INST 213  MAGIC in the ARTS and HUMANITIES   Fall, 2005  MWF 10-11

                                                         Pat Aakhus                    LA 3101  Paakhus@usi.edu    

 

DESCRIPTION:  Magic is a significant part of the integrated cosmologies of world cultures.  The study of magic provides unique insight into aspects of contemporary world medicine, psychology, religion, art, literature, music and film. 

 

TEXTS:

Magic in the Middle Ages, Kieckhefer

Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds, Ogden

Doctor Faustus, Marlowe

The Tempest, Shakespeare

Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, M.R. James

One Hundred Folktales, Stith Thompson

 

Course Requirements

(40%)  Eight quizzes on reading  (30%) Midterm   (30%) Final. 

 

SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS

                                                                                               

8/29 Survey of magic

 

8/31 Survey results; Excerpts and Definitions of Magic

Eglise Madeleine in Troyes                                                                               

Kieckhefer 1, Introduction: Magic as a Crossroads

 

Cosmological Magic: Creation of world and soul

9/2 Creation by word: Genesis, Egypt, Maya.   Destruction of World: Apocalypse

Deferred: Flood in Genesis, Gilgamesh, Metamorphosis, Mayan

           

9/5 Creation by sacrifice: destruction of monster: Babylonian, Norse, Aztec      

 

9/7 Immortality of the Soul: Egypt and Osiris.  Introduction of Theurgy. 

Kieckhefer 2      The Classical Inheritance

 

9/9 Creation by order and emanation: Chinese, Greek, Plato’s Timaeus; Myth of Afterlife: Macrobius Ascent of the Soul            

 

Descent to the Underworld                            

9/12 Katabasis: Persephone, Hekate, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Japanese              

Ogden 6.  Witches in Greek Literature.

 

9/14 Katabasis: Hercules, Odysseus (Ogden 144) Theseus and Minotaur, Virgil, Buffy (Cumae, Reims, Chartres, Sunnydale)      

 

9/16 Katabasis: Christ and Harrowing of Hell, St. Marthe, St. Margaret (Alyscamps, Tarascon)           

 

9/19 Katabasis: Dante (Dore)

9/21 Katabasis: Inanna and UR

9/23 Ram in the Thicket

 

Pharmakopia

9/26 Witches: Pharmacology: Circe (Ogden 72), Calypso (73) Medea, (66, 68. 69, 71)Erictho (96) Thessalian (107) MacBeth                       

 

9/28 Witches: Hekate (Ogden 66-69) Iynx, (224) Curse tablets, Apuleius (104 and 107)                     

 

9/30 Witches: Persecution in Europe                                                                

Kieckhefer 8. Prohibition, Condemnation and Prosecution        

 

 

Natural Magic: Weapons and Amulets

10/3 African Metallurgy: Smithcraft; Magic Weapons: Viking, Japanese swords Charlemagne, Roland, Arthur, Shield of Heracles, Athena, Beowulf           

Kieckhefer 3  The Twilight of Paganism: Magic in the Norse and Irish Culture

 

10/5 Apotropaic Magic: Theurgy, Medusa, Evil Eye (Ogden 192-196), Romanesque demons                                                                                                  

Ogden 13 Amulets

 

10/7 Apotropaic Magic: Relics, Danse Macabre                                 

Kieckhefer 4 The Common Tradition of Medieval Magic

 

10/10 Magic Gems: Dragons and Gems: Cherokee, Japan, Norse                 

Kieckhefer 5 The Romance of Magic in Courtly Culture

 

10/12 Magic Gems: Breastplate of High Priest, Solomon, Revelations, Reliquaries (Ogden 274, 276)

 

10/14 Magic Gems: Theurgy, Arabic Picatrix, talismans, Medici collection, poison detecting gems                                                                                             

Kieckhefer 6 Arabic Learning and the Occult Sciences

 

10/17 Natural Magic: Ficino                                                                

 

10/19 Saturn and Melancholy: Four humors, Durer                             

 

10/21 Midterm exam

 

10/24 Divination: Hellenistic (Ogden 163, 166, 167), Crystal Gazing, Orthanc, Cherokee, Geomancy      

 

10/26  Divination: Signs in the Bayeux Tapestry

 

Ceremonial Magic

10/28  Sorcerors: Abramelin the Mage and Ars Notoria

Kieckhefer  7 Necromancy in the Clerical Underworld

 

10/31 Samhain and Sorcerors   Doctor Faustus

11/2 Sorcerors: Doctor Faustus

11/4 Sorcerors The Tempest

 

Transformation

11/7 Initiation: Cupid and Psyche, East of the Moon, Beast      

Thompson: 113-122

 

11/9  Animal wives: Melusine, Seal Wife, lamia.                              

Thompson. 143-147

 

11/11  Werewolves: Ovid’s Metamorphoses  

 

Restless Dead

11/14  The Restless Dead: Ghosts: Greek Ghosts: Marathon, Elpenor          

Ogden 8  Ghosts         

 

11/16  The Restless Dead: Victorian Ghosts                                                     

James 1-68

 

11/18  The Restless Dead: Zombies: Romero and Social Critique                     

James 69-153

 

11/21  The Restless Dead: Vampires: Nosferatu, Dracula, Buffy

 

Apocalypse

11/28  Apocalypse: Maya, Hopi, Environmental

 

11/30  Apocalypse: Revelations and West Portals of Romanesque and Gothic Churches

 Revelations.     http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/revelation.html

 

12/2  Apocalypse:  Tarrochi

12/5  Apocalypse: LOTR (Helm’s Deep, Isengard, Mordor; serpent slaying, volcano, darkness)

12/7  Apocalypse: Buffy, Nicholas Flamel

12/9  Review for Final-Survey of Magic        12/12 Final exam