On the topic of witch jars: I was always tougth by my grandmother to make them when moving into a new residence to project the house and residents from evil and people with malicious intent entering the home. They should contain: glass shards/rusty nails/thorns from roses or brambles/sharp objects of choice, hairs from all new residents, protective herbs such as rosemary, salt and urine are optional, and most importantly: a red thread tied in a knot. The red thread is supposed to catch evil and the sharp objects will harm it, the herbs/salt/urine will cleanse the content of the jar. After the jar has been filled, it needs to be sealed (preferably with wax) and blessed with positive intent. You then place the jar where everyone will enter the home, either burry it underneath the threshold of the front door or place it underneath the floor boards near the entrance of the home. When you move to a new home, you need to take the old witch jar apart and place a new one in your new home. I was tought to do this by my grandmother, in the rural east of the Netherlands, but it has not been common practice here for decades...
That is so fascinating that it was a tradition or like an actual thing many people did not do long ago. Wow, huh. Yes, that also makes me want to make one as I'm moving soon just because why not :) Cheers
When walking down the street with someone and walking on opposite sides of an obstruction, such as a street light or fire hydrant, my mother would always say, “bread and butter.” She told me that it would keep the two walkers from becoming estranged or separated because they were as close as bread and butter. I always liked the sentiment and when younger I would do it on purpose just to hear her say it. Since she has passed, I say it myself every single time.
I love that story! I've never heard of bread n butter. The practice really did result in you and your mom never becoming estranged, even after her passing. You are reminded she is still with you, regularly, in a way that is pleasant and noninvasive. What's more, you have picked up the habit, ensuring that your loved ones will always have a little reminder that you are never far. For me to be reminded or made aware that my dad is always with me, I would have to hear someone yell "DON'T BOOGER THAT SCREW!!!" as both a warning and a threat to the person wielding the electric drill. 🤣🤣🤣 Yeah, given the choice, I'd go with bread n butter- BUT as noted, I've never heard of it. So instead I scream "DON'T BOOGER THAT SCREW! " at my kids, as I did inherent my dad's keen ear for being able to identify a screw being stripped from a mile away.
@@poutinedream5066 My dad who was career military would say, “Don’t screw the pooch!” Meaning your job isn’t done until you’ve truly finished it. It came from Gus Grissom’s hatch blowing early when his capsule Liberty Bell 7 sank after successfully landing in the ocean. (Later determined to have been a bolt’s failure and not his although he was blamed.) I believe the saying is a nicer way of saying, “don’t f*** the dog” meaning don’t be lazy by “dogging it”. Boy, this anecdote took ugly turn...Anyway I like your dad’s concern for not ‘screwing up’.
on the subject of broken mirrors, my French teacher told me that when the Palace of Versaille was being built, if a laborer broke one of the enormous gilt mirrors, they had to pay for it out of their wages and it took 7 years of wages to pay it off.
I find it hard to believe 7 years wages would pay for that mirror. More like 20 years or way way more. Those laborers were payed barely anything and the mirrors were extremely expensive
In England black cats have traditionally been seen as lucky, particularly if one crosses your path on your wedding day. This is why brides were often given black cat favours to carry. This is less commonly done nowadays but you can still buy black cat favours online. I have had two black cats so far in my life and they are the most intelligent and loving creatures, so it grieves me when people call them unlucky!
i agree I've always been brought up to believe they are good luck too, my mother was given 21st cards with lucky black cats on, and had no idea anyone thought they were bad luck until i was an adult .
I was taught they were bad luck. I read somewhere that black cats were sacred to the Druids, so the Christians made them "evil", so people would rat them out and they could be drawn & quartered. Then people started killing all cats and the Church got complaints because the rat population grew, so the Church made up the story that tabby cats were dear to Mother Mary, which is why almost all tabby cats have an M on their forehead. We used to have a black cat I named the Black Prince, and he was the sweetest tempered of all the cats I've owned. And the smartest.
I was taught that black cats themselves were not unlucky....but were unlucky only if crossed your path. But this one has never resonated with me....I love cats and consider black one especially beautiful.
This video inspires me to reply for the first time! I am an occasional actor, and I willfully say Macbeth in my local theatre here in New York State. I added my own post script to the superstition. As I am a member of Clan MacDuff, I am permitted to say it. My great grandmother was named Mary Fife, and she hailed from Perthshire. So that's my personal connection to the curse. No harm has befallen me. I'm also a practicing witch, so there's layers of interest here! Another thought on the 13 issue. In the Tarot Major Arcana, the card labeled 13 is the Death card. It's not literal, but it tends to frighten people. Thanks for your insights and for sharing your knowledge, wit, and wisdom. Be Well!
Another theatrical tradition of which I'm aware is that one should never whistle while in the theater. This, at least, has a logical explanation. Before the use of intercoms and headsets, directions (such as changing lighting gels, moving set pieces/props, flying pieces of scenery, etc.) would be given by specific whistles. If one happened to whistle the wrong series of notes, one could wind up being struck by a falling sandbag or other heavy object.
As a former ballet dancer, I can tell you that the prospect of performing in Nutcracker 25+ times every year, and rehearsing it for a month prior, has given me (and many other dancers) Nutcracker PTSD; just hearing the music 30 yrs later is enough to make me anxious. I can wholeheartedly believe that actors may well try to revolt on hearing that That Play is coming back up and be desperate to not do it again.
Same except for I am currently a ballet dancer. Everyone I hear music a panic because I think I am supposed to be on stage and then I realize in my car.
Awwww. I hate listening to the music if I'm not dancing to it, but I will always love the nutcracker. It has such a special place in my heart. I love being able to listen to the CD and dance all the parts of the whole show. It's like an old friend. However, I basically never want to hear that music if there isn't an easily available dance floor lol.
Vermillion9 Nelson Oh dear, I truly feel sad for you, I love that music so much! Actually it was the first play I was ever in when I was 5, I was a flower! Hahaha!
I'm not a dancer, though I do 'call the show' for a local dance company's production of 'A Christmas Carol', which uses a lot of music by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Whenever I hear any of that music, I can visualize the corresponding choreography in my mind.
The problem with the "how to break the curse of saying 'Macbeth'" is that I can't but think of that episode of Blackadder the Third, with the AcTORs! And, of course, the Prince of Wales' truly ridiculous stance in his enormous trousers, which seems to have been adopted by Tory ministers!!
I was just going to mention that. It was hilarious to see them keeping repeating the name and do all the necessary counter measures only to say the name!
I was in a production of "Dangerous Corner" an Agatha Christie play. We had had a plethora of technical problems and accidents through the first week of the run. One day as I was going to the dressing room, I happened to walk across the stage. I looked at the prop bookcase on the set and I was shocked to see a copy of the Scottish Play. I informed the stage manager, who removed it. Not a single incident or accident occurred after that.
Pop Quiz ! After watching Dr. Kat's videos I: A) Always feel smarter. B) Feel better prepared to make small talk at parties or dates (eventually). C) Have a good chance of "coming up aces" at trivia games. D) All of the above. P.S. I wonder why four leaf clovers are symbols of good luck? Or why "stepping on a crack will break your mama's back"?
The four-leaf clover is considered good luck because the 3 leaves all clovers have symbolize faith, hope, and love (or the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit if you wish to reference the Christian interpretation) but the rare fourth leaf on the less common four-leaf clover also has a fourth leaf for a little bit of luck. 🙂🍀
A thousand years ago, now, I did an undergraduate thesis on Max Beerbohm. He is famous for making up something he attributed to Abraham Lincoln. People still believe it. He was just that sort of little person everyone believed. He was small, witty, wide-eyed, and utterly honest-seeming. I'm certain he has been laughing about this curse since he made it up (could not readily find where he said this). It is likely, because his half-brother was the famous actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who played many Shakespearean roles, and Max was the most famous theatre critic of the period (early 20th century).
Dr Kat, I recently learned that owls hooting at abnormal times - such as pre-dawn - was thought to be an omen of an impending death. After an internet search, I found plenty of ancient Anglo folklore from which this myth seemingly originated.
