The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and ReligionA classic study of the beliefs and institutions of mankind, and the progress through magic and religion to scientific thought, The Golden Bough has a unique status in modern anthropology and literature. First published in 1890, The Golden Bough was eventually issued in a twelve-volume edition (1906-15) which was abridged in 1922 by the author and his wife. That abridgement has never been reconsidered for a modern audience. In it some of the more controversial passages were dropped, including Frazer's daring speculations on the Crucifixion of Christ. For the first time this one-volume edition restores Frazer's bolder theories and sets them within the framework of a valuable introduction and notes. A seminal work of modern anthropolgy, The Golden Bough also influenced many twentieth-century writers, including D H Lawrence, T S Eliot, and Wyndham Lewis. Its discussion of magical types, the sacrificial killing of kings, the dying god, and the scapegoat is given fresh pertinence in this new edition. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Contents
Osiris | |
Feasts of All Souls | |
Isis | |
Motherkin and Mother Goddesses | |
Dionysus | |
Demeter and Persephone | |
Womans Part in Primitive Agriculture | |
The CornMother and CornMaiden | |
Magic and Religion | |
Human Gods | |
Departmental Kings of Nature | |
The Worship of Trees | |
The Sacred Marriage | |
The Kings of Rome | |
The Succession to the Kingdom | |
The Burden of Royalty | |
The Perils of the Soul | |
Taboos | |
KILLING THE | |
The Mortality of the Gods | |
The Killing of the Divine King | |
Temporary Kings | |
Sacrifice of the Kings | |
The Killing of the TreeSpirit | |
Adonis | |
Sacred Prostitution | |
The Ritual of Adonis | |
Attis | |
The Hanged | |
Lityerses | |
The CornSpirit as an Animal | |
Eating the | |
The Flesh Diet | |
Killing the Divine Animal | |
THE SCAPEGOAT | |
The Transference of Evil | |
Ancient Scapegoats | |
Killing the God in Mexico | |
The Saturnalia | |
The Crucifixion of Christ | |
THE GOLDEN BOUGH | |
Between Heaven and Earth | |
The Seclusion of Girls | |
Balders Fires | |
The External Soul | |
Death and Resurrection | |
Explanatory Notes | |
Other editions - View all
The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Complete) Sir James George Frazer Limited preview - 1957 |
Common terms and phrases
Adonis ancient animal annually appears Astarte Attis Balder believed Beltane blood body bonfires burned called carried celebrated ceremony Cinyras corn-spirit Cronus crops custom dance dead death deity Demeter Dionysus divine earth effigy evil father feast festival fire flesh flowers Frazer girl goat goddess gods Golden Bough Greek ground hair hand harvest head Hence Hippolytus honour Indians island killed king king's last sheaf Lityerses living magic maize marriage Midsummer mistletoe mother myth nature need-fire Nemi night observed offered Osiris Perchten Persephone person plant priest primitive probably Purim reapers reason reign religion religious represented resurrection rites ritual Roman Rome Sacaea sacred sacrifice sacrificed Saturnalia savage scapegoat Shilluk skin slain sometimes soul spirit spring supposed sympathetic magic taboo temple temporary king threshing tree tree-spirit tribes vegetation village Virbius woman women wood worship young Zakmuk