The concept of a green skin witch has a rich history in folklore and mythology. These witches are often depicted as mystical beings with a green hue to their skin, symbolizing their connection to nature and the supernatural. In various cultures around the world, green is associated with growth, fertility, and the natural world. This connection between witches and the color green can be traced back to ancient beliefs and practices. In Celtic mythology, for example, green is associated with the fairy folk and the enchanted realm. Similarly, in Slavic folklore, witches are often portrayed as having green skin, representing their link to the mystical forces of nature.

Why Are Witches Green?

Before The Wizard of Oz, witches were usually red or orange. Linda Rodriguez McRobbie explains why.

Witches aren't exactly reliable bogey-ladies anymore – these days, they're less the wicked, warty crones of Grimm's fairy tales and more the pretty, gifted Sabrinas of supernatural YA. Even so, the green-skinned witch is still a potent image and one that shifts a lot of green face-paint and black pointy hats every Halloween. But why green?

The green-skinned crone is actually a relatively new incarnation of the evil witch – in fact, while the evil witch as a cultural narrative dates back millennia, the green skin dates precisely back to 1939 and the MGM film, The Wizard of Oz. Margaret Hamilton's cackling and emerald-tinted portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West, rendered in vivid Technicolor, is the only reason that anyone associates green skin with witches. As Professor Marion Gibson, associate professor of Renaissance and magical literatures at the University of Exeter and an expert in popular depictions of witches, explained, via email, "There are a few images of witches – for instance, on Halloween postcards – with odd coloured faces (usually red/orange, surprisingly) but MGM's green-faced witch is the first to make a key feature of a completely non-human skin colour."

So the decision to make the Wicked Witch green was not informed by any long-standing green-skinned witch traditions, neither was it inspired by the original Oz books – in L. Frank Baum's 1900 fantasy book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Witch is ugly, cruel, and afraid of water, but she's not green. It seems that the only reason MGM's famously revolving team of filmmakers, costumers, and screenwriters decided on green was that it looked suitably scary and otherworldly – and that it showed up really well on film. Lavish and massively budgeted, The Wizard of Oz relied cutting-edge visual effects to weave its magic, including the relatively new Technicolor film process that saw Dorothy leave sepia-toned Kansas for candy-colored Oz. A hook-nosed witch with skin the color of a poisoned apple worked, and worked so well that she gave countless children nightmares well into the 1970s – in 1976, Hamilton appeared as the Witch on an episode of Sesame Street, prompting a flurry of letters from angry parents complaining that their children were in tears after the show.

The make-up used to turn Hamilton green didn't only look poisonous, it was: The copper-based paint could have made her seriously ill if ingested, so she was forced to drink her lunches through a straw during the long, four-month shoot. The paint could only be removed with rubbing alcohol and even so, it left her skin tinted green for weeks after shooting. And even worse, it was flammable – during the scene when the Wicked Witch threatens Dorothy and the Munchkins and then disappears in a boom of smoke and fire, Hamilton's costume caught alight. She suffered first and second degree burns to her face and hands and spent six weeks recovering in the hospital.

But The Wizard of Oz and the magic of Technicolor is the reason why witches are green – not, as some have argued, because this was how accused witches at the height of the "burning times", the witch-hunt frenzies of 16th and 17th century Europe that claimed the lives of roughly 60,000 people, were actually seen, especially after they'd been tortured into a confession. As Professor Gibson noted, at the time of the witch trials, the color green was more closely associated with fairies and not battered witches. Witches, in fact, were more often depicted as pale and ghostly, likely a result of their supposed nocturnal habits. As to the other witches' stereotypes – the pointy hats, affinity for cats, flying on brooms – those are all more solidly grounded in European folklore tradition.

The last person to be formally executed for witchcraft was Anna Goeldi, a Swiss maid who may or may not have been putting needles in her employers' food, and was hung in 1782. But that doesn't mean that people have stopped believing in evil beings who consort with the Devil: In America, roughly 21 percent of the population believe that witches – of the supernatural, broom-riding, possibly green-faced persuasion, not the Wiccan – exist, according to a 2005 Gallup survey.