Growing up in The Appalachian Mountains of Virginia our lives were filled with superstitions passed on by our Nana. Salt of course, also always exit through the door you entered. If you sing before breakfast you’ll cry before dinner. Keep a penny in your shoe for good luck. Popularized by penny loafers. When someone dies cover the mirrors and open a door and/ or windows. If you keep bees tell them of their keeper’s death and tie a ribbon on the hive so they won’t swarm. My Grandfather believed if you put a knife under the mattress of a woman giving birth it would cut the pain. Did it for my mother in hospital. He’d be arrested now! He also found a rattle snake’s rattler to ease teething. Mother used a silver teething ring instead. More darkly, a menstruating woman should never cross a creek or stream because it will foul the water. One of the dearest although maybe not a superstition, is ,if you go to the barn or stables at Midnight Christmas, you can hear them sing of Jesus’ birth. We never made it when we were little. This is not a superstition but our Nana would always sing to the cows on the day their calves were taken from them. For those who don’t believe animals mourn just listen to the mother cows lowing for their babies.
I live in Canada. I went to visit my Scottish Granny once, after shopping at the mall. I put my bags on her kitchen table so that I could show her what I had bought. When she realized that there was a bag from a shoe store, she lost her mind and gave me quite the telling off. I had a hard time keeping a straight face and acting as if I was taking her seriously. 😂😂 My daughter has belonged to a community theatre group for years. While she was still in her teens, she was talking to an older member about what Shakespeare plays they had performed over the years. She mentioned Macbeth by name, and he actually made her to outside, spin around, spit, and knock to be let back in. 😂😂
Brilliant! My paternal grandmother would never come into one of the houses my parents owned during my childhood because they replaced a window with a door. So superstition is super interesting to me! Thank you so much!
@@MrAdryan1603 I'm unsure why exactly I was very young ive looked over the years and the closest thing I've found is that it confuses the spirits who are trying to exit the house through a window.. i would live to know if anyone else might have an idea.
@@iceprincess7674 Super interesting, thank you for sharing that! I don't know why this is so fascinating to me, I'm about to go on a googling spree to research these sorts of things. Cheers, have a great day/night!
@@MrAdryan1603 Good luck on your Google spree! And please let me know should you find anything as I would love to share anything found with my daughter who always loved her great grand!
My dad wouldnt allow mom to do that either. She would talk about replacing a window in the kitchen with a door and he would tell her she couldnt do that. He would say it was because it was a load bearing wall and cutting into it might make for structural problems
From America, I inevitably enjoy your videos. Even if I tend to think I' m not particularly keen on the subject that day, you have a talent for drawing the viewer into your discussion and after the first two minutes, I am engrossed in your presentation. A very educational and informational channel. Keep up the good work, Dr. Kat.
I've always been told to clap after a sneeze to save the fair folk and always hold your breath when going under a bridge or tunnel for good luck or past a cemetery so you don't inhale a spirit
@@jackiedaytona2434 I'd never heard of this either but I know of a 'modern' version of it! I was told that when you are in a car going under a railway bridge when a train is going over, you should close your eyes and make a wish - presumably this does not apply to the driver of the car. I guess you could do it while walking. As all trains that cross Canada go through Winnipeg, there is lots of opportunity to do this and I still do.
The 13th idea has also been linked to the Knights Templar,whose order was destroyed on Friday October 13th,1307. That covers 2 in one. By the way, Friday 13th is not unlucky everywhere.In Spain for example it is Tuesday 13th you have to be wary of.
@@Cypresssina I've heard that as well. Here is just one place: www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/05/160512-friday-13-knights-templar-superstition/ So, I guess, it's just like superstitions, kinda what you choose to believe at this point. Maybe yes, maybe no.
I understood you could say 'Macbeth' outside the theatre but refer to it as 'the Scottish Play' whilst inside. Think actors are generally very superstitious anyway. Thanks Dr Kat: this is the reason I love Fridays!
As a former stage manager and actor, I can attest that many people in the theatre are more inclined to be superstitious. When I stage-managed a show I was very strict about the Macbeth superstition as I found it got into people's heads and created minor anxiety which inturned caused things to go wrong. Almost a self-fulfilling prophesy, if you will.
I really enjoyed that! Welsh people have a load of superstitions, no haircuts on a Sunday, no cutting finger & toenails on a Sunday. No putting washing out on the line on a Sunday. A bird flying into a window meant a death in the family. My nan wouldn't have an image of a bird on anything. Lot's of nonsense around menstruation too. And as for breaking mirrors being bad luck then I am doomed! My cats are the clumsiest (black) felines on the planet 😏
Re The Scottish Play....I read that the incantation used by the Three Witches was a real one used in witchcraft. Hence the curse. I must add though, that every time I have seen MacBeth on stage, something has happened. Even an amateur performance resulted in one of the actors being carried off with a broken leg after a fight scene.
Yes! 🥰 Thank you, Dr. Kat! Normally, I am not a superstitious person, but.... as a theatre/high school drama teacher (retired), I always told my students about the various theatrical superstitions, which I DO believe in. The main one, of course, is The Scottish Play. I think most of my students thought I was a bit daffy, but I often caught them calling the play “The Scottish Play”. Ha! No disrespect to the man who said the “MacBeth curses” were not real, but I DO believe them. Real, or not, I think it adds interest to not only to Shakespeare’s plays, it adds a bit of mystery to the theatre. I truly enjoy your videos, Dr. Kat. Would love to hear more about the British theatre. ( Note: I am American, but prefer the British spelling of the Theatre. It’s the only way I have ever written it. I DO love Shakespeare and British theatre. 🥰)
I married into a rodeo family when married my 2nd husband. Both he and his father competed in Rodeos here in the US. You wouldn't believe the sheer number of superstitions rodeo folk have. Which my ex took incredibly seriously. Black cats were unlucky especially crossing our path. We'd have to turn the car around and go a different way. One of the biggest taboos was placing your hat on a bed. All the luck would drain out and you'd be plagued by evil luck. Avoiding the color yellow because it was unlucky... certain foods on certain days of the week. Rabbits feet and pewter crosses were always kept on their pockets... Rodeo can be dangerous so I suppose they wanted alp.the good luck they could get...
For a decidedly UNsuperstitious person, I am still fascinated by the numerous superstitions surrounding plays, various passages of music, etc. This post was GREAT FUN. Thank you so much, Dr. Kat!
I think that Macbeth is a self fulfilling curse. Everyone gets nervous about it and nervous people make mistakes. As far as 13 being unlucky it could be part of Friday the 13th with the knights templer.
Love your channel only found it today and already watched 4 video:) especially this one. Many of our superstitions are an echo of our pagan past, and our belief in the faery folk...(I'm Irish and so Faerylore is very much a part of my upbringing)... much of our pagan "ancestral memory" still echo down the ages to resonate in modern day... some examples are "touch wood" when tempting fate... stems from the belief that certain trees had magical property's so therefore served as talismans to avoid bad luck... not to mention being home to faerys! Why do we still throw coins into a wishing well?... pagan peoples for centuries made offerings to the gods who they believed lived in rivers and bodies of water... to ancient folks water was a very powerful spiritual link... a viel between the two worlds. Another fascinating insight into the pagan/faery world and its effects on modern life is the lone tree 🌳 in the field... we've all seen the mighty oak tree standing alone in a sea of wheat or corn why?... because the generations of rural life even into post industrial revolution left a tree for somewhere for the faery folk to live and not blight the crops... which of course grows and grows until it becomes too much effort for a modern farmer to remove. So 200 years ago when rural communities were still observeing traditional folklore and and superstitions the long held belief you should leave a tree to shelter the faerys still prevailed leaving poor Mr 21st century farmer an arborial headache on removing an endangered oak to plough a few more yards of field. I believe the old gods aren't as dead as we think and their echos can still be heard by those who know how to listen 😉
One thing to keep in mind is that superstitions are often just fun. Some can be counterproductive, but in the case of Mcbeth specifically, not speaking the name is a special argot among actors that they can share along with the remedy for speaking the name. It’s something that helps create a sense of unity. Carpenters, students, and others who work in groups tend to hold to their own superstitions as well.
Many of the luzzu or fishing boats in Malta can be seen with an eye either side of the prow. This is believed to be the eye of Osiris and is present to protect and preserve the boat from evil and disaster and is therefore a lucky charm
I think they're like the blue eye charms that you see everywhere in Turkey, and some of the Greek islands? I can't remember the name of them but my Mum has a large one in her house, and I've got a smaller one that I carry in my handbag for the same reason.
