Abstract
The main principles of magic are, as we have seen, the idea of an impersonal power or force and that of the insensorial transmission of this power to the place where it must operate. In practice these two ideas are realised with countless variations, some of which may be grouped together. The magic practice shows how the magician attempts to get hold of a certain quantity of power, while at the same time he is thinking of its immediate or ultimate application. The ritual enables the magician to handle power and obtain a definite result.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
See R. Jente, Die mythologischen Ausdrücke im alteng. Wortschatz. Heidelberg, 1921, § 112.
G. v. d. Leeuw, De primitieve Mensch en de Religie, Groningen, 1937, pp. 38 ff.
Fr. Klaeber, Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburg, Boston, 19282, p. 141.
Cf. our article on “An Anglo-Saxon Prescription from the Lacnunga”, in English Studies, XXVIII, 1947, pp. 33–41.
Poeniientiale Pseudo-Ecgberti, edited by J. Raith, Die a.e. Version des Haligar’schen Bussbuches, Bibliothek d. ags. Prosa, vol. XIII, p. 30.
Cf. Jan de Vries, Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte II, Berlin 1937, pp. 37 ff., who adds that in sacrificing to the gods of the underworld the left hand was used.
Cf. Handwörterbuch d. deutschen Aberglaubens I, p. 1165.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1948 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Storms, G. (1948). Structure and Atmosphere of the Ritual. In: Anglo-Saxon Magic. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6312-7_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6312-7_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-017-5846-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-6312-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive