You know that feeling when a movie scene just sticks to the back of your brain like wet wool? For anyone who watched Robert Eggers’ 2015 folk-horror masterpiece The Witch, that feeling usually comes in the form of a 210-pound billy goat with horns the size of scimitars. We’re talking about Black Phillip. More specifically, we’re talking about that one line that launched a thousand Etsy shops and basically became the mantra for every "good for her" horror fan on the internet: "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?"
Honestly, it’s a weirdly seductive question coming from a farm animal. But there’s a reason why people are still obsessed with the choice to live deliciously black phillip offered to Thomasin in that candlelit barn. It wasn’t just about butter and dresses. It was about a total, scorched-earth rejection of a life that was already dead.
The Goat, the Myth, the Menace
Let’s get one thing straight: Charlie, the real-life goat who played Black Phillip, was a nightmare. Directing him was apparently like trying to negotiate with a brick wall that also wants to headbutt you into the ER. Ralph Ineson, who played the father William, actually spent a significant amount of time in the hospital because Charlie decided to gore him during a scene. Eggers has been pretty vocal about how much he hated working with the animal. He told The Hollywood Reporter that the goat was basically un-trainable.
Yet, that "un-trainable" energy is exactly why the character works. You can’t fake that level of animal indifference. Most movie animals look like they’re waiting for a treat just off-camera. Black Phillip looks like he’s waiting for you to trip so he can take over your soul.
He wasn't just a goat, though. By the end of the film, he’s revealed as the mortal vessel for the Devil himself. When he finally speaks—voiced by the incredibly smooth-toned Daniel Malik (formerly known as Wahab Chaudhry)—it’s not a monstrous growl. It’s a whisper. It’s sophisticated. It’s the sound of a man who knows exactly what you’re missing.
Why "Living Deliciously" Hit a Nerve
Why do we care so much about a 17th-century Puritan girl signing a book?
Context is everything. Thomasin’s life sucked. Her baby brother was snatched and turned into "flying ointment" within the first ten minutes. Her mom hated her. Her dad was a liar who couldn't even grow corn. Her twin siblings were literal agents of chaos who spent their days singing creepy songs to a goat.
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In her world, "goodness" meant starvation, manual labor, and being blamed for every misfortune that befell the family.
When Black Phillip asks if she wants the taste of butter, he isn't just offering dairy. He’s offering sensory pleasure in a world that demanded sensory deprivation. In 1630s New England, the Puritans believed that the physical world was a battlefield. If something felt good, it was probably a trap. So, for Thomasin, deciding to live deliciously black phillip style was the ultimate act of rebellion.
It’s liberation through damnation.
The Folklore Behind the Horns
Robert Eggers didn’t just pull this stuff out of thin air. He spent years digging through 17th-century journals and court records. A lot of the dialogue in the film is lifted directly from primary sources. The idea of the "Devil’s Book" and the specific promises made to witches—the dresses, the travel, the food—are all rooted in actual New England folklore.
Historically, the "Black Man" (a common name for the Devil in witch trial transcripts) often appeared to marginalized people. He’d find women who were poor, widowed, or isolated and offer them a "better" life in exchange for their signature.
- The Butter Factor: Back then, the Catholic Church actually had weirdly strict views on butter during certain times, sometimes considering it a "luxury" sin.
- The Black Book: Signing the book was the definitive legal contract of the era. You weren't just a sinner; you were a traitor to the colony.
- The Senses: Living "deliciously" targets the five senses—taste, touch, sight—everything the Puritan faith tried to suppress.
Is it Actually a "Happy" Ending?
This is where horror fans get into fistfights. On one hand, you have the "Good For Her" crowd. They see Thomasin floating in the woods, laughing with her new coven, finally free of her miserable family. She’s literally rising above her circumstances.
On the other hand... she’s a witch now. In the logic of the movie, she’s joined a group that kills babies to make magic paste. Is that a win?
Some critics, like those at Horror Obsessive, argue it’s a cautionary tale. It’s about how systemic oppression (the family's rigid faith) can push a person into the arms of something even more dangerous. But man, that final shot is hard to argue with. Anya Taylor-Joy plays that moment with such pure, ecstatic relief that you almost forget about the human-fat-ointment thing.
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How to Bring the Black Phillip Aesthetic Home
If you're one of the thousands who find themselves strangely comforted by a demonic goat, you're not alone. The "Live Deliciously" aesthetic has basically become its own subgenre of home decor. We're talking cottagecore, but make it Satanic.
- Embrace the "Folk Horror" Palette: Think muted greys, deep blacks, and the occasional splash of crimson. It’s about looking like you live in a shack in 1630, but you have better skincare.
- The Scent of the Woods: Cedarwood, pine, and damp earth. There are actually "Live Deliciously" candles out there that smell like a New England forest and old parchment.
- The Un-Fancy Feast: You don't need a five-course meal. To live deliciously, you just need the best version of one thing. A slab of sourdough and a thick, salted pat of butter. That's the Black Phillip way.
Honestly, the real takeaway from the "live deliciously" phenomenon isn't about worshipping goats. It's about recognizing when your current "community" is actually just a cage. Sometimes the thing people call "evil" is just the version of you that refuses to be small anymore.
Next Steps for the Budding Witch:
If you want to lean into the lore, your best bet is to go back to the source. Read the transcripts of the Salem Witch Trials or check out Cotton Mather’s writings. It makes the movie ten times scarier when you realize the people in the 1600s actually believed Black Phillip was hiding in their barns.
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Also, maybe just stick to petting goats at the zoo. If one starts asking you about the taste of butter, just walk away. Or don't. I'm not your dad.