As a mom to 2 black cats I can tell you that they are very powerful creatures, and are quite stunning to look at. I think their majesty and sleek, stealth movements helped contribute to their myth. As for the Scottish play, every actor I’ve known has been a superstitious person, probably because their career often depends on fate and the whim of a fickle audience.
I'm not sure where it come from but I was/am always told by my grandmother to say "rabbits rabbits rabbits" before you say anything else on the first of the month. She said it was something her mother who was born in England in the early 1900s and brought to Canada with her.
Witchmarks, how fascinating! I live in a city with some medieval buildings and they're all over the place. I've also noticed the tiles that the Edwardians added around the doorways of their homes mirror the daisywheels and maze patterns, perhaps to continue the tradition? Maybe in the same way that we still hang horseshoes above our front doors. Here in the UK you see them on newbuild homes as well. Love this video, thank you!
Interesting video, as always -thank you. I was always told that the reason for not putting new shoes on a table was because a condemned person was given shoes to wear for their execution and a tabletop is the height someone's feet would be when they had been hanged.
Fun video! Thank you Dr. Kat :) I am loving reading all of the comments, too. Another possible reason the number 13 is considered unlucky, is the relationship to paganism or witchcraft. There are 13 moons in a calendar year, and pagan/witchy folk celebrate those moons. I am a bit superstitious. I toss spilt salt over my left shoulder, grow a rosemary at the entrance to my home and keep some rosemary and salt in a jar by the door. I'm sure there are a few other things. My parents came here to the US from England, and told me a black cat was considered lucky. As a cat person, I can only agree.
Knock on wood, I've never said "Macbeth" in a theatre or in front of actors. I am also very careful to tell any actor about to audition or go onstage to "break a leg." Yes. I am superstitious because, as another of Shakespeare's characters pointed out, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." I choose to err on the side of "can't hurt."
Shoes were found in the roof of an inn (rebuilt 1655 after roundheads burnt it down) building is haunted. I always thought the ghost was looking for her shoes! Thanks for clearing that up x
Just a quick note. I like the new tack your posts are taking. They are longer and clearly differentiate themselves from other renaissance and long 18th century videos. I've learned something from each of those you've posted more recently. As a primarily 18th century scholar, and as an enthusiast for the preceding periods, I'd say keep going on your current trajectory. Your most recent work truly does add something not covered elsewhere on TH-cam. Dr. R.
There's a tiny private theatre on my family's summer properties which seats about 90 people, and we put on a play every summer with our children as the actors. The stage is the size of a postage stamp. so small that we built wings that fit out into the audience that can be added. There is only a backstage enough for a chair in which the stage manager sits. Everything else is outside, under tents. We usually hire a professional director and producer as this is central to a good production. Two performances (which are always sold out) usually pays for the entire costs. We really do respect and observe all the quirks and superstitions of stage acting, down to the ghost light and hanging counter weights. One production required that we remove the backstage window frames to make room for certain furniture in scene changes, and (I had never heard of this) the director made absolutely sure that they were covered when we were not in the theatre, something to do with not letting in poltergeists. We never mention the "Scottish Play", observe all the make-up and wardrobe oddities and our props, made almost entirely by me, have to go past the producer to make sure there isn't some little suspect thing wrong that would ruin everything. I think it's fun, silly and something very entertaining for the children, but seriously, I don't think it has much merit. Tradition, however, is important, and something that is held in even higher esteem by my family, considering who we are- in short another good object lesson.
We had an old door in our Tobacco barn from our families old homestead in the Appalachian mountains near the Great Smokies in the U.S. that had a Daisy wheel carved into it. My Grandfather didnt know why it was there or what it had ment. I have never seen that sign at any of the other historical or abandoned homesteads I have visited around the area. My Grandmother had a book she called a dream book that was handed down to her but was stolen from a locked chest in her bedroom while she was out one day. Funny that book was the ONLY thing taken from the break in. The intruder had used a crowbar to gain access. Our community at the time was made up of only say 1,200 ppl most related and very distantly related. Considering our land is very close to a resservation and the county has 52 churches(ya a bit excessive) someone didnt want the book to exist or wanted it for personal reasons. My Grandmother never told me the details in the book. Strange tho she could sing gospel songs in the Cherokee language(which is like a slap in the face to the tribe you would think). I had Ancestry DNA done and we have no Cherokee but a lot of info pointed to Norse(yap we are tall and fair skinned several w blue eyes and blond hair). Puzzles that make you Wonder & Ponder my friends.
Im a watcher by nature and have a back ground and degrees in social work, biology & forensic anthropology and it is amazing what humans will believe and do.
We have something like the witch signs over here in the States. On old barns, most of the time Amish, there are "hex signs" or "Amish hex stars" painted or mounted near the peak. I wonder if this is related to the witch signs?
Hi Dr. Kat! I suspect that regardless of origin, once people believe something superstitious, its as good as real. It's like my fear of heights: The vertigo which sets me swaying back and forth would cause my tumble from a cliff, not some sudden failure of gravity to hold me to the path. I didn't know the Astor Place riots were started by rival fanboys. That's astonishing! Although if hardcore fans of Madonna and Lady Gaga meet in a dark alley, an escalation from throwing shade to throwing bottles isn't beyond possibility. May you and yours stay safe and healthy.
What an interesting and enjoyable video, Dr Kat!! I'm not very superstitious myself, though I have one thing I've done since I was a child- I 'knock on wood' whenever speaking of something good that may happen to me in the future. So, if I were to say to my friend, 'I'm expecting a larger bonus than usual this year, 'I do actually touch wood when doing so. It's something I remember my parents doing and have never been able to shake it. Cheers!!
Thanks for this video! I did my MLitt in Shakespeare Studies, so coming from an academic perspective, I didn’t hold truck with the superstitions. But I later volunteered for a Canadian Shakespeare theatre company, which calls the play and character “Mackers.” It was an easy adjustment, though our legendary house manager thought it was all bullocks.
When i bought my first house my sister in law gave me a new pack of cards and told me to throw away any old packs I had. I understand the idea behind it but does anybody know the history behind the superstition?
I work in a professional theatre and have never been afraid of saying 'Macbeth', but then again I'm not superstitious. Also we did a production of it there a few years ago and I don't recall anyone referring to it as 'The Scottish Play'.
In my reading, I have come across the story of Saint Pol catching the Devil in a boot as a partial explaination of putting shoes in walls. Also cow and horse hearts, impaled with nails and suspended in the chimney was to prevent dark spirits from using the fireplacescas entry points.
Hi Dr. Kat, Back in the 1980's the Theatre Company I was involved with performed Macbeth as part of a summer Shakespeare festival. We refused to give into superstition and would not say "The Scottish Play." Everything went fine until opening night, which right before the curtain went up and there was a power blackout in the area and the show was cancelled. We learned our lesson.
Perhaps for a future video, you might consider looking into "Sheela na Gigs" statues or carvings in stone. There is/was a very good example in a church ruin/cemetery at Killinaboy, County Clare Ireland. Men and women have very different views of this ancient icon. My conclusion is the grasping "wide open vulva" of the Sheela is welcoming people into the "womb" of the church. Could be a historical demarcation line between pagan and Christian eras. Women see it as good luck, men not so much. I stopped at a house nearby when I could not find it, and the woman of the house told me, "Oh, it's there, look above the door." I asked her if she had ever been over to see it? She said, "Oh no, never." It is a weird little place in the middle of the burren, a place of antiquity. It is very close to the dolmens, and we still don't know what they are or were used for in neolithic time.
I love superstitions so this was right up my street. It's really interesting how different professions have their own superstitions. I've worked in the publishing industry for most of my working life and there are some brilliant ones, especially when working for newspapers. I'd only refer to Macbeth as The Scottish Play inside the theatre; not because I'm superstitious but because I think it's a great tradition...and boos to the bloke who debunked it, as it takes all the fun and magic out of life.
