Folklore & Women: The power of folklore in reclaiming female stories

Explore how women shaped folklore, magic, and culture – and why these old stories are inspiring empowerment today. With Q&A.

Before most people could read and write, folklore – made up of customs, rituals and stories – was passed down by word of mouth. Women played a central role as storytellers and guardians of these traditions, especially in rituals to protect the home, heal the sick, and guide childbirth. In this talk, Professor Marisa Linton will explore the history of folklore and women in the British Isles, where belief in magic often served as a way of giving power to the powerless.

Folklore continues to shape our culture today, inspiring Gothic novels like Dracula and folk horror films such as The Wicker Man, where outsiders encounter rural communities still bound by ‘old beliefs’. The talk will also ask why folklore is enjoying such a dramatic revival. Does this resurgence reflect a search for alternative paths – especially for women – towards empowerment and deeper connection with the natural world?

**Doors open at 6:45pm, talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!**

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*Speaker Bio:*

*Prof Marisa Linton is a historian, writer and Professor Emerita of History at Kingston University, where she taught the history of folklore, belief in magic, the history of women, and the history of European witch-hunts.*

Presented by Seed Talks

This is an 18+ event