Historically in Europe and in the United States, black cats are seen as unlucky or "evil" because it was once thought that they were associated with witches. It was once believed that witches could turn into black cats, or that they were "familiars" of witches. This myth started largely in the Middle Ages, when people began to associate the nocturnal creatures with being the "supernatural servants of witches" (Glenda Moore). This obviously had a very negative effect on how the public viewed the species. Because of these superstitions, cats were killed alongside suspected "witches" at the stake in widespread "witch hunts" of Europe that took place in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. The association of black cats and witchcraft is still strong today, as can be seen from the abundance of black cat imagery in Halloween themes. Even in modern times, some people still believe that it's bad luck to have a black cat cross your path.
 |
| Black cats are still commonly associated with Halloween and witches. |
References
http://cats.about.com/od/catloreurbanlegends/a/blackcatlore.htm
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/09/why-black-cats-are-considered-bad-luck/
http://voices.yahoo.com/cats-cultures-medieval-europe-6224388.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch-hunt#Early_Modern_Europe
No comments:
Post a Comment