Loved this video! There are so many interesting superstitions. I heard you mentioning that some of the protective symbols repel changelings. I saw a short piece the other day about the concept of changelings being possibly linked to Autism, where a child behaved unusually and therefore the parents or surrounding villagers decided it had to be some kind of fairy or malevolent spirit, who had taken the child and replaced it. I'd love to see a more in-depth analysis from you on this. Because my brother is autistic, it's quite close to me. I don't think this condition is new at all, and in history there must have been descriptions of people who behaved autistically, before there was a word for it.
The practice of "knocking on wood" for good luck after saying something positive comes from the practice of touching sacred trees for luck in Medieval times. In the German-settled areas of Pennsylvania (the Pennsylvania Dutch Country), the witches marks are still to be seen on the barns, freshly applied.
I have heard many things when it comes to black cats. Then again I tend to own them. I find they are just like any other cat, just as intuitive and loving. They have been seen as lucky and also bad luck. I have also read that they can be a sign of death. I just love cats in general, and the black cats bring me luck as they keep family away!! Then again a few of them are allergic to cats.
In Turkey it is unlucky to hand a knife to someone directly but to put it on the table for them to pick up Perhaps stemming from the fact if you hand a knife with the handle towards them it would by easy, if they wished , to take the handle and lunge forwards to stab you ?
In some parts of the UK if someone buys you cutlery (knives especially) as a gift, you traditionally have to give them a silver coin, so that sharp words don't cause problems later on.
I think it dates to when the Turks were nomads and whilst entertaining guests they were likely to be other nomadic tribes - friend or foe- and it paid to be cautious , although at that time most people carried their own multipurpose knives
i found it interesting to hear you talk about opening a sun-shade indoors being bad luck in ancient egypt, because i had always been told that opening an umbrella indoors was bad luck because it was a affront to the gods that they would make it rain indoors. how much the same and how much different. love the show btw
I think that there are a lot of superstitions in the theatre, as you've said, some plays an be quiet dangerous. It's similar to how people will say "break a leg"instead of "good luck" in a theatre. By the way,I absolutely adore your videos!
My daughter and I were LITERALLY just speaking about this play this past week. She has done amateur theatre for 19 years. We couldn't remember what to call it so in discussing it we pulled a Harry Potter and called it "THE PLAY THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED". 🤪😅 (Sorry bout the run on sentence o.0)
I have loved Hamlet and Mcbeth for many years. I have often told my children to "screw thy courage to the sticking place". Thank you for the very informative session on grannies " bad luck" sayings.
The hex marks were fascinating! It's just the kind of thing I love, but somehow I'd never heard of them! Thanks! I'd heard of burying shoes etc, & yeah, it did continue for a long time. I live in Australia & there are loads of examples- on an old farming estate, I even saw where they'd found a cat buried under the floor near the doorway! (As a cat lover I wanted to cry; as a history nerd I was amazed & fascinated.)
Having done Macbeth years ago (1970s) I never heard of this curse or superstition but then I was not paying attention....the run was fine and nothing odd or out of place happened...we did never wish luck but said break a leg....I enjoyed this very much. Thank-you.
My house was built in 1908. When I had to renew the ground floor joists and floorboards I found a pair of small used shoes right at center of the house by the stairs. Perhaps the superstition had survived even then. They are either children's or very small builders.
After John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln , he jumped to the stage and broke his leg when he landed . I’d always heard that’s where the phrase came from .
I grew up in West Virginia in the US, and my mother and grandmother had a lot of strange superstitions that had been passed down in Appalachia. They would make an X anytime a black cat crossed their paths. My grandmother actually forbade us from having cats growing up because she thought they stole your soul. Lol. They also raised their feet driving over railroad tracks and made me terrified of dead birds because they said finding one in your yard meant someone in your family would die. I think the weirdest one is burying hair and teeth so no one can hex you. They both became very exasperated with me when I refused to cut my newborns hair and fingernails and bury them in the back yard 😂 I do find myself recreating a lot of their superstitious rituals without even thinking, but the hair thing just sounded like too much for me lol. I've always wondered where they began
Dear Dr Kat, thank you so much for your delightful video’s. I am reading Hilary Mantel’s “The Mirror and the Light” at present so your Tudor-video’s do come in very handy. Regarding this I have a question or suggestion for you: what exactly was the sweating sickness of which Cromwell’s wife died? Could you do a video on that and or other known epidemics? Thank you so much.
Dr Kat, love your videos, and thank you for the work you do. How about a video describing the treatment (or lack of it) for disabled people through the ages? I myself have Cerebral Palsy and I'm wheelchair-bound; I've always wanted to know what has happened to them, as they certainly wouldn't have had the treatment we get in the modern era. Kia Kaha (Keep Strong) from New Zealand.
I'm a theatre person myself. I've even been in a production MacBeth (we called it MacBeezy). I don't hold much with theatre superstitions (even though I have been involved with theatre for over 40 years). Still I don't say Macbeth in a theatre space, because I know that it makes others uncomfortable. Oh, and I do open umbrellas indoors. How else are they able to properly dry out? You just carefully open it and keep it away from breakable things.
I'm so glad you talked about the shoes! I read a very short National Geographic article about the shoes found inside the walls a long time ago, and always wanted to know more. Did you run across any other websites or articles that talk about it? I remember the article I read also linked the shoes sealed inside walls to the shoes traditionally thrown at / tied to the rear car bumper of newly married couples. I've also been wondering if there is a link to the pairs of shoes I sometimes see strung over power lines, or high up in trees.
I am involved in community theater and once someone said Macbeth in theater. one person broke their arm back stage and two more people were in minor car accidents. another show it happened - it was the only show the gun didn’t fire. Maybe hearing the name of the Scottish play just makes people tense and something happens?
On the topic of witch jars: I was always tougth by my grandmother to make them when moving into a new residence to project the house and residents from evil and people with malicious intent entering the home. They should contain: glass shards/rusty nails/thorns from roses or brambles/sharp objects of choice, hairs from all new residents, protective herbs such as rosemary, salt and urine are optional, and most importantly: a red thread tied in a knot. The red thread is supposed to catch evil and the sharp objects will harm it, the herbs/salt/urine will cleanse the content of the jar. After the jar has been filled, it needs to be sealed (preferably with wax) and blessed with positive intent. You then place the jar where everyone will enter the home, either burry it underneath the threshold of the front door or place it underneath the floor boards near the entrance of the home. When you move to a new home, you need to take the old witch jar apart and place a new one in your new home. I was tought to do this by my grandmother, in the rural east of the Netherlands, but it has not been common practice here for decades...
My daughter and I would like to move soon. Your post makes me want to make a witch jar when we move into a new house. 😀
That is so fascinating that it was a tradition or like an actual thing many people did not do long ago. Wow, huh. Yes, that also makes me want to make one as I'm moving soon just because why not :) Cheers
@@Terri_MacKay good luck with the move and the witch jar!
@@MrAdryan1603 same to you, good luck with moving and the witch jar! Yes, why not!
Aw, have a great day y'all! 😊
When walking down the street with someone and walking on opposite sides of an obstruction, such as a street light or fire hydrant, my mother would always say, “bread and butter.” She told me that it would keep the two walkers from becoming estranged or separated because they were as close as bread and butter. I always liked the sentiment and when younger I would do it on purpose just to hear her say it. Since she has passed, I say it myself every single time.
My family does this too, I was never given reason for it just that it was good luck.
I love that story! I've never heard of bread n butter. The practice really did result in you and your mom never becoming estranged, even after her passing. You are reminded she is still with you, regularly, in a way that is pleasant and noninvasive. What's more, you have picked up the habit, ensuring that your loved ones will always have a little reminder that you are never far. For me to be reminded or made aware that my dad is always with me, I would have to hear someone yell "DON'T BOOGER THAT SCREW!!!" as both a warning and a threat to the person wielding the electric drill. 🤣🤣🤣 Yeah, given the choice, I'd go with bread n butter- BUT as noted, I've never heard of it. So instead I scream "DON'T BOOGER THAT SCREW! " at my kids, as I did inherent my dad's keen ear for being able to identify a screw being stripped from a mile away.
We did that in my family too.
