The Vulgar Witch — Overview & Study Guide
4. Get Comfortable with Discomfort
If your spell doesn't make you feel a little bit taboo—if you aren't worried about "going too far"—you might be playing it too safe. The Vulgar Witch dances on the line. Spit on your hands before you raise energy. Pee on your property line to ward it. Talk to your ancestors while you're in the shower.
Summary
"The Vulgar Witch" is a short story (or poem—assume short story unless you specify) about a witch whose outspoken, coarse demeanor challenges social expectations about femininity, power, and marginalization. The plot follows her interactions with a town that fears and shames her; through confrontation and dark humor she exposes hypocrisy, reclaims agency, and transforms perceptions of witchcraft and womanhood.
Part V: Vulgar Ethics (Or, Why Politeness is Overrated)
Does The Vulgar Witch have ethics? Absolutely. But they are not the ethics of a suburban coven meeting.
Vulgar ethics are situational, visceral, and fiercely protective of the vulnerable. The Vulgar Witch will heal a stray cat for free, then turn around and curse the neighbor who poisoned his dog. She will bake bread for a grieving friend, and with the same flour, draw a binding circle around an abuser's house.
Her moral code can be summarized in a few vulgar aphorisms:
- "Fuck around and find out." (Accountability is real.)
- "Don't start none, won't be none." (Defensive magic is not aggression.)
- "My people first." (Community protection over abstract universal love.)
- "Cry now, curse later." (Feel your feelings, then act.)
The Vulgar Witch rejects the idea that you must forgive to heal. She rejects the pressure to "be the bigger person." Sometimes, being the bigger person means getting small, dirty, and ferocious. She honors the part of the psyche that wants revenge—not because she always acts on it, but because pretending it doesn't exist is a greater danger.
a. Classical Literature
- Apuleius, The Golden Ass (2nd century) – The witch Pamphile transforms using vulgar ointments; her magic is earthy, sexual, and cruel.
