What is the interpretation of the picture of a witch on a broomstick?

Answer 1

Witches were those who were said to have worshiped the devil during the medieval period and even through to the 19th century. A woman wearing black clothes, a pointy hat and flying a broom was the common stereotype of witches.

A Bit More Information

The original images (often old wood cuts) of women on broomsticks were part of what these days would be called a "smear campaign" by the organized religions against practitioners of the "old faiths" (paganism, heathenism, etc.).

Most of the people of the time could not read the words so the Propaganda had to have stereotypical or archetypal images.

Witches where depicted as ugly, old, misshapen, and often disfigured as an outward manifestation of "evil".

They were also shown as doing "evil" things, such as: being naked (lack of modesty); dancing drunkenly around fires (being irresponsible, and immoral); consorting with demons and devils (not being a pious follower of the faith); cooking babies (that's self-explanatory); and riding naked on broomsticks (the broomstick was a common phallic symbol and riding one was a less than subtle way to say the woman pictured was morally lacking and sexually promiscuous).

Unfortunately some stereotypes seem to have "legs" and have lasted long past the point where they should.

Although I do not advocate the removal and banning of such images (those who forget the past are doomed to relive it), I do think this sort of thing, even the more modern fully clothed versions need retiring.