Not Just the Tudors Enchanted Realms: Fairies in the 16th Century
Jan 1, 2026
Professor Diane Purkiss, a scholar of witchcraft and folklore, joins Professor Suzannah Lipscomb to explore the menacing reality of 16th-century fairies. They debunk the Tinkerbell myth, revealing fairies as dangerous beings involved in child-snatching and seduction. Purkiss explains their role in significant life transitions and challenges the views of witch trials, where fairies were often misinterpreted as demonic. The conversation delves into fairy tales as a way for women to address taboo issues and the broader societal implications of belief in these supernatural figures.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Fairies As Transition Guardians
- Fairies act as gatekeepers at life transitions like birth, sexuality and the boundary between life and death.
- Diane Purkiss connects fairy belief to societal shifts from medieval theology to early modern empiricism.
Size And Danger Of Early Fairies
- Early modern fairies were human-sized and often dangerous rather than tiny benevolent sprites.
- The Victorian image of gauzy, diminutive fairies is largely a later invention.
Fairies Demand Costly Exchanges
- Fairies offered power and cures but exacted costly, tricksy exchanges from humans.
- Scottish trials show pursuits of occult power could become non-consensual sexual encounters or child loss.