Always Three Witches?

Question

Has anyone ever noticed in most Halloween or fairy tale movies there tends to be either one or three witches. Mostly 3. Is this Hollywood following Shakespeare's story Hamlet. It has three witches. I was just wondering this and could it possibly be mythology based?

Answer 1

The three "witches" of Shakespeare's Macbeth, are referred to as the Weird Sisters. This is most likely a pun on Wyrd - or fate.

Common to many Indo European cultures, it is Three Sisters who govern the fates of men, and the Wyrd Sisters roughly equate to the Morai of Fates of Greek Mythology.

However, the key groups of three witches I can recall from the top of My head are from Hocus Pocus, Witches of Eastwick, and Season 3 of the new incarnation of Doctor Who (The Shakespeare Code). In each of these ases, the number did indeed consciously provide an homage to the Three Sisters on the Blasted Heath, The Fates who spin, weave and cut the threads of life, from Macbeth.

Quite often witches are depicted as common in the Middle Ages in covens of 13, or solitary.

As has been stated, many cultures have numbers of power, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13. I don't think, however, this is primarily what Hollywood has based it's imagery on, but rather assumptions, and the odd literary reference or assumption.

Answer 2

Robert Graves is not always a reliable source for information on mythology, however he is a well-informed one and his theories about Goddess-worship influenced many important figures in the Neo-Pagan and Feminist movements.

Among other things he argued that the trinity of goddesses came first, and that society was originally ruled over by the Maiden, the Matron, and the Crone. This, he argued, is echoed not only in various male trinities (Brahma, Indra, Siva? I'm not sure about that one right now and I can't look it up) but by most tales of 3 witches.

Graves, in his time was an influential novelist. His I, Claudius and Claudius the God were adapted into very successful BBC TV series in the '70s. His novels Hercules, My Shipmate, King Jesus and Seven Days in New Crete explain his views very clearly. In addition he wrote many books of essays, such as Greek Myths and the White Goddess. He referred to himself mainly as a poet but I am not a fan of his poetry so I won't refer you to any.

Graves was noticing the same thing (and by the way, it's the Scottish Play, not Hamlet where Shakespeare has 3 Witches) and he was an Oxford Scholar who was influenced in turn by Sir James Frazier and Dr. Margaret Murray. He is best appreciated, though as a modernist and a master of English Prose, like Hemingway. It is not a good idea to dismiss him out of hand but it is not a good idea to read him uncritically either. It could very well be mythology based whether Graves was correct or not.

Answer 3

The Power of Three is considered the highest connection to the source. It doesn't matter if you are of a different faith, belief or such, the design of the star, whether is is the Star of David, WICCAN, Catholic, Jewish or whatever has specific implications to the higher level. The point is that each faith or belief has a source of three that connects them to their power source and higher level. We become more stronger, more alive and more powerful. This does not mean that this use of the three does not come with some type of responsibility. We cannot use the power of three to hurt, harm or attack others. None of the three will work in this way. This is why it is call the Power of Three because it is the greatest connection to the higher sources and our universal creator.

When you use the power of three walking the path of light no matter what faith with understanding, wisdom, and responsibility, you then are given even greater powers and the responsibility to use them correctly and for the right reasons. It can be a wonderful experience and many will find the power is so uplifting that you know which individuals to connect with that understand the full potential and use themselves, using it the way it was meant to be.

Answer 4

I am afraid that Hollywood has a lot to answer for as far as portraying Witches are concerned, if they portrayed anything to do with the Christian or Muslim religion so far out of whack as they do with Paganism/Wicca, they would be shut down in an instant by the all mighty powerful Churches..
When it comes to Hollywood, I tend to just think, Oh well what would those idiots know anyway and forget about it...
Just a point here Celtic_Moon, the Trinity was originally Pagan, Maiden, Mother and Crone, the Christians assimilated the Trinity into their doctrine as they assimilated most of their book, from much earlier Pagan religions...
Blessed Be.. )O(

Answer 5

Its mythology and lore based. I have noticed through studying several cultural lores (though I am NO expert) that there tend to be three of something in just about everything. Horus, Isis and Osiris (The Eye of Horus), The maiden, the mother and the crone, the Norns....which ever. It tend to always go with past present and future though in some way shape or form.

Answer 6

3 A historiography of the witches' mark. 3.1 Pagan tattoos theory ... become a witch will receive a mark or series of 3 . They are stronger in a group of 3

Answer 7

In almost every religion the number three is important. In christianity the number three is represented by the trinity and in the wiccan religion you need at least three to make a coven. It is just a number of power so that is why it shows up a lot.

Answer 8

Also, karma is called the Law of Three. This number will show up a lot in mythology.

Answer 9

i think so. there always has to be "the maid, the mother, and the hag".

3 was also considered a magical # for a long time. Especially in the Dark Ages.

Answer 10

I agree with aussie witch its well associated with the Triple Goddess as the Maiden-Mother_Crone since the wicca is more on fem. side.