Green skin witch

As far as I'm aware, this started with the wicked witch of the west from the wizard of oz.

I'm not aware of any green-skinned witches prior to her.

(and if you have read 'Wicked', then you know that her (Elphaba, she only received a name in this book, named after the initials of the author of the original wizard of oz book, L.Frank Brown) skin is green because her mother was seduced by the wizard, when he offered her a phial of green potion)

When I asked my Gran as a child why Witches were Green, the Wizard of Oz and a few books had used the color style. She turned to me and said, " Now what do you think your color would be if you flew a broomstick through a tornado? You get green every-time you take the canoe out on the tank (Tank is what we call ponds in Texas.)

Probably because they needed some other color other than pale or brown. Green - they might have thought it would've looked better on a witch than the other colors. If the witches had blue skin, then they couldn't wear black! They would've had to wear a blue swimsuit. not a very good idea on someone with wrinkles, and mumps!

Witches were everyday people till the Wizard of Oz book came out. it was the explaination of why the evil witch of the west was green. after that all witches were green.

"Elphaba is green, and several theories are put forward in the book to explain the phenomenon. Melena sees the color as a punishment for her infidelity to her husband, Frexspar sees it as originally as a result of his careless words “The devil is coming” on her birth day, and later as punishment for his failure to protect his parishioners from the Clock of the Time Dragon. The Wizard’s use of the Magical Elixir during Elphaba’s conception, along with the fact that the Wizard is of another world are also possibilities."

To make the bad witches look ugly!

even tho i think green skin would be funni not scary lol

only one witch i have seen with green skin and that was grotbags and she was make believe, so i would like to know where do u go to see all the other green faces

I've had a look and it's funny y'know but there are more images showing green faced witches *after* 1939 than there were before.

Can anyone guess why?

I'll give you a clue. "I'll get you my pretty!"

i think it's mostly in cartoons. green is the colour of sick, and bad witches are sick so they're green.

In order to answer your question, they perform wicked deeds with malice and malevolence, and their soul is corrupt, and all the foul deeds and malice will show in their eyes, and exteriorly on their face which is green.

Did you see the movie "Dorain Gray?" It was about a man who sold his youth to the devil, and had a portrait painted of himself so he could always be eternally young, but the portrait would BEAR all the old age, and in time, the portrait became appalling to glance upon for every mortal sin he did in his life showed on the prtrt. and it was green, black, hideous to even comprehend. In destroying the portrait he killed himself, because his hideous soul was in the portrait that he sacrificed for youth.

Do Wicked Witches Have Green Skin?

Wicked Witches and Warlocks are practitioners of dark magic who turn toward demonic or even dark deities for paranormal power. The wayward witches are often portrayed in various forms of media as having green skin. In rare cases, they may even have gray skin. Often the sickly skin coloring is accompanied by warts, long hook noses, glowing eyes, and even claws. These witches can also have various facial and bodily deformations. The most infamous of these green witches is of course The Wicked Witch Of The West as seen in the motion picture The Wizard Of Oz. In reality, such hideous-looking witches of evil do, in fact, exist! This includes the rarely seen green male Warlocks as well. Based on the nature of the magical method it is seen far less in Wizards and Sorcerers.🧙‍♂️

What Causes Green Skin & Other Abnormalities In Wicked Witches?

When anyone delves deep into the dark magics they are almost always calling upon demons for power. This infuses the body with demonic energy which begins to warp the human biological form along with their very souls as well. That is unless of course they already sold their soul to Hell in order to acquire their magical abilities, to begin with. Everyone’s body and soul start out as an innocent pure holy vessel that is gradually made impure through living a physical life. However, it can be made downright unholy by the forces of evil. There was certainly a drastic change when the rebellious fallen angels of Heaven transformed into the demons of hell. The physical transformation can take longer when witches or warlocks call upon dark deities of the Underworld for power. However, these Underworld gods are allied with the demons of Hell against the beloved nature deities. That being said, 80% of the time wicked witches are in league with Satan and his fallen angel kind.😈

Can A Wayward Witch Hide Their Frightening Facade?

