By the Bog of Cats is characterized by supernatural elements, such as ghosts, curses, and prophecies. Some of the characters manifest as ghosts, like the Ghost Fancier and Joseph Swane, Hester's murdered brother. Furthermore, Hester has been cursed by her mother to live as long as the black swan residing in the bog, “not a day more, not a day less.” This curse is fulfilled by Hester's death at the end of the play. Finally, the Catwoman is acknowledged by the characters as a psychic: she speaks of the many visions she has had that came true, and during his wedding Carthage asks her for a prediction.[2]
One scholar notes the presence of the Irish tradition of combining both Pagan and Christian elements and practicing them side by side, which is characteristic of Irish folktales.[11]
Witchcraft
The character of Hester has been interpreted as a witch by scholars and critics alike, though she does not explicitly practice witchcraft in the play. Even her daughter calls her a “jezebel witch,” and the rest of the community uses it as a derogatory term in reference to her.[2] Though she says she doesn't know any “black art things,” her connection to the spiritual world is real, specifically marked by her ability to speak to ghosts. For this reason, the Catwoman can also be interpreted as witch on the basis of her conversations with spirits and her psychic abilities.[11]
Hester's characterization as a witch also stems from her deep connection to the bog, as she claims to know “where the best bog rosemary grows and the sweetest wild bog rue.”[2] This points to a knowledge of herbs and herbal medicine, which one scholar says indicates a connection with folk tradition and the mystical.[11]
