Peg Bowen

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Peg Bowen
Biographical information
Also known as	The Witch of Avonlea
Physical information
Gender	Female
Hair colour	Grey
Eye colour	Blue
Skin colour	Fair
Family information
Family	Bowen family
See also
Related pages	Gallery Notes
Portrayal in other universes	Sullivan Entertainment animated

Peg Bowen was an old woman in Avonlea who lived alone in an old cottage in the woods. She was well known to be a practicing witch.

Biography

Peg used to gather flowers for her sick father, until he passed away when she was 10 years old. Depressed, Peg tried to make a potion that would revive her father. She has been looking for this ever since.

Due to her unconventional lifestyle, Peg was often referred to as "the Witch of Avonlea", but she was a good observer and knew of the everyday events in Avonlea. She often entertained the King children but she also sometimes frightened them with her magic.

Peg's knowledge of herbal remedies came in good use and saved the life of a dying Peter Craig. A more questionable appearance of her magic was when she tried to make Olivia King and Jasper Dale fall in love by brewing a love potiogn.

She also put a curse on the King’s family cat Pat after an argument with Janet King.

Personality

Peg usually kept to herself and avoided the other people in Avonlea. Though she did keep herself updated on what happened around her.

Etymology

Peg is a female given name, variant of Margaret and Peggy and means pearl.

Behind the scenes

Portrayal

• Susan E. Cox portrayed Peg in seven episodes of Road to Avonlea (1990–1996).

Trivia

• L.M. Montgomery mentioned Peg Bowen in her autobiography, The Alpine Path: The Story of My Career.

"I have never drawn any of my book people from life. That exception was "Peg Bowen" in The Story Girl. And even then I painted the lily very freely.
"Peg Bowen" was suggested by a half-witted, gypsy-like personage who roamed at large for many years over the Island and was the terror of my childhood. We children were always being threatened that if we were not good Peg would catch us. The threat did not make us good, it only made us miserable.
Poor Peg was really very harmless, when she was not teased or annoyed. If she were, she could be vicious and revengeful enough. In winter she lived in a little hut in the woods, but as soon as the spring came the lure of the open road proved too much for her, and she started on a tramp which lasted until the return of winter snows. She was known over most of the Island. She went bareheaded and barefooted, smoked a pipe, and told extraordinary tales of her adventures in various places. Occasionally she would come to church, stalking unconcernedly up the aisle to a prominent seat. She never put on hat or shoes on such occasions, but when she wanted to be especially grand she powdered face, arms and legs with flour!"

—L.M. Montgomery

• The 2012 version of the official Road to Avonlea website described her as, Peg Bowen or “The Which of Avonlea” as she was most commonly known was a reclusive and mysterious resident of Avonlea. She rather enjoyed her reputation she had acquired, and often indulged in it and entertained the King children with her ‘love potions’ and ‘magic’. She has been an important member of Avonlea, having saved a dying Peter Craig with her alternative medicine techniques, she gave Felix the confidence he needed to win the PEI Spelling Bee, and conspired with Sara to help Olivia and Jasper Dale fall in love. She made her last appearance with Sara, Felix and Felicity instructing the children on how to turn the tide of evil.

Gallery

Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 10 images of Peg Bowen (view category).

Appearances

Season 1 (Road to Avonlea)

• "The Journey Begins"
• "Old Lady Lloyd"
• "Conversions"
• "The Witch of Avonlea"

Season 2 (Road to Avonlea)

• "May the Best Man Win"
• "Misfits and Miracles"

Season 3 (Road to Avonlea)

• "Vows of Silence"