The longer a witch or warlock practices their devilish darkness the more their appearance leans toward the demonic. The natural color of demons who take biological form is reptilian green. This is what mostly accounts for the green skin in malevolent witches. There’s also the fact that a great deal of magic generates photons of light that vibrate in the green frequency range. This contributes to their skin color to a lesser extent. Those witches of ill intent who are able to prolong their lives past the normal human lifespan are usually the ones who appear the most horrifying. This is the price one pays for dealing with the Devil, and his demonic minions for the purposes of nefarious power. Although, they can magically Glamour themselves to appear strikingly beautiful. This temporary illusion has fooled many into undesirable situations with these despicable creatures. It is necessary for them to put forth a fake facade in order to interact with society rather than be completely damned to the dark shadows of their witch’s lair.🔮

The Blasphemous Bodily Transformation Of Dark Magic

As a witch or warlock heads down the dark road to Hell their hair will turn jet black unless it’s already gray from old age. The hair will always retain some black, and will never go fully free of melanin. Naturally, as these dark denizens live past 200 or so they tend to begin losing their hair! The skin of the evil ones will begin going quite pale in color. Next, their skin will turn grey signifying the death of their soul. This includes their eyes turning black as coal. One could almost mistake them for a zombie. Eventually, a green skin tint takes hold. This indicates full servitude to the dark lord of the netherworld in the dark dimensions beyond our own. By this time warts, and other skin conditions will start to appear. This includes the horrifying hook or long pointy nose. The face, in general, becomes gradually deformed in various ways.🤢

The Physical Price Paid To Have The Power Of Hell!

These hideous features extend throughout the body and signify that Satan owns their soul! One of the final traits is the growing of claws in place of their fingernails, and toenails. This is most often seen in wicked witches beyond 100 years of age. In addition, eyes glow on all witches, good or evil, when they are in the midst of conjuring up some major magics. The usual color is green in most witches but a wicked witch going for the serious mojo may have the red or orange glow of hell fire! Ultimately, there can be great variation in physical characteristics based on the degree of deceptive Glamouring and other spells they might use in an attempt to halt their wretched transformation.⚡️

The Charmed Journey Of Good Witches

Unlike the wicked witch, good witches of the light are often quite strikingly beautiful. Particularly if they call upon powerful nature deities for their magic. This is more so in hereditary witches with a certain level of magic already in their DNA. They are the ones who can handle serious surges of magic that ultimately supplement their Heaven-bound souls. Those who curry major favor with Gods and Goddesses may find themselves Earthbound as an ascended nature deity in the afterlife. This includes complete access to the much-coveted Paradise Plane ruled over by Goddess Gaia Mother Earth. Completely dedicated witches who practice white magic in tune with Mother Nature will live to a ripe old age in perfect health. They can also achieve immortality like wicked witches.🧚‍♀️

Following The Righteous Path Is More Pleasant Yet Yields Less Power

The only disadvantage is that, on average, righteous witches tend to have less power than wicked witches. Plausibly because the natural order will only transfer so much power to humans while the forces of darkness will fork over everything they can for a loyal servant of Satan. Indeed if a good witch was given too much power their body and soul would overload and they would pay a physical price as well. It is actually possible for a good witch to have a temporary slight green tint as their aura is over-infused with the enchanted energy of magic. This is due to the aforementioned tendency for magical energies to create photons that vibrate in the green frequency range. Thankfully, it goes away rather quickly once they return to normal power level. In addition, demons seemingly have more of a power base than the Earthly Gods and Goddesses. Witches of darkness eventually become more demonic than human thus making them more powerful. Certainly, most are hell bound and might very well become full-blown demons someday. In the end, the brightly lit free human spirit will prevail over dark damnation…most of the time!🧙‍♀️

Green skin witch

With every new adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wicked Witch of the West always looks different. Some reversionings have the character looking or acting similar to previous ones, others are completely new. Below is a discussion of three of the Wicked Witch of the West's main attributes.