I also remember
And did not know follow up
@@poutinedream5066 My dad who was career military would say, “Don’t screw the pooch!” Meaning your job isn’t done until you’ve truly finished it. It came from Gus Grissom’s hatch blowing early when his capsule Liberty Bell 7 sank after successfully landing in the ocean. (Later determined to have been a bolt’s failure and not his although he was blamed.) I believe the saying is a nicer way of saying, “don’t f*** the dog” meaning don’t be lazy by “dogging it”. Boy, this anecdote took ugly turn...Anyway I like your dad’s concern for not ‘screwing up’.
on the subject of broken mirrors, my French teacher told me that when the Palace of Versaille was being built, if a laborer broke one of the enormous gilt mirrors, they had to pay for it out of their wages and it took 7 years of wages to pay it off.
I have read/heard similar about the 7 years being the time it would take a poor worker to pay back the damages.
I was taught that too.
I find it hard to believe 7 years wages would pay for that mirror. More like 20 years or way way more. Those laborers were payed barely anything and the mirrors were extremely expensive
In England black cats have traditionally been seen as lucky, particularly if one crosses your path on your wedding day. This is why brides were often given black cat favours to carry. This is less commonly done nowadays but you can still buy black cat favours online. I have had two black cats so far in my life and they are the most intelligent and loving creatures, so it grieves me when people call them unlucky!
i agree I've always been brought up to believe they are good luck too, my mother was given 21st cards with lucky black cats on, and had no idea anyone thought they were bad luck until i was an adult .
I was taught they were bad luck. I read somewhere that black cats were sacred to the Druids, so the Christians made them "evil", so people would rat them out and they could be drawn & quartered. Then people started killing all cats and the Church got complaints because the rat population grew, so the Church made up the story that tabby cats were dear to Mother Mary, which is why almost all tabby cats have an M on their forehead.
We used to have a black cat I named the Black Prince, and he was the sweetest tempered of all the cats I've owned. And the smartest.
I was taught that black cats themselves were not unlucky....but were unlucky only if crossed your path. But this one has never resonated with me....I love cats and consider black one especially beautiful.
I currently have 2 black cats. Both sweethearts. Mango, our younger female, hardly even makes a sound.
Viking brides used to get cats for their weddings because of Freya's affinity too, i believe. So I'd bet theres a connection there too xD
This video inspires me to reply for the first time!
I am an occasional actor, and I willfully say Macbeth in my local theatre here in New York State. I added my own post script to the superstition. As I am a member of Clan MacDuff, I am permitted to say it. My great grandmother was named Mary Fife, and she hailed from Perthshire. So that's my personal connection to the curse. No harm has befallen me. I'm also a practicing witch, so there's layers of interest here!
Another thought on the 13 issue. In the Tarot Major Arcana, the card labeled 13 is the Death card. It's not literal, but it tends to frighten people.
Thanks for your insights and for sharing your knowledge, wit, and wisdom. Be Well!
Another theatrical tradition of which I'm aware is that one should never whistle while in the theater. This, at least, has a logical explanation. Before the use of intercoms and headsets, directions (such as changing lighting gels, moving set pieces/props, flying pieces of scenery, etc.) would be given by specific whistles. If one happened to whistle the wrong series of notes, one could wind up being struck by a falling sandbag or other heavy object.
As a former ballet dancer, I can tell you that the prospect of performing in Nutcracker 25+ times every year, and rehearsing it for a month prior, has given me (and many other dancers) Nutcracker PTSD; just hearing the music 30 yrs later is enough to make me anxious. I can wholeheartedly believe that actors may well try to revolt on hearing that That Play is coming back up and be desperate to not do it again.
Same except for I am currently a ballet dancer. Everyone I hear music a panic because I think I am supposed to be on stage and then I realize in my car.
Awwww. I hate listening to the music if I'm not dancing to it, but I will always love the nutcracker. It has such a special place in my heart. I love being able to listen to the CD and dance all the parts of the whole show. It's like an old friend. However, I basically never want to hear that music if there isn't an easily available dance floor lol.
@@emholmes1 good to hear - I looove the Nutcracker
Vermillion9 Nelson Oh dear, I truly feel sad for you, I love that music so much! Actually it was the first play I was ever in when I was 5, I was a flower! Hahaha!
I'm not a dancer, though I do 'call the show' for a local dance company's production of 'A Christmas Carol', which uses a lot of music by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Whenever I hear any of that music, I can visualize the corresponding choreography in my mind.
Silvering the baby was something that suprised me when i met a scottish coworker with my new baby - putting silver coin in the pram.
The problem with the "how to break the curse of saying 'Macbeth'" is that I can't but think of that episode of Blackadder the Third, with the AcTORs! And, of course, the Prince of Wales' truly ridiculous stance in his enormous trousers, which seems to have been adopted by Tory ministers!!
I was just going to mention that. It was hilarious to see them keeping repeating the name and do all the necessary counter measures only to say the name!
"So you won't be saying it?","No, not much" :P
I was in a production of "Dangerous Corner" an Agatha Christie play. We had had a plethora of technical problems and accidents through the first week of the run. One day as I was going to the dressing room, I happened to walk across the stage. I looked at the prop bookcase on the set and I was shocked to see a copy of the Scottish Play. I informed the stage manager, who removed it. Not a single incident or accident occurred after that.
Pop Quiz !
After watching Dr. Kat's videos I:
A) Always feel smarter.
B) Feel better prepared to make small talk at parties or dates (eventually).
C) Have a good chance of "coming up aces" at trivia games.
D) All of the above.
P.S. I wonder why four leaf clovers are symbols of good luck? Or why "stepping on a crack will break your mama's back"?
The four-leaf clover is considered good luck because the 3 leaves all clovers have symbolize faith, hope, and love (or the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit if you wish to reference the Christian interpretation) but the rare fourth leaf on the less common four-leaf clover also has a fourth leaf for a little bit of luck. 🙂🍀
A thousand years ago, now, I did an undergraduate thesis on Max Beerbohm. He is famous for making up something he attributed to Abraham Lincoln. People still believe it. He was just that sort of little person everyone believed. He was small, witty, wide-eyed, and utterly honest-seeming. I'm certain he has been laughing about this curse since he made it up (could not readily find where he said this). It is likely, because his half-brother was the famous actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who played many Shakespearean roles, and Max was the most famous theatre critic of the period (early 20th century).
Dr Kat, I recently learned that owls hooting at abnormal times - such as pre-dawn - was thought to be an omen of an impending death. After an internet search, I found plenty of ancient Anglo folklore from which this myth seemingly originated.
Certain Native American tribes believe that if an owl flies across your path so will death and someone you know is soon to die.
@nimbleneedle My friend was from a plains tribe. I love how beliefs vary from tribe to tribe 😊
I'm Indian (hindu) and seeing and owl or crow or even if it makes a sound signals a death.
Growing up in The Appalachian Mountains of Virginia our lives were filled with superstitions passed on by our Nana. Salt of course, also always exit through the door you entered. If you sing before breakfast you’ll cry before dinner. Keep a penny in your shoe for good luck. Popularized by penny loafers. When someone dies cover the mirrors and open a door and/ or windows. If you keep bees tell them of their keeper’s death and tie a ribbon on the hive so they won’t swarm. My Grandfather believed if you put a knife under the mattress of a woman giving birth it would cut the pain. Did it for my mother in hospital. He’d be arrested now! He also found a rattle snake’s rattler to ease teething. Mother used a silver teething ring instead. More darkly, a menstruating woman should never cross a creek or stream because it will foul the water. One of the dearest although maybe not a superstition, is ,if you go to the barn or stables at Midnight Christmas, you can hear them sing of Jesus’ birth. We never made it when we were little. This is not a superstition but our Nana would always sing to the cows on the day their calves were taken from them. For those who don’t believe animals mourn just listen to the mother cows lowing for their babies.
I live in Canada. I went to visit my Scottish Granny once, after shopping at the mall. I put my bags on her kitchen table so that I could show her what I had bought. When she realized that there was a bag from a shoe store, she lost her mind and gave me quite the telling off. I had a hard time keeping a straight face and acting as if I was taking her seriously. 😂😂
My daughter has belonged to a community theatre group for years. While she was still in her teens, she was talking to an older member about what Shakespeare plays they had performed over the years. She mentioned Macbeth by name, and he actually made her to outside, spin around, spit, and knock to be let back in. 😂😂
Brilliant! My paternal grandmother would never come into one of the houses my parents owned during my childhood because they replaced a window with a door. So superstition is super interesting to me! Thank you so much!
