Satanism, Magic and Mysticism in Fin-de-sià ̈cle France

An Interdisciplinary Study Of The Supernatural And The Occult In Fin-de-siècle France (1870-1914), The Present Volume Examines The Explosion Of Interest In Devil-worship, Magic And Mysticism Both From An Historical Perspective And Through Analysis Of Key Literary Works Of The Period. By Robert Ziegler. An interdisciplinary study of the supernatural and the occult in fin-de-siecle France (1870-1914), the present volume examines the explosion of interest in devil-worship, magic and mysticism both from an historical perspective and through analysis of key literary works of the period. In response to the growing influence of Republicanism, science, and secularism, turn-of-the-century France witnessed a powerful movement toward mysticism, magic, and Satanism. Serious occultists, declaring themselves heirs of Hermes Trismegestius, published works fueling interest in spiritualism, astral travel, and spell-casting. Capitalizing on church concerns over the spread of devil-worship, Leo Taxil propagated the stunningly intricate hoax of Palladism, declaring that the Freemasons had established in Lodges throughout the world a cult of Lucifer devoted to sexual debauchery and mass murder of the faithful. Disenchanted with religion that preached reason and moderation, fin-de-siecle Catholics turned increasingly toward mystical beliefs extolling the value of personal suffering that would help to hasten the fervently hoped-for apocalypse. Examining the cultural determinants accounting for this flourishing of the supernatural, this volume examines the emergence in France of the mystic, the Magus, and the malefactor In response to the growing influence of Republicanism, science, and secularism, turn-of-the-century France witnessed a powerful movement toward mysticism, magic, and Satanism. Serious occultists, declaring themselves heirs of Hermes Trismegestius, published works fueling interest in spiritualism, astral travel, and spell-casting. Capitalizing on church concerns over the spread of devil-worship, Ľo Taxil propagated the stunningly intricate hoax of Palladism, declaring that the Freemasons had established in Lodges throughout the world a cult of Lucifer devoted to sexual debauchery and mass murder of the faithful. Disenchanted with religion that preached reason and moderation, fin-de-siecle Catholics turned increasingly toward mystical beliefs extolling the value of personal suffering that would help to hasten the fervently hoped-for apocalypse. Examining the cultural determinants accounting for this flourishing of the supernatural, this volume examines the emergence in France of the mystic, the Magus, and the malefactor

An interdisciplinary study of the supernatural and the occult in fin-de-siècle France (1870-1914), the present volume examines the explosion of interest in devil-worship, magic and mysticism both from a historical perspective and through analysis of key literary works of the period.

Cover 1 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 7 Introduction 8 1 The Satanist 22 2 The Hoaxer 57 3 The Magus 81 4 The Mystic 123 5 The Miracle-Worker 189 Conclusion 203 Notes 217 References 230 Index 234