The Myth and Ritual School: J.G. Frazer and the Cambridge Ritualists (Theorists of Myth)

First Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The enduring importance of his book The Golden Bough keeps J.G. Frazer's name prominent on the list of the most significant figures in modern religious studies. But by no means was Fraser the sole influence on the Cambridge-based school of thought— myth-ritualism— most often associated with him. In this intellectual history of the fellowship of scholars to which Frazer belonged, Robert Ackerman expands our acquaintance with the myth and ritual school to include Jane Harrison, Gilbert Murray, F.M. Cornford, and A.B. Cook, all of whom were instrumental in connecting the lines of thought in myth theory, classics, and anthropology that had begun to converge at the turn of the last century. Ackerman's examination of the chief works of each member of the Cambridge group illuminates their primary interests in Greek myth, ritual, and religion and traces the threads of their arguments through the group's writings on the origins of tragedy, comedy, philosophy, art, and sport. In the book's final chapter Ackerman explores the application of myth-ritualist thought to a variety of post-classical literature.

The enduring importance of his book The Golden Bough keeps J.G. Frazer's name prominent on the list of the most significant figures in modern religious studies. But by no means was Frazer the sole influence on myth-ritualism--the Cambridge-based school of thought most often associated with him. In this intellectual history of the fellowship of scholars to which Frazer belonged, Robert Ackerman expands our acquaintance with the myth and ritual school to include Jane Harrison, Gilbert Murray, F.M. Cornford, and A.B. Cook, all of whom were instrumental in connecting the lines of thought in myth theory, classics, and anthropology that had begun to converge at the turn of the last century. Ackerman's examination of the chief works of each member of the Cambridge group illuminates their primary interests in Greek myth, ritual, and religion and traces the threads of their arguments through the group's writing on the origins of tragedy, comedy, philosophy, art, and sport. In the book's final chapter Ackerman explores the application of myth-ritualist thought to a variety of post-classical literature. "The enduring importance of his book The Golden Bough keeps J.G. Frazer's name prominent on the list of the most significant figures in modern religious studies. But by no means was Frazer the sole influence on myth-ritualism - the Cambridge-based school of thought most often associated with him. In this intellectual history of the fellowship of scholars to which Frazer belonged, Robert Ackerman expands our acquaintance with the myth and ritual school to include Jane Harrison, Gilbert Murray, F.M. Cornford, and A.B. Cook, all of whom were instrumental in connecting the lines of thought in myth theory, classics, and anthropology that had begun to converge at the turn of the last century."--Jacket Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 Series Editor’s Foreword 8 Preface 12 One The Eighteenth Century—Rationalism and Reaction 18 Two Romantic Historicism and Philology 34 Three The Rise of Anthropology: Lang, Tylor, and Smith 46 Four J. G. Frazer 62 Five Jane Ellen Harrison: The Early Work 84 Six Jane Ellen Harrison and the Cambridge Ritualists 106 Seven Years of Achievement—1912–14 136 Eight Aftermath 176 Appendix: The Golden Bough and The Mediaeval Stage 216 Notes 218 Bibliography 240 Index 248 The only book that described the origins and rise of myth-and-ritual literary criticism.