A Comparative Analysis of the Portrayal of Witches in Long 19th-Century English and German FolktalesBrinovec, Erazem (Avtor) Currie, Oliver (Mentor) Kramberger, Petra (Mentor) witchesfolkloreanimal transformationEnglish folkloreGerman folklorethe Devilfolktalesfairy taleslegendsAbstract A Comparative Analysis of the Portrayal of Witches in Long 19th-Century English and German Folktales This master's thesis examines the portrayal of witches in German and English folk literature during the long 19th century (1789–1914). It focuses on how the figure of the witch reflects societal anxieties, religious concepts, gender constructs, and patriarchal structures. The thesis argues that, in the narratives studied, witches function as flexible narrative constructs through which societal fears regarding the unknown, female independence, economic instability, and moral disorder are expressed. The study is based on a comparative analysis of 67 texts (34 German and 33 English), comprising both fairy tales and legends. Drawing on Stith Thompson’s classification of folktales, the study investigates five key aspects of the witch’s portrayal: animal transformations and animal companions; physical appearance and age stereotypes; harmful magic and scapegoating mechanisms; benevolent magical female figures; and the religious framework of witchcraft and diabolism. The analysis suggests that the observed differences between the two traditions may be partly attributed to their differing genre compositions. The German corpus contains a higher proportion of fairy tales than the English one; within this corpus, symbolic and moral patterns of representation, such as transformation, punishment, and the restoration of order, predominate. In contrast, legends prevail in the English corpus, where witches are more frequently linked to local communities, historical anxieties, and specific allegations of social and economic harm. Transformation magic plays a more significant role in the German corpus, whereas animal familiars appear more frequently as active agents associated with witchcraft in the English corpus. In the two corpora analyzed, the witch is constructed in places through physical otherness and social marginalisation. Although the analysis reveals certain trends regarding age and appearance, there is no single, uniform archetype. However, the study also identifies positive and morally ambivalent female magical figures. In the English corpus, the term “witch” is occasionally applied to benevolent or morally ambivalent figures, whereas benevolent magical female figures in the German corpus are more frequently designated by other terms, such as “wise woman”. The analysis further shows that Christian and demonological interpretive frameworks, specifically the figure of the Devil and the concept of the pact with the Devil, play a role in the portrayal of witches in both corpora. Finally, the study concludes that the witch was not a static literary archetype but a dynamic figure shaped by cultural context, genre conventions, and historical concerns.20262026-10-10 07:16:04Magistrsko delo/naloga189597sl