Wow, huh. Why exactly was that? What did she believe about it that made her not want to enter the house?
@@MrAdryan1603 I'm unsure why exactly I was very young ive looked over the years and the closest thing I've found is that it confuses the spirits who are trying to exit the house through a window.. i would live to know if anyone else might have an idea.
@@iceprincess7674 Super interesting, thank you for sharing that! I don't know why this is so fascinating to me, I'm about to go on a googling spree to research these sorts of things. Cheers, have a great day/night!
@@MrAdryan1603 Good luck on your Google spree! And please let me know should you find anything as I would love to share anything found with my daughter who always loved her great grand!
My dad wouldnt allow mom to do that either. She would talk about replacing a window in the kitchen with a door and he would tell her she couldnt do that. He would say it was because it was a load bearing wall and cutting into it might make for structural problems
From America, I inevitably enjoy your videos. Even if I tend to think I' m not particularly keen on the subject that day, you have a talent for drawing the viewer into your discussion and after the first two minutes, I am engrossed in your presentation. A very educational and informational channel. Keep up the good work, Dr. Kat.
I've always been told to clap after a sneeze to save the fair folk and always hold your breath when going under a bridge or tunnel for good luck or past a cemetery so you don't inhale a spirit
Growing up, I was also told to hold my breath while going through tunnels and past cemeteries. I'd never known anyone else who heard the same thing!
@@jackiedaytona2434 I'd never heard of this either but I know of a 'modern' version of it! I was told that when you are in a car going under a railway bridge when a train is going over, you should close your eyes and make a wish - presumably this does not apply to the driver of the car. I guess you could do it while walking. As all trains that cross Canada go through Winnipeg, there is lots of opportunity to do this and I still do.
I've never had to occasion to say Macbeth in front of actors. However I always thought it was a great running joke in series 3 of blackadder.
Aahhhhh! Hot potato, off his drawers, pluck to make amends!
The 13th idea has also been linked to the Knights Templar,whose order was destroyed on Friday October 13th,1307. That covers 2 in one. By the way, Friday 13th is not unlucky everywhere.In Spain for example it is Tuesday 13th you have to be wary of.
Ah wasn't that more of a myth than others, popularized by Dan Brown?
@@Cypresssina No.
@@Cypresssina I've heard that as well. Here is just one place: www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/05/160512-friday-13-knights-templar-superstition/
So, I guess, it's just like superstitions, kinda what you choose to believe at this point. Maybe yes, maybe no.
Been watching you for months now. I truely enjoy every post you have. Thank you for sharing.
I understood you could say 'Macbeth' outside the theatre but refer to it as 'the Scottish Play' whilst inside. Think actors are generally very superstitious anyway. Thanks Dr Kat: this is the reason I love Fridays!
As a former stage manager and actor, I can attest that many people in the theatre are more inclined to be superstitious. When I stage-managed a show I was very strict about the Macbeth superstition as I found it got into people's heads and created minor anxiety which inturned caused things to go wrong. Almost a self-fulfilling prophesy, if you will.
My interpretation of the superstition was the same.
There is also a variation that specifically prohibits saying "Macbeth" on opening night
@@whaleymom76 Thank you.
I really enjoyed that! Welsh people have a load of superstitions, no haircuts on a Sunday, no cutting finger & toenails on a Sunday. No putting washing out on the line on a Sunday. A bird flying into a window meant a death in the family. My nan wouldn't have an image of a bird on anything. Lot's of nonsense around menstruation too. And as for breaking mirrors being bad luck then I am doomed! My cats are the clumsiest (black) felines on the planet 😏
Gina Colvin My son once pulled a mirror down onto himself and smashed it to bits, but as luck would have it he was completely unharmed.
@@tracik1277 thank goodness for that! We know it's just a load of superstitious nonsense but lurking somewhere at the back of our minds.....
I forgot the cutting of nails on a Sunday and Friday 😵
"Hot potatoes, off his drawers, Puck will make amends!"
Re The Scottish Play....I read that the incantation used by the Three Witches was a real one used in witchcraft. Hence the curse. I must add though, that every time I have seen MacBeth on stage, something has happened. Even an amateur performance resulted in one of the actors being carried off with a broken leg after a fight scene.
I get excited to see what you have in store for us every week.
Thank you for this!!♥️♥️
Yes! 🥰 Thank you, Dr. Kat! Normally, I am not a superstitious person, but.... as a theatre/high school drama teacher (retired), I always told my students about the various theatrical superstitions, which I DO believe in. The main one, of course, is The Scottish Play. I think most of my students thought I was a bit daffy, but I often caught them calling the play “The Scottish Play”. Ha! No disrespect to the man who said the “MacBeth curses” were not real, but I DO believe them. Real, or not, I think it adds interest to not only to Shakespeare’s plays, it adds a bit of mystery to the theatre. I truly enjoy your videos, Dr. Kat. Would love to hear more about the British theatre. ( Note: I am American, but prefer the British spelling of the Theatre. It’s the only way I have ever written it. I DO love Shakespeare and British theatre. 🥰)
I married into a rodeo family when married my 2nd husband. Both he and his father competed in Rodeos here in the US. You wouldn't believe the sheer number of superstitions rodeo folk have. Which my ex took incredibly seriously. Black cats were unlucky especially crossing our path. We'd have to turn the car around and go a different way. One of the biggest taboos was placing your hat on a bed. All the luck would drain out and you'd be plagued by evil luck. Avoiding the color yellow because it was unlucky... certain foods on certain days of the week. Rabbits feet and pewter crosses were always kept on their pockets...
Rodeo can be dangerous so I suppose they wanted alp.the good luck they could get...
Every time someone mentions Macbeth I can't help but giggle because I think of the Blackadder the Third episode Sense and Senility.
I really enjoyed these explanations! I would love to see a part two, I have a very superstitious family so would love to see more explored!
My paternal grandmother never permitted shoes to be placed above the level of one’s head.
Especially while being worn.
I love it.
For a decidedly UNsuperstitious person, I am still fascinated by the numerous superstitions surrounding plays, various passages of music, etc.
This post was GREAT FUN.
Thank you so much, Dr. Kat!
I think that Macbeth is a self fulfilling curse. Everyone gets nervous about it and nervous people make mistakes. As far as 13 being unlucky it could be part of Friday the 13th with the knights templer.
Love your channel only found it today and already watched 4 video:) especially this one. Many of our superstitions are an echo of our pagan past, and our belief in the faery folk...(I'm Irish and so Faerylore is very much a part of my upbringing)... much of our pagan "ancestral memory" still echo down the ages to resonate in modern day... some examples are "touch wood" when tempting fate... stems from the belief that certain trees had magical property's so therefore served as talismans to avoid bad luck... not to mention being home to faerys! Why do we still throw coins into a wishing well?... pagan peoples for centuries made offerings to the gods who they believed lived in rivers and bodies of water... to ancient folks water was a very powerful spiritual link... a viel between the two worlds.
Another fascinating insight into the pagan/faery world and its effects on modern life is the lone tree 🌳 in the field... we've all seen the mighty oak tree standing alone in a sea of wheat or corn why?... because the generations of rural life even into post industrial revolution left a tree for somewhere for the faery folk to live and not blight the crops... which of course grows and grows until it becomes too much effort for a modern farmer to remove. So 200 years ago when rural communities were still observeing traditional folklore and and superstitions the long held belief you should leave a tree to shelter the faerys still prevailed leaving poor Mr 21st century farmer an arborial headache on removing an endangered oak to plough a few more yards of field. I believe the old gods aren't as dead as we think and their echos can still be heard by those who know how to listen 😉
I grew up in a working class mining town, it wasn't seen as good to put ANY shoes on a table.
One thing to keep in mind is that superstitions are often just fun.
Some can be counterproductive, but in the case of Mcbeth specifically, not speaking the name is a special argot among actors that they can share along with the remedy for speaking the name.
It’s something that helps create a sense of unity. Carpenters, students, and others who work in groups tend to hold to their own superstitions as well.
That's a really good point! Sort of a tradition & an in-joke, & a way of showing that you're part of the "gang."
