Grand High Witch
All-powerful leader of all witches, plotting to destroy children.
The Grand High Witch of All the World is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Roald Dahl's 1983 children's dark fantasy novel The Witches, as well as its graphic novel and film adaptations. She is the all-powerful leader of all the witches on Earth, described as the most powerful, evil, and feared witch, who hides her ancient age and hideous appearance behind an attractive disguise to blend into society.
- nationality
- Never stated in the original novel; her accent is described as foreign but not specifically German
- aliases
- None in the original novel; names 'Eva Ernst' and 'Lilith' are inventions from the 2020 film adaptation
Lore & Background
The Grand High Witch is the only link between secret societies of demonic witches in various countries, as they are not allowed to contact each other. During the story, she resides in a hotel in England; her permanent base is not described as a Norwegian castle with a money-printing machine. In the narrative, she is described as 'the most evil and appalling woman in the world.' She has a heavy foreign accent, but her nationality is never stated. After her destruction, it is discovered that nobody knew who she was except other witches; her true identity is simply unknown to the public, and she is not explicitly described as a baroness.
Reader's Guide
The Grand High Witch serves as the central antagonist in The Witches, embodying pure evil and supernatural power. Her significance lies in her role as the ultimate threat to children, using her invention 'Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker' to turn children into mice for extermination. The character has been portrayed in film adaptations by Anjelica Huston (1990) and Anne Hathaway (2020), with the 1990 version emphasizing a highly sexualized, sadistic portrayal. Her legacy includes being the nemesis of the protagonist's grandmother, a retired witch-hunter, and her eventual destruction—in the book, she is chopped up by hotel staff; in the 1990 film, she is sliced in half with a cleaver in rat form; in the 2020 film, her cat mauls her to death. The story ends with plans to use her resources to hunt down all witches worldwide.
Did You Know?
- The Grand High Witch is the only link between secret societies of demonic witches in various countries, as they are not allowed to contact each other.
- In the 1990 film, she is portrayed as a sexually sadistic femme fatale who derives orgasmic pleasure from hurting children.
- In the original book, after her destruction, it is revealed that nobody knew her true identity; she is not described as a baroness.
- In the 2020 film, she is depicted with two toes on each foot and elongating arms.
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