Roz Williams

Aphrodite's Curse: an Exploration of the Witch Archetype in Film Roz Williams

This work examines the role of the witch archetype in film narrative to determine whether or not the archetype has changed in contemporary times. The ideas I encounter and explore inform my creative processes and the resulting writing of the screenplay Aphrodite?s Curse. Folklore, mythology, cultural anthropology and psycho-analytical theories of the witch have been examined. Film history and case studies have been explored to identify how witches are treated in film, as well as the genres in which she appears. The research explores the theories of myth, folklore and fairytale to identify key features of the witch archetype. It compares the traditional archetype with how the witch is portrayed in contemporary film, and examines whether or not the archetype has transformed over time. The work would be of interest to storytellers, academics and filmmakers.