The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 09 of 12)

Name: The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 09 of 12)
Author: James George Frazer

By James George Frazer

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About This Book

The volume examines the belief that communal sins and misfortunes can be transferred to objects, animals, or persons who then carry them away, tracing practices of vicarious suffering across rituals and myths. It surveys techniques of expelling evil, such as nailing, throwing, and periodic purifications, and analyzes public scapegoat ceremonies including embodied and material vehicles, human victims in classical antiquity, and elaborate sacrificial rites in Mexico where individuals were treated as dying gods. It also compares festive inversions such as Saturnalia and discusses how these customs evolved into theological formulations of a deity's redemptive death.

About the Author

James George Frazer

James George Frazer was a Scottish social anthropologist and folklorist, best known for his seminal work, "The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion." This extensive study explores the connections between mythology, religion, and magic across various cultures, influencing the fields of anthropology and religious studies. Frazer's scholarship delves into themes such as the belief in immortality and the worship of the dead, as seen in his works like "The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead." His contributions have left a lasting impact on the understanding of cultural practices and the evolution of human thought.