GREEN SKIN

One of the key physical attributes of the Wicked Witch of the West is her green skin. The unique colour of her skin is her main identifier, allowing characters from the world of Oz, as well as the audience, to instantly recognise her. Baum’s original character did not have green skin, and was described as an old woman with three pigtails and one eye. However, the 1939 film reinvented the character, giving her green skin, possibly due to the film’s use of Technicolor.

The majority of reversionings have the character with green skin, although there are a few that decided against it, for example The Wiz. In reversionings such as Wicked (both the novel and the musical) and Oz the Great and Powerful, the character’s green skin is a large part of the plot.

In the 1939 film, although her actions certainly make her the villain, it’s her physical attributes that cause characters to view her as wicked. Her green skin, warts, and overall ugliness frighten the citizens of Oz: “she’s wicked because she looks wicked” (Bremer 2009 p. 13). Good Witch Glinda even states that “only bad witches are ugly”. If the Wicked Witch of the West was as beautiful as Glinda, she may have been less feared, even with her actions.

VOICE

As the 1939 film is a musical, a fair amount of the story is told through song, with the Wicked Witch of the West being one of the only main characters who does not sing. This is something Gregory Maguire wanted to explore in his novel: “If we had heard her sing . . . could we have stayed quite so terrified of her?” (Maguire 2014). In Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba sings at a funeral, and is described as having a good voice. This is expanded upon through the Broadway musical Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, where the character sings in a fair amount of the songs.

Elphaba’s ability to sing “humanizes her and gains audience sympathy” (Boyd 2010 p. 110) by sharing her emotions and private thoughts through song, something the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film does not have the chance to do. The lack of singing ability “reduces her . . . to a one-dimensional character” (Boyd 2010 p. 106), one the audience sees as evil, because most of the good characters can sing.

The musical Wicked is not the only reversioning where the Wicked Witch of the West sings, although it is the only one where the Witch is the protagonist. The song the Witch sings in The Wiz, “No Bad News”, does not particularly contribute to the development of the character.

However, in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 2011 West End musical based on the 1939 film, a new song is created for the Wicked Witch of the West. “Red Shoes Blues” reveals the Witch’s motives behind her desire to obtain the ruby slippers, advancing her character development and deepening the audience’s understanding of her. This was potentially inspired by the success of the musical Wicked.

Image retrieved from Wicked Wikia: http://wicked.wikia.com/wiki/Defying_Gravity?file=Tumblr_m9wuxz9kYe1rfph73o1_500.png

PERSONALITY

Through many reversionings, the Wicked Witch of the West’s personality changed immensely. Baum’s original character is quite tame in comparison to later versions, and there’s “no clear indication that she desires to see harm come to Dorothy” (Edwards & Klosa 2009 p. 38), although she is still considered to be wicked.

The 1939 film expands the role of the Wicked Witch of the West greatly, evolving her personality along with it. The character is much more wicked than she is in Baum’s novel, threatening the lives of Dorothy and her companions frequently. While her motivations are not explicitly stated, the Witch’s “motivation appears to be nothing more than naked power” (Edwards & Klosa 2009 p. 38), reinforced by her cruel actions when attempting to acquire the ruby slippers.

The Wiz takes this cruelty even further, with the Wicked Witch of the West portrayed as a “sadistic tyrant and probable cannibal” (Burger 2012 p. 63). Evillene, as the character is known as, is the slave lord of an underground sweat shop, and brutally tortures Dorothy and her companions.

The Wicked Witch of the West receives the most dramatic personality change, however, in Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as the Broadway musical it inspired. In both, the character, known as Elphaba, is the protagonist in the eyes of the audience, although many characters see her as evil. Wicked explores how the character became known as wicked, but also portrays her as a compassionate animal rights activist, though she does have flaws, “shifting between violence and charity” (Burger 2012 p. 64).

The musical is a lot lighter than the novel, therefore so is the character. She is still compassionate and charitable, but her relationships are at the forefront of the story, particularly her friendship with Glinda. Past reversionings of the character are not shown to have any positive relationships at all, for example the character in the 1939 film. The ability to love makes both versions of Elphaba stand out amongst the rest, who are mostly considered to be pure evil.

