Early Modern Supernatural : The Dark Side of European Culture, 1400-1700

by Davidson, Jane P.

• ISBN13: 9780313393433
• ISBN10: 0313393435
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-01-06
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

The dark side of early modern European culture could be deemed equal in historical significance to Christianity based on the hundreds of books that were printed about the topic between 1400 and 1700. Famous writers and artists like William Shakespeare and Albrecht Dürer depicted the dark side in their work, and some of the first printed books in Europe were about witches and witchcraft. The pervasive representation of monsters and apparitions in period literature, folklore, and art clearly reflects their power to inspire fear and superstition, but also demonstrates how integral they were to early modern European culture. This unique book addresses topics of the supernatural within the context of the early modern period in Europe, covering "mythical" entities such as devils, witches, ghosts, poltergeists, and werewolves in detail and examining how they fit in with the emerging new scientific method of the time.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
The Devil and Devils	p. 19
Witches	p. 55
Demonology, Possession, and Exorcism	p. 97
Black Magic	p. 123
Ghosts, Specters, and Poltergeists	p. 141
Werewolves	p. 157
Conclusion	p. 173
Early Modern Artists Who Depicted Themes from the Dark Side	p. 181
Biographical Notes on Some Notable Dark Side Experts	p. 203
Notes	p. 215
Bibliography	p. 229
Index	p. 241
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