The Life-Giving Myth: And Other Essays

Couverture
Psychology Press, 2004 - 252 pages

Myths are the expression of a form of knowledge essential to life. Including mainly previously unpublished work by A.M. Hocart the book examines such issues as:
Why a queen should not have been married before; why a guest is sacred; why people are believed to have been turned into stone; how money originated.
These issues are considered as part of a socio-religious complex embraced in many parts of the world, both East and West. (There are chapters on the UK, India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Fiji, Egypt, and Ancient Greece).

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Table des matières

CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION
6
THE LIFEGIVING MYTH
9
FLYING THROUGH THE AIR
28
TURNING INTO STONE
33
THE COMMON SENSE OF MYTH
39
THE PURPOSE OF RITUAL
46
RITUAL AND EMOTION
53
THE ORIGIN OF MONOTHEISM
66
CHILDHOOD CEREMONIES
153
BAPTISM BY FIRE
156
INITIATION AND MANHOOD
160
INITIATION AND HEALING
164
TATTOOING AND HEALING
169
KINSHIP SYSTEMS
173
BLOODBROTHERHOOD
185
COVENANTS
190

THE DIVINITY OF THE GUEST
78
YAKSHAS AND VÄDDAS
87
MONEY
97
MODERN CRITIQUE
105
IN THE GRIP OF TRADITION
117
SNOBBERY
129
CHASTITY
139
SAVIOURS
143
THE AGELIMIT
149
THE UTERINE NEPHEW
195
WHY STUDY SAVAGES?
199
ARE SAVAGES CUSTOMBOUND?
205
FROM ANCIENT TO MODERN EGYPT
208
INDIA AND THE PACIFIC
234
DECADENCE IN INDIA
240
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
249
INDEX
251
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