In The Origins of Wizards, Witches, and Fairies, Simon Webb explores various topics related to how the contemporary view of witches, wizards, and fairies came to be. For example, he explores the landscape that is the setting of most stories containing these beings, and he shows how it is created from what is known of medieval British landscapes. He also shows how the mental image of wizards comes from historical sources, and how it has adapted to modern examples such as Gandalf the Grey in Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter.
This book is well written and is very interesting to read. The examples of contemporary wizards and the pictures that are included add to the interest and help highlight the points the author is making. However, I do find problems with some features in this book. Webb keeps referring to an original form of the folktales or the mental images that we have of witches, wizards, and fairies, but this is problematic, since scholars in folklore studies have largely set aside the idea that there exist original forms that can be discovered. Webb also claims that some contemporary films, such as The Sound of Music, are based on folktales, and he argues that Harry Potter’s attraction for contemporary audiences is based on the enjoyment found in folktales. I found these debateable elements to be distracting.
On the other hand, an interesting element is the importance of oral storytelling, since many of our contemporary ideas about wizards, witches, and fairies come from the stories handed down through oral transmission. Webb cites Stonehenge as an intriguing example, noting that its history has been passed down through oral tradition and that this tradition is supported by archeological findings. But these valuable insights are interspersed among less useful claims, making them easy to miss upon a first reading.
Despite the concerns I have raised, The Origins of Wizards, Witches, and Fairies does have value and should find a place in academia. Scholars looking for serious work on contemporary attitudes toward these folkloric figures will be wary, but this book is a useful resource for beginning the discussion of these matters. Folklorists will find interest in the examples it brings forward, and this book offers opportunities to get students thinking critically about arguments in academic literature. Overall, I feel that this book will be enjoyed the most by readers who have a general interest in this topic.
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[Review length: 404 words • Review posted on May 7, 2023]