When most of us think of the term boggart, we probably first come up with the idea of a shapeshifting creature represented in the Harry Potter universe. But this is nothing like the actual folkloric creature which the word actually refers to. Boggarts have not been studied in particularly great detail until recently – they are a supernatural being specific to the north of England but having much in common with other creatures from our folklore.
Joining Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman to discuss the subject is historian and author Simon Young. Simon disputes the traditional description put forward by Katharine Briggs that the Boggart was a goblin-like creature, but argues that instead it was a much more general term which encompassed aspects of most solitary supernatural creatures from mermaids to ghosts and all points in between. This approach goes a long way to demonstrate how the continual misrepresentation of the boggart by earlier folklorists led to the fantasy version of the creature that we know today.
The Folklore Podcast is an independent podcast, part of The Folklore Network which is striving to collect and preserve folklore material in all forms for future generations. To support our work, and that of the Folklore Library and Archive please join our Patreon or make a small donation on our website. Full details at www.thefolklorepodcast.com/support
To download The Boggart Sourcebook, referred to in this episode, free of charge please visit https://www.exeterpress.co.uk/en/Book/2114/The-Boggart-Sourcebook.html
Episode 71- GHOSTLAND
Episode 70 - THE STORY KEEPER
Episode 69 - TAFFY THOMAS MBE
Episode 68 - ZMEY
Episode 67 - CELTIC AND WESTERN EUROPEAN FAIRIES
Episode 66 - BONUS: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
Episode 65 - CHARMS AND CHILDBIRTH
Episode 64 - CORNISH FOLK TALES OF PLACE
Episode 63 - SLAVIC WITCHCRAFT
Episode 62 - THE GIRL WHO SPEAKS BEAR
Episode 61 - WORLD OF THE UNKNOWN: GHOSTS
Episode 60 - MAGICAL HOUSE PROTECTION
Episode 59 - THE GLASS WOMAN
Episode 58 - ICELANDIC FOLKLORE
Episode 57 - TALES OF BRITAIN
Episode 56 - REDISCOVERING RENAISSANCE WITCHCRAFT
Episode 55 - CUNNING FOLK
Episode 54 - BOTANICAL FOLK TALES
Episode 53 - ROSES ARE RED
Episode 52: GHOSTS IN CINEMA
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