Witch prototypes in television as possible continuators of traditional feminine stereotypes. The case of 'American Horror Story: Coven' (2013) and 'Apocalypse' (2018)

Abstract

With this text a study will be made about the television fiction American Horror Story: Coven (2013) and Apocalypse (2018) in order to check if the witch characters present in them perpetuate certain traditional feminine stereotypes. Through the analysis of the way in which the protagonists of the series and their dialogues are constructed, the continuity of clichés such as that of the fatal woman or that of the maternal and family figure will be determined. In addition, it will try to identify possible feminist traits in the witches created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, as well as establish analogies between them and the appropriation of witchlike attributes by certain activist groups. In parallel, other issues that in this production are linked to the witch, such as the appearance of real historical figures or the problem of racism, will be pointed out. Finally, it will be discovered that the term witch is not linked to a single meaning. Talking about witches means doing it over something more than the stereotyped and well-known fictional character and identifying the witch with the healer or with the midwife, with the socially qualified woman of ugly and evil, with the femme fatale, with the rebel and independent ...