Victorian comparative religion
Psyche's Task: A Discourse Concerning the Influence of Superstition on the Growth of Institutions
Frazer argues that superstition, although intellectually false, has historically served as a stabilizing force for social institutions. He claims that beliefs in taboos, ghosts, and divine retribution helped establish and preserve the sanctity of marriage, private property, and respect for government, effectively performing a 'task' for the development of civilization.
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Comparative Religion
Comparative religion texts on ritual, myth, sacrifice, belief, ancient religion, and cross-cultural theories of sacred practice.
Comparative Mythology
Comparative mythology texts on gods, hero cycles, symbolic patterns, classical myth, Indo-European myth, and cross-cultural mythic structures.
Folklore Studies
Folklore studies texts on folk tales, fairy belief, superstition, regional customs, oral tradition, and the collection of vernacular belief.
Anthropology of Religion
Anthropological texts on ritual, animism, totemism, taboo, early religion, culture, and theories of belief formation.
Contents27 chapters
- 01PSYCHE’S TASK
- 02[EPIGRAPHS]
- 03[DEDICATION]
- 04PREFACE
- 05NOTE TO THE SECOND EDITION
- 06CONTENTS
- 07PSYCHE’S TASK
- 08I. INTRODUCTION
- 09II. GOVERNMENT
- 10III. PRIVATE PROPERTY
- 11IV. MARRIAGE
- 12V. RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE
- 13VI. CONCLUSION
- 14THE SCOPE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY
- 15THE SCOPE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY
- 16INDEX
- 17ENDNOTES
- 18Chapter I Notes
- 19Chapter II Notes
- 20Chapter III Notes
- 21Chapter IV Notes
- 22Chapter V Notes
- 23Chapter VI Notes
- 24The Scope of Social Anthropology Notes
- 25TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
- 26THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
- 27"Cover"
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