Many of the luzzu or fishing boats in Malta can be seen with an eye either side of the prow. This is believed to be the eye of Osiris and is present to protect and preserve the boat from evil and disaster and is therefore a lucky charm
I think they're like the blue eye charms that you see everywhere in Turkey, and some of the Greek islands? I can't remember the name of them but my Mum has a large one in her house, and I've got a smaller one that I carry in my handbag for the same reason.
I wish you had been my history teacher! I might have actually learned something. I've binged so many of your videos. These are great!
As a mom to 2 black cats I can tell you that they are very powerful creatures, and are quite stunning to look at. I think their majesty and sleek, stealth movements helped contribute to their myth.
As for the Scottish play, every actor I’ve known has been a superstitious person, probably because their career often depends on fate and the whim of a fickle audience.
I'm not sure where it come from but I was/am always told by my grandmother to say "rabbits rabbits rabbits" before you say anything else on the first of the month. She said it was something her mother who was born in England in the early 1900s and brought to Canada with her.
Yes , my grandfather born early 1900's never failed to say it also but I think he said ' white rabbits ' 😊
History was my favorite subject in school. You are now my new very favorite in the whole wide world history teacher!
Witchmarks, how fascinating! I live in a city with some medieval buildings and they're all over the place. I've also noticed the tiles that the Edwardians added around the doorways of their homes mirror the daisywheels and maze patterns, perhaps to continue the tradition? Maybe in the same way that we still hang horseshoes above our front doors. Here in the UK you see them on newbuild homes as well. Love this video, thank you!
Great watch as usual I am 65 and learning more with you than any other time ...very much appreciated 😷🌍👍🇦🇺
I would love a video talking about the idea of the Woodville family, and via them, the Tudor royals being descendants of Melusine, the water spirit.
Interesting video, as always -thank you. I was always told that the reason for not putting new shoes on a table was because a condemned person was given shoes to wear for their execution and a tabletop is the height someone's feet would be when they had been hanged.
Fun video! Thank you Dr. Kat :) I am loving reading all of the comments, too.
Another possible reason the number 13 is considered unlucky, is the relationship to paganism or witchcraft. There are 13 moons in a calendar year, and pagan/witchy folk celebrate those moons.
I am a bit superstitious. I toss spilt salt over my left shoulder, grow a rosemary at the entrance to my home and keep some rosemary and salt in a jar by the door. I'm sure there are a few other things. My parents came here to the US from England, and told me a black cat was considered lucky. As a cat person, I can only agree.
Knock on wood, I've never said "Macbeth" in a theatre or in front of actors. I am also very careful to tell any actor about to audition or go onstage to "break a leg." Yes. I am superstitious because, as another of Shakespeare's characters pointed out, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." I choose to err on the side of "can't hurt."
This is such an interesting video! I really loved it. Thank you Dr Kat for teaching us about common superstition.
Shoes were found in the roof of an inn (rebuilt 1655 after roundheads burnt it down) building is haunted. I always thought the ghost was looking for her shoes! Thanks for clearing that up x
Just a quick note. I like the new tack your posts are taking. They are longer and clearly differentiate themselves from other renaissance and long 18th century videos. I've learned something from each of those you've posted more recently. As a primarily 18th century scholar, and as an enthusiast for the preceding periods, I'd say keep going on your current trajectory. Your most recent work truly does add something not covered elsewhere on TH-cam. Dr. R.
Love ❤️ your videos. Suggest historic food or clothing topics. Thank you ❤️
I just ADORE your channel. My coworker got hooked as well 💜
There's a tiny private theatre on my family's summer properties which seats about 90 people, and we put on a play every summer with our children as the actors. The stage is the size of a postage stamp. so small that we built wings that fit out into the audience that can be added. There is only a backstage enough for a chair in which the stage manager sits. Everything else is outside, under tents. We usually hire a professional director and producer as this is central to a good production. Two performances (which are always sold out) usually pays for the entire costs. We really do respect and observe all the quirks and superstitions of stage acting, down to the ghost light and hanging counter weights. One production required that we remove the backstage window frames to make room for certain furniture in scene changes, and (I had never heard of this) the director made absolutely sure that they were covered when we were not in the theatre, something to do with not letting in poltergeists. We never mention the "Scottish Play", observe all the make-up and wardrobe oddities and our props, made almost entirely by me, have to go past the producer to make sure there isn't some little suspect thing wrong that would ruin everything. I think it's fun, silly and something very entertaining for the children, but seriously, I don't think it has much merit. Tradition, however, is important, and something that is held in even higher esteem by my family, considering who we are- in short another good object lesson.
We had an old door in our Tobacco barn from our families old homestead in the Appalachian mountains near the Great Smokies in the U.S. that had a Daisy wheel carved into it. My Grandfather didnt know why it was there or what it had ment.
I have never seen that sign at any of the other historical or abandoned homesteads I have visited around the area.
My Grandmother had a book she called a dream book that was handed down to her but was stolen from a locked chest in her bedroom while she was out one day. Funny that book was the ONLY thing taken from the break in. The intruder had used a crowbar to gain access.
Our community at the time was made up of only say 1,200 ppl most related and very distantly related. Considering our land is very close to a resservation and the county has 52 churches(ya a bit excessive) someone didnt want the book to exist or wanted it for personal reasons.
My Grandmother never told me the details in the book. Strange tho she could sing gospel songs in the Cherokee language(which is like a slap in the face to the tribe you would think). I had Ancestry DNA done and we have no Cherokee but a lot of info pointed to Norse(yap we are tall and fair skinned several w blue eyes and blond hair).
Puzzles that make you Wonder & Ponder my friends.
The daisy wheels are very common (or at least they used to be) among the Pennsylvania Dutch, mostly in Pennsylvania.
Im a watcher by nature and have a back ground and degrees in social work, biology & forensic anthropology and it is amazing what humans will believe and do.
My mom always says that when someone has an itch in the palm of the hand, money is coming their way.
I have yet to win the lotery.
First, Love your content!
We have something like the witch signs over here in the States. On old barns, most of the time Amish, there are "hex signs" or "Amish hex stars" painted or mounted near the peak. I wonder if this is related to the witch signs?
Hi Dr. Kat! I suspect that regardless of origin, once people believe something superstitious, its as good as real. It's like my fear of heights: The vertigo which sets me swaying back and forth would cause my tumble from a cliff, not some sudden failure of gravity to hold me to the path. I didn't know the Astor Place riots were started by rival fanboys. That's astonishing! Although if hardcore fans of Madonna and Lady Gaga meet in a dark alley, an escalation from throwing shade to throwing bottles isn't beyond possibility. May you and yours stay safe and healthy.
What an interesting and enjoyable video, Dr Kat!! I'm not very superstitious myself, though I have one thing I've done since I was a child- I 'knock on wood' whenever speaking of something good that may happen to me in the future. So, if I were to say to my friend, 'I'm expecting a larger bonus than usual this year, 'I do actually touch wood when doing so. It's something I remember my parents doing and have never been able to shake it. Cheers!!
I always do the knock on wood .
@@lindakight3597 If there's no wood available I just tap on my forehead. Seems to work just as well, so... 😂
Very intriguing! What amazing theory. I had no idea about these associations with the Scottish Play 🎭
Thanks for this video! I did my MLitt in Shakespeare Studies, so coming from an academic perspective, I didn’t hold truck with the superstitions. But I later volunteered for a Canadian Shakespeare theatre company, which calls the play and character “Mackers.” It was an easy adjustment, though our legendary house manager thought it was all bullocks.
Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me to get through the pandemic!
This was really fun! Please do more on myths, legends and superstitions. I could listen for hours!
My favorite episode of Black Adder resolves around the Scottish Play superstition.
When i bought my first house my sister in law gave me a new pack of cards and told me to throw away any old packs I had. I understand the idea behind it but does anybody know the history behind the superstition?
I work in a professional theatre and have never been afraid of saying 'Macbeth', but then again I'm not superstitious. Also we did a production of it there a few years ago and I don't recall anyone referring to it as 'The Scottish Play'.
In my reading, I have come across the story of Saint Pol catching the Devil in a boot as a partial explaination of putting shoes in walls. Also cow and horse hearts, impaled with nails and suspended in the chimney was to prevent dark spirits from using the fireplacescas entry points.
