Customer Reviews

Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic (None)

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I read this book after Pollington's "Leechcraft" and was somewhat disappointed. I expected something more. I found a somewhat lackluster approach to Anglo-Saxon mythology, etc.

In particular, I felt that:

1: I felt that the analysis of the pagan religious context was overly simplistic and seemed to generally disregard a great deal that was known in the area of Germanic comparative mythology since well before the book was published. Leechcraft has some similar issues but far less severe. Griffiths seems to be sticking with ideas relating to nature vs ancestral deities which have been seen as overly simplistic since at least the middle of the 20th century.

2: The same sort of over-simplicity was found in the view of the afterlife in the chapter "The Dead World."

3: In places the author clings to the outdated and overly simplistic Frazer categories of sympathetic vs contagious magic rather than trying to reconstruct a fuller structural framework in which Anglo-Saxon magic would have fit.

I did feel that there was a fair bit of good information in the book about everyday life in the Anglo-Saxon world. However, I didn't feel that the book managed to accomplish what the author obviously set out to do.

In general, this book does contain a fair bit of interesting source material, but I found the analysis to be somewhat less useful. In general, I would recommend skipping this book and going with Leechcraft instead.

This book contains a wealth of history and theory concerning ancient Anglo-Saxon magic. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks expand their horizons in their understanding the mindset and origin of magical and superstitious practices within the Northern tradition.

Requisite material For the Germanic Heathen or Saxonophile. When coupled with Pollingtons Meadhall it will form the core of your reference library. Easy to read and an excellent Bibliography.