| Author |
Frazer, James George, 1854-1941 |
| Title |
The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 09 of 12)
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 65.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
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| Summary |
"The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion" by James George Frazer is a scholarly work examining the relationship between magic and religious practices, written in the early 20th century. The book analyses various rituals and beliefs across cultures, particularly focusing on the concept of the scapegoat—a figure utilized to carry away the sins and misfortunes of a community. It is a deeply anthropological exploration of how societies have historically dealt with the concepts of evil, illness, and guilt. At the start of the text, the author introduces the topic of the scapegoat within the broader context of the Dying God, emphasizing the psychological mechanism whereby individuals transfer their individual burdens onto another being or object. The opening portion discusses several instances from different cultures where evil, illness, or responsibilities are symbolically transferred to inanimate objects or living beings, including various rituals across Africa, Asia, and even elements from ancient Greece and modern Europe. Through these examples, Frazer seeks to illuminate the primitive but pervasive belief in vicarious suffering and its role in human social psychology. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
BL: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Religion: General, Miscellaneous and Atheism
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| Subject |
Religion
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| Subject |
Magic
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| Subject |
Superstition
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| Subject |
Mythology
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
42661 |
| Release Date |
May 7, 2013 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jun 15, 2020 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
250 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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