The Golden Bough Literary Elements

Religion and Anthropology

The setting is either abstract and theoretical, or relating to Aricia, Italy, in pre-Christian times

The narrator is the author and he writes from his own perspective since it is his own journey of discovery that he is writing about

Seeking knowledge

The author is the protagonist and the knowledge that alludes him the antagonist

When someone wants to be the priest they challenge the current priest and they fight to the death. This means that there is constantly conflict because many challenge for the position

The climax of the book is Frazer's own feeling that he has found the knowledge and understanding that he was seeking

A challenge made to the priest foreshadows his likely death as in order to become priest the challenger must kill him first.

The author calls the fight to become priest "gruesome" but this is an understatement because the battles were battles to the bloodiest of deaths.

The writer alludes to the ancient myths and legends of many different cultures that all have a similarity to them.

The most vivid pictures that the author paints for the reader are the scenes of the would-be priest attacking the current one and the bloody fight that follows.

Magicians in the earliest times used their magic mostly for the benefit of their own family, which is paradoxical because religion was intended to bring more people to belief, and by practicing independently they are not really "briber f religion"

There is a parallel between believing in a higher power but not forcing a personal relationship with them, and appearing to be having a relationship with the higher power but in reality going through the motions for appearances. Neither is religion.

Pagans is the term used to describe many different kind of pre-Christian people who believe in higher powers.

No specific examples