Macbeth is my favorite Shakespeare play
Hi Dr. Kat, Back in the 1980's the Theatre Company I was involved with performed Macbeth as part of a summer Shakespeare festival. We refused to give into superstition and would not say "The Scottish Play." Everything went fine until opening night, which right before the curtain went up and there was a power blackout in the area and the show was cancelled. We learned our lesson.
18 is a very lucky number because the two Hebrew letters of hay and yud equals eighteen and the word also means life.
@Malka Kossoy-FYI "HAi" (life) is written with Het and Yud; not He and Yud...
@@elishevanesher8580 I stand corrected. Thank you.
Perhaps for a future video, you might consider looking into "Sheela na Gigs" statues or carvings in stone. There is/was a very good example in a church ruin/cemetery at Killinaboy, County Clare Ireland. Men and women have very different views of this ancient icon. My conclusion is the grasping "wide open vulva" of the Sheela is welcoming people into the "womb" of the church. Could be a historical demarcation line between pagan and Christian eras. Women see it as good luck, men not so much. I stopped at a house nearby when I could not find it, and the woman of the house told me, "Oh, it's there, look above the door." I asked her if she had ever been over to see it? She said, "Oh no, never." It is a weird little place in the middle of the burren, a place of antiquity. It is very close to the dolmens, and we still don't know what they are or were used for in neolithic time.
Yes!!! I was amazed when I first read about them years ago! The absolute opposite of what you'd expect in a CHURCH! Fascinating & beautiful & weird!
I love superstitions so this was right up my street. It's really interesting how different professions have their own superstitions. I've worked in the publishing industry for most of my working life and there are some brilliant ones, especially when working for newspapers. I'd only refer to Macbeth as The Scottish Play inside the theatre; not because I'm superstitious but because I think it's a great tradition...and boos to the bloke who debunked it, as it takes all the fun and magic out of life.
Loved this video! There are so many interesting superstitions. I heard you mentioning that some of the protective symbols repel changelings. I saw a short piece the other day about the concept of changelings being possibly linked to Autism, where a child behaved unusually and therefore the parents or surrounding villagers decided it had to be some kind of fairy or malevolent spirit, who had taken the child and replaced it. I'd love to see a more in-depth analysis from you on this. Because my brother is autistic, it's quite close to me. I don't think this condition is new at all, and in history there must have been descriptions of people who behaved autistically, before there was a word for it.
The practice of "knocking on wood" for good luck after saying something positive comes from the practice of touching sacred trees for luck in Medieval times.
In the German-settled areas of Pennsylvania (the Pennsylvania Dutch Country), the witches marks are still to be seen on the barns, freshly applied.
I have heard many things when it comes to black cats. Then again I tend to own them. I find they are just like any other cat, just as intuitive and loving. They have been seen as lucky and also bad luck. I have also read that they can be a sign of death. I just love cats in general, and the black cats bring me luck as they keep family away!! Then again a few of them are allergic to cats.
i'd love to hear about your figurines and shelf ornaments :)
In Turkey it is unlucky to hand a knife to someone directly but to put it on the table for them to pick up Perhaps stemming from the fact if you hand a knife with the handle towards them it would by easy, if they wished , to take the handle and lunge forwards to stab you ?
In some parts of the UK if someone buys you cutlery (knives especially) as a gift, you traditionally have to give them a silver coin, so that sharp words don't cause problems later on.
I think it dates to when the Turks were nomads and whilst entertaining guests they were likely to be other nomadic tribes - friend or foe- and it paid to be cautious , although at that time most people carried their own multipurpose knives
i found it interesting to hear you talk about opening a sun-shade indoors being bad luck in ancient egypt, because i had always been told that opening an umbrella indoors was bad luck because it was a affront to the gods that they would make it rain indoors. how much the same and how much different. love the show btw
I think that there are a lot of superstitions in the theatre, as you've said, some plays an be quiet dangerous. It's similar to how people will say "break a leg"instead of "good luck" in a theatre. By the way,I absolutely adore your videos!
My daughter and I were LITERALLY just speaking about this play this past week. She has done amateur theatre for 19 years. We couldn't remember what to call it so in discussing it we pulled a Harry Potter and called it "THE PLAY THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED". 🤪😅 (Sorry bout the run on sentence o.0)
I have loved Hamlet and Mcbeth for many years. I have often told my children to "screw thy courage to the sticking place". Thank you for the very informative session on grannies " bad luck" sayings.
The hex marks were fascinating! It's just the kind of thing I love, but somehow I'd never heard of them! Thanks!
I'd heard of burying shoes etc, & yeah, it did continue for a long time. I live in Australia & there are loads of examples- on an old farming estate, I even saw where they'd found a cat buried under the floor near the doorway! (As a cat lover I wanted to cry; as a history nerd I was amazed & fascinated.)
Brilliant, fun and edifying, as always. Thanks Dr. Kat!
Having done Macbeth years ago (1970s) I never heard of this curse or superstition but then I was not paying attention....the run was fine and nothing odd or out of place happened...we did never wish luck but said break a leg....I enjoyed this very much. Thank-you.
You vids are always entertaining and informative, many thanks.
At the hospital I worked at, the company didn’t have a room 13 on the wards in any hospital
My house was built in 1908. When I had to renew the ground floor joists and floorboards I found a pair of small used shoes right at center of the house by the stairs. Perhaps the superstition had survived even then.
They are either children's or very small builders.
Thanks for another great video Dr Kat!
Another theatre superstition... where does 'break a leg' come from rather than saying 'good luck'?
After John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln , he jumped to the stage and broke his leg when he landed . I’d always heard that’s where the phrase came from .
I had never heard of the "shoes on the table" superstition before. Very interesting video, Dr. Kat! Thank you.
Theses videos are always "amazing" ❤
Fascinating. Thank you Dr Kat.
I grew up in West Virginia in the US, and my mother and grandmother had a lot of strange superstitions that had been passed down in Appalachia. They would make an X anytime a black cat crossed their paths. My grandmother actually forbade us from having cats growing up because she thought they stole your soul. Lol. They also raised their feet driving over railroad tracks and made me terrified of dead birds because they said finding one in your yard meant someone in your family would die. I think the weirdest one is burying hair and teeth so no one can hex you. They both became very exasperated with me when I refused to cut my newborns hair and fingernails and bury them in the back yard 😂 I do find myself recreating a lot of their superstitious rituals without even thinking, but the hair thing just sounded like too much for me lol. I've always wondered where they began
This was fascinating! Thank you Dr. Kat!
Excellent discussion on superstitions and their possible origins!
Dear Dr Kat, thank you so much for your delightful video’s. I am reading Hilary Mantel’s “The Mirror and the Light” at present so your Tudor-video’s do come in very handy. Regarding this I have a question or suggestion for you: what exactly was the sweating sickness of which Cromwell’s wife died? Could you do a video on that and or other known epidemics? Thank you so much.
Dr Kat, love your videos, and thank you for the work you do. How about a video describing the treatment (or lack of it) for disabled people through the ages? I myself have Cerebral Palsy and I'm wheelchair-bound; I've always wanted to know what has happened to them, as they certainly wouldn't have had the treatment we get in the modern era. Kia Kaha (Keep Strong) from New Zealand.
I'm a theatre person myself. I've even been in a production MacBeth (we called it MacBeezy). I don't hold much with theatre superstitions (even though I have been involved with theatre for over 40 years). Still I don't say Macbeth in a theatre space, because I know that it makes others uncomfortable. Oh, and I do open umbrellas indoors. How else are they able to properly dry out? You just carefully open it and keep it away from breakable things.
I'm so glad you talked about the shoes! I read a very short National Geographic article about the shoes found inside the walls a long time ago, and always wanted to know more. Did you run across any other websites or articles that talk about it? I remember the article I read also linked the shoes sealed inside walls to the shoes traditionally thrown at / tied to the rear car bumper of newly married couples. I've also been wondering if there is a link to the pairs of shoes I sometimes see strung over power lines, or high up in trees.
The shoes strung over power lines means that you are opposite a drug dealers home.
I am involved in community theater and once someone said Macbeth in theater. one person broke their arm back stage and two more people were in minor car accidents. another show it happened - it was the only show the gun didn’t fire. Maybe hearing the name of the Scottish play just makes people tense and something happens?