Theodora from Oz the Great and Powerful may be the exception to this. She is not initially evil, and falls in love with the Wizard of Oz, similar to how Elphaba falls in love with Fiyero in both versions of Wicked. Eventually, her heart is broken by the Wizard, and her sister gives her a magic apple that will supposedly cure her, but instead it turns Theodora’s skin green and takes away all the good in her heart, making her evil. Compared to Wicked, Theodora’s character development is quite weak, however , Theodora actually becomes wicked , while Elphaba is simply labelled that by society , a clear difference between the two characters.

The evolution of the Wicked Witch of the West’s personality is just as important , possibly more important, than her physical evolution, due to reversionings such as Wicked.

Similarly, in Slavic folklore, witches are often portrayed as having green skin, representing their link to the mystical forces of nature. In modern popular culture, the image of the green skin witch has been popularized through books, movies, and television shows. One famous example is the wicked witch of the west from the Wizard of Oz, whose iconic green skin and wicked ways have made her a memorable character.

The green skin of these witches is often seen as a symbol of their otherness and their powers. It is believed to be a result of their magical abilities and connection to the natural world. This gives them a distinct appearance, setting them apart from other characters and reinforcing their role as supernatural beings. The green skin witch is often portrayed as a powerful and mysterious figure. They are often depicted as possessing great knowledge of herbs, potions, and spells, using their magical abilities to manipulate and control nature. In some stories, they may also have the ability to shape-shift into different forms, further emphasizing their connection to the natural world. Overall, the concept of the green skin witch is an intriguing and evocative one, representing the intersection of magic, nature, and the supernatural. Whether portrayed as wicked or benevolent, these witches continue to capture our imagination and fascinate us with their mysterious and enchanting ways..

Reviews for "Green Skin Witchcraft: Herbalism and Nature-based Medicine"

1. John - 2 stars - I really wanted to like "Green Skin Witch" as I enjoy fantasy novels, but I found it to be incredibly confusing and hard to follow. The storyline was all over the place and the characters felt underdeveloped. The author introduced too many plots and subplots that never seemed to come together, leaving me feeling frustrated and unsatisfied as a reader. Additionally, the writing style was quite dry and lacked the descriptive elements that make fantasy novels come alive. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

2. Sarah - 1 star - "Green Skin Witch" was a complete letdown for me. The title and premise sounded promising, but the execution fell flat. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth, making it hard to feel invested in their plights or care about their outcomes. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the excessive world-building took away from the actual story, leaving me bored and disconnected. I also found the ending to be unsatisfying, as it felt rushed and unresolved. I would advise others to skip this book and look for a more engaging fantasy read.

3. Emily - 2 stars - As a fan of fantasy, I had high hopes for "Green Skin Witch," but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, with too many unnecessary details and digressions that made the story lose its focus. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic, failing to capture the essence of the characters' personalities. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, with long stretches of boredom punctuated by brief moments of action. Overall, the book lacked the depth and polish that I look for in a fantasy novel, and I would not recommend it to others.

4. Michael - 2 stars - "Green Skin Witch" had an interesting concept, but it fell short in its execution. The writing style was bland and lacked the magical essence that is often found in fantasy novels. The world-building was confusing and inconsistent, making it hard to fully immerse myself in the story. The protagonist was difficult to relate to and lacked development, leading to a lack of emotional connection with the overall narrative. The pacing was slow, and the plot felt disjointed, with unnecessary deviations that took away from the main storyline. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to fellow fantasy enthusiasts.

5. Laura - 3 stars - I had mixed feelings about "Green Skin Witch." While the concept and world-building were intriguing, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was slow, and the plot seemed to meander without a clear direction. The characters, while interesting in concept, never seemed to fully come to life, leaving me feeling detached from their struggles. However, I did appreciate the author's attempt to create a unique and imaginative world, and I believe there is potential for improvement in future works.

Green Skin Witchcraft and Lunar Energy: Aligning with the Moon's Phases