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 51 - HAPPY NEW YEAR
Episode 50 - PERCHTEN
Episode 49 - IN COMES I ...
Episode 48 - LORE OF THE LOCKS
Episode 47 - TALES OF THE LANTERN
Episode 46 - HUSH LITTLE BABY
Episode 45 - AN INTRODUCTION TO NORSE MYTHOLOGY
Episode 44 - GRIND THE CORN
Episode 43 - WOMEN AND FAIRIES AT WORK
Episode 42 - A LIVERPOOL CUNNING MAN AND HIS MAGICAL MANUAL
Episode 41 - WITCH BOTTLES
Episode 40 - FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
Episode 39 - CRAVING SUPERNATURAL CREATURES
Episode 38 - MIRROR MIRROR
Episode 37 - ALIEN BIG CATS
Episode 36 - INVESTIGATING GHOSTS: THE ROLE OF FOLKLORE
Episode 35 - THE TRUTH ABOUT HANSEL AND GRETEL
Episode 34 - THE CURSE OF THE CRYING BOY
Episode 33 - GEF! THE EXTRA SPECIAL TALKING MONGOOSE
Episode 32 - SPINDLE, SHUTTLE AND NEEDLE
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