Ritualistic Interpretation

Who is Sir James Frazer

came up with a ritualist interpretation of myth as a secondary elaboration of a religious ritual

influenced by evolutionary theory

wrote the golden bough

what is a ritualist interpretation

that some ritual myths are connected to an actual ritual

this was explored through myths of fertility where a figure dies and is brought back to lfie

what is an evolutionary theory

magic- operations conducted as part of a ritual to coerce natural or supernatural forces to obey human wishes
Religion- humans pleasing gods to get help or remove their displeasure; happened after realizing magic is ineffective

Science- events that has laws and can be calculated precisely; elements of surprise is banised

What is the golden Bough

myths were a secondary elaboration of religious ritual (stories reflect actual rituals that are performed)

has the theory king of the wood

who inspired the king of the wood

Rex Nemorensis, a historically attested priest from Aricia

what is the king of the Wood theory

The well being of the King of the Wood is connected to the fertility of the kingdom

If the king was old, broke too many tabioos or the kingdom is in crisis, he gets challenged
A younger successor who proved himself worthy of challenging the king by ripping off a golden bough from the sacred tree would defeat the King

the story reflected the survival ofa primordial human social and religious institution

how did Frazer apply the King of the woods theory

became a universal application and accounted for why religion was born
But it also accounted for the deaths of kingds and Gods in myth

who is Osiris and Set

A mythological Egyptian King

murdered by his brother Seth

who is Isis

Osiris’ wife
helped Gather Osiris’ dismembered body and put them back together

who is Horus

Osiris’ son (child from his corpse)
he later avenged his father’s deat

Explain the Myth of Osiris, Isis, and Horus

Seth murdered Osiris by cutting his body and dispersing him all over Egypt

Osiris’ sister and Isis found his coffin on the Nile and gathered all of his remains and put them back together which brings him to life

But Osiris died again but became the ruler of the afterlife

What is Osiris associated with

He is the ruler of the afterlife

Associated with the cyclical powers of life, such as vegetation growth and the flooding of the Nile (cycle of Nile)

how is Osiris’ story associated with Ritualist Interpretation

A fertility figure is bringing back their loved one back to life

what were the criticism to Frazer

He was an armchair scholar meaning he did none of his own field work
He divorced myths from their societal context and manipulated lots of information to fit his own thesis

Who was the first one to notic there is a link between Rituals and Myths? Give an Example

Frazer noticed it
examples:
Prometheus and his story of tricking Zeus with a sacrifice
Apollo’s Miasma’s story becoming a ritual and recreated by noble boys (Septirion)

Describe the story on how Adonis was born

Myrrah loved her father Cinyras so much that she wanted to commit suicide
However she lied and became his consort in the dark until he found out
enraged he chased his daugther and Myrrah became a Myrrh tree but she was pregant during that time and gave birth to Adonis

who is Adonis

Son of Myrrah

Most handsome and a good hunter
Aphrodite fell in love with him

what happened to Adonis and Aphrodite’s story

Aphrodite fell in love with him (because of Eros’ arrow hitting her while hugging him) and warned him to beware of animals that would not flee when he faced them

However he did not heed that warning and was killed by a boar

How does the ritualist interpretation theory apply

When Adonis was bleeding out, Aphrodite beat her breast with her fist and had him transformed into an anemone
A fertility figure is bringing back their loved one back to life from vegetation
Also associated with vegitation (grows and die for humans to eat; crops cycle)

what is an Anemone

A flower that lasts 6-8 weeks
grew from Adonis’ blood
Adonis is now reborn as a flower

what is the ritual Adonia

ritual in honoring Adonis that is exclusively for women (Adonis means the word Lord)

Women shave their heads in mourning and rejoice once he is reborn
The ritual happens in July after harvest is finished and on roof tops

On the first day they grieve over the dead figure (effigy)
They plant seeds on the pot (rejoice when it sprouts; resurrection) and they mourn when it dies
Women who do not participate are forced to public prostitution

what is the social function of the myth

Adonia gives women catharsis as they feel what Aphrodite felt; has a plot (catharsis has plots and they feel better at the end)
they also mourn and celebrate collectively
Makes mortality normal

Who is Hyacinthus

A beautiful prince of Amyclae

What was Hyacinthus and Apollo’s story (And Zephyrus)

Apollo falls in love with Hyacinthus but he accidentally killed him with a discus

With Zephyrus (god of wind) he was jealous and blew the wind which killed Hyacinthus

How is the Ritualist Interpretation theory applied to Hyacinthus and Apollo

Apollo mourned and prayed that Hyacinthys is reborn
He was then reborn as a plant AI (Alpha lota)

a loved one is revived from death (vegetation) and was reborn

what is the Hyacinthia ritual

three day festival at the end of the summer
dancing and singing youths and females brings a new robe for the status of Hyacinthus
Foreigners and slaves also have a banquet
there is a catharsis because they celebrate his transformation into a flower