Medievalism in the original 1998 TV show, Charmed

 Overview of the 1998 Charmed

Charmed, 1998 (3)

    Blending family drama, fantasy, and the supernatural, the original TV show, Charmed, follows the Halliwell sisters as they discover that they are good witches destined to fight evil. While navigating their regular human lives in San Francisco, Piper Halliwell (played by Holly Marie Combs), Phoebe Halliwell (played by Alyssa Milano), and Prue Halliwell (played by Shannon Doherty) must each keep their unique abilities a secret from the outside world as they grow into their legacy as The Charmed Ones. Although the show takes place in a modern setting, the elements of witchcraft that are practiced by the three sisters, as well as the codes they and many other supernatural characters follow in the world of magic, can be connected to medievalism in subtle ways. 

Good Versus Evil

    In the show, the Halliwell trio is constantly pitted against the forces of evil, be it warlocks, demons, or other supernatural creatures. In the medieval period, the nature of good versus evil was a constant theme represented by the culture, religion, and literature of that time. Similarly, in Charmed, the Halliwell sisters represent the forces of good protecting the innocent from the forces of evil. Their struggle also reflects the medieval view that the world is a battlefield between light and darkness. In the show, a theme of light versus darkness is constant because, with every good or light being, there is an evil or dark counterpart. For example, there are “whitelighters” and “darklighters.” Another example is, in the episode, “The Power of Four,” Phoebe and Piper meet their doppelgangers from another universe who are evil witches, contrasting with their good nature. 

The Book of Shadows 

Gerald Gardner's Book of Shadows (4)

    In the show, the sisters constantly reference the Book of Shadows as a resource of vanquishing spells, potion recipes, and catalogued history of their powerful family line. Although a real Book of Shadows has Wiccan origins and was produced in the 1950s by the “Father of Wicca,” Gerald Gardner (2), the show uses illuminated manuscripts, colorful calligraphy, and Latin text similar to the medieval period to design the Halliwells’ iconic Book of Shadows.

"The Book of Shadows," Charmed (5)

Bound in green leather with the Charmed trifecta symbolizing “The Power of Three” on its cover, the book is a constant companion to the three sisters and is considered the most powerful object in the Charmed universe. In addition, the Book of Shadows is constantly passed down through generations of the matrilineal line, with personalized additions made by significant family members, all of which are female witches. In a way, connections can be made between The Book of Shadows and a medieval “Book of Hours,” a personalized religious prayer book that could be passed down between the women of the family. 

Visions

    Each Halliwell sister has a unique ability as witches. Of the three, Phoebe Halliwell has the ability of premonition—she can see quick glimpses of the future as long as she is touching an object. Later in the show, as she develops her skills as witch and gains more knowledge and experience, her power expands so she can see the future without the assistance of objects. Her ability to see visions of the future can be connected to the ability for women to experience visions as anchorites, although Phoebe does not partake in the full practice of isolating herself in order to experience the full body visions. 

Whitelighters 

    In the show, whitelighters are guardian angels charged with protecting the witches. The Halliwell sisters’ whitelighter, Leo Wyatt (played by Brian Krause), offers the sisters divine knowledge and heals them whenever they are injured. Because of a whitelighter’s extreme devotion to the witches he or she is assigned to, a whitelighter’s code of protection, honor, and loyalty can be compared to a knight’s chivalric code to the noblewomen of the medieval period. In addition, Leo Wyatt falls in love with one of the sisters, Piper Halliwell, which is strictly forbidden by the council. However, their dynamic invites elements of courtly love into the show, pitting it against the whitelighter’s “code of chivalry” that would otherwise make their relationship impossible to pursue. 

Works Cited

1. Burge, Constance M., creator. Charmed. Spelling Television, 1998.
2. Tappenden, Roz. “Gerald Gardner: Legacy of the ‘Father of Witchcraft.’” BBC News, 13 June 2014, www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-27782244.
3. “Charmed.” IMBd, December 3, 2024, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158552/.
4. Belham-Payne, John. “Gerald Gardner's Book of Shadows.” BBC, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-27782244
5. “The Book of Shadows.” The Charmed Legacy Wiki, https://charmedlegacy.fandom.com/wiki/Executioner_Demons