plants and their healing properties. They have a natural intuition for using herbs in their practice, whether it's for healing, rituals, or spellwork.
Historical Novel 'Hour Of The Witch' Places A Woman's Will On Trial
So begins Chris Bohjalian’s “Hour of the Witch” — an historical novel, set in Boston in 1662, that is part thriller and part courtroom drama, leavened with romantic intrigue.
For Boston Puritans, the threat of witchcraft is part of everyday life. This prospect will directly complicate the attempt of one young woman, Mary Deerfield, to escape her horrifically abusive marriage.
Chris Bohjalian (Courtesy Victoria Blewer)
Now 24 years old, Mary has been married to Thomas Deerfield for five years. Two decades her senior, Thomas owns a successful mill in Boston’s North End. He is also a mean drunk who verbally and physically abuses Mary, but who has enough feral cunning to treat her politely when others are around. Mary has also become adept at living a double life: to friends and family, she explains away bruises she can’t hide with tales of clumsiness.
“Hour of the Witch” is wholly different from Bohjalian’s 2020 novel “The Red Lotus,” a plague-related thriller set in present-day New York and Vietnam (written before the COVID-19 pandemic). And that was different from his 2018 novel “The Flight Attendant,” which was made into an HBO Max limited series. Bohjalian, who lives in Vermont, has written 22 books, many of them bestsellers, and many that have been translated into more than 35 languages. His works span an impressively wide range, underscoring a comment he made in a 2020 interview with Writer’s Digest: “…I never, ever want to write the same book twice.”
No matter the subject, Bohjalian often incorporates thorny moral questions that arise from a story’s circumstances, but reach far beyond the boundaries of its time period. “Hour of the Witch” is smartly wrapped in large ideas, like how women must subversively navigate a society in which they have little power, and what a justice system looks like when yoked to a fervent set of religious beliefs.
If her wealthy parents had stayed in England, Mary, blessed with attractive features and a quick mind, would have had an abundance of interesting suitors. But when she was 16, her father had “felt the New World was both a religious calling and a way to build upon an already impressive trading empire.” In this 1660s Boston, religion infuses all actions — for expediency as much as spiritual compass.
As her home life becomes bleaker, Mary feels increasingly distant from her faith. As she sees it, “her Lord God was a mystery and had placed monsters before her.” Though she knows it’s sinful, she can’t help fantasizing about other, kinder, men; particularly Henry Simmons, new to Boston, who shares her more expansive and wry view of life.
A gift from her father inadvertently sets her divorce request in motion: a set of three-tined forks. Although these have become popular in Europe, the colonists are quite content to continue eating with a spoon and a knife. Because of its pitchfork design, Bostonians refer to a fork as “the Devil’s tines.”
Forks may not be the Devil’s handiwork, but they do cause Mary grief. Someone has taken and buried their forks near their door — for what purpose? In one of his rages, Thomas drives a fork deep into Mary’s hand. Fearing that Thomas might eventually kill her, Mary gains a petition for divorce on the grounds of cruelty, and the court proceedings are to be held at the Boston Town House.
In “Hour of the Witch,” Boston is a fast-growing city where modern commerce coexists uneasily with old, fearful ways. Streets and shops bustle with people, and the wharves are crowded with ships that unload exotic fruit and finely-crafted furniture. At the head of State Street stands the Boston Town House, just a few years old. Next to it is the square that holds a whipping post, stocks and a scaffold, “where the deviant were punished by the devout.”
In court, it is primarily Mary’s behavior that is under suspicion. Vague rumors that had been floating in Boston’s judgmental air coalesce into damning witness statements. (She is still childless, after years of marriage. She flouts doctors’ wisdom by mixing her own herbal remedies. She’s been seen visiting that old woman who lives alone out on Boston Neck.)
Tensions build inside and outside the Town House, all in dialogue that Bohjalian has crafted to sound both authentically of 17th-century New England, and remarkably natural.
The court concludes that Mary is more a disobedient wife than Thomas is “unkind” (the comically understated word of one magistrate). She must return to her husband.
Turns out that will not be the worst of her worries. Soon enough, other strange objects are discovered in the Deerfield home. Mary is officially accused of witchcraft, and must now face a new, far more dangerous, trial.
Decades before the infamous Salem witch hysteria, Bohjalian shows just how easily these particular seeds of distrust can be sown. Especially when those in power are unable to see Mary (or any woman), as a full, rational human being. In a novel with much going on beneath the surface, that view may hold peril of its own.
They are nurturing, empathetic, and have a deep respect for the Earth. The Astral Witch has a strong connection to the spiritual and metaphysical realms. They are often skilled in astral projection, dream work, and energy manipulation. They are intuitive, imaginative, and have a deep understanding of the unseen world. The Divination Witch is skilled in the art of divination, such as tarot reading, scrying, or rune casting. They have a natural ability to connect with higher guidance and uncover hidden truths. They are introspective, intuitive, and have a deep curiosity for the mysteries of the universe. It's important to note that most individuals may exhibit traits from multiple temperaments, and that no one temperament is better than the other. Each temperament brings its own unique strengths and abilities to the practice of witchcraft. To assess one's witch temperament, individuals can reflect on their innate interests, talents, and inclinations. They can also explore different aspects of witchcraft and see which areas resonate with them the most. Keeping a journal and documenting experiences, preferences, and feelings can also be helpful in identifying one's temperament. Once individuals have a better understanding of their witch temperament, they can focus on developing and honing their skills within that specific area. This can include studying, practicing, and seeking guidance from experienced practitioners or mentors who align with their temperament. Ultimately, the witch temperament assessment serves as a tool to aid individuals on their journey of self-discovery within the realm of witchcraft. It helps them celebrate their unique strengths and embrace their individual path in the craft..
Reviews for "Awakening Your Witchy Powers: A Journey Through Witch Temperament Assessment"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I found the Witch temperament assessment to be incredibly vague and irrelevant. The questions were poorly worded, making it difficult to fully understand what they were asking. Additionally, the results I received seemed generic and lacked any real depth or insight into my personality. Overall, I was disappointed with this assessment and would not recommend it.
2. Mark - 1 star - The Witch temperament assessment was a complete waste of time. The questions were confusing and didn't seem to have any connection to the supposed temperament categories. The results I received were completely off-base and didn't reflect my actual personality or traits at all. It felt like a random assortment of generic statements that could apply to anyone. I would not recommend this assessment to anyone looking for an accurate understanding of their temperament.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I was extremely disappointed with the Witch temperament assessment. The questions were poorly worded and left a lot of room for interpretation. It was unclear how the answers given related to the temperament categories, and the results I received seemed to be randomly generated. I was expecting a more detailed and accurate assessment, but this fell far short of my expectations. I would not trust or recommend this assessment to others.
4. Jason - 1 star - The Witch temperament assessment was a complete letdown. The questions were vague and didn't provide enough context to accurately assess my temperament. The results I received were generic and seemed to be copied and pasted from a generic personality test. I was hoping for a more personalized and insightful assessment, but this one missed the mark completely. I would not recommend wasting your time on this assessment.