Ritual, Myth and Magic in Early Modern Europe - University of Reading

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Ritual, Myth and Magic in Early Modern Europe
Autumn & Spring Terms 2009-10
A special subject involves the detailed study of a particular period or series of events
through a close examination of the evidence left by contemporaries. Teaching is for
two hours per week over the Autumn and Spring terms, in seminar groups of about 10
students, and group discussion plays a central part. The module provides students with
`hands-on' experience of the historian's task, through the close examination and
evaluation of primary sources, and the light they shed on the issues and problems
being investigated.
Work requirements
Each special subject will represent two modules within the university modular
scheme. Four essays, or the equivalent in other forms of written work, will be
required over the two terms, plus practice in commenting on source extracts (or
`gobbets' as they are often termed). Detailed reading and study of the sources is an
essential part of the preparation for class discussion.
Assessment
The assessment of each special subject is normally by means of two three-hour
examination papers at Finals. The first paper (A) will involve comment on extracts
from the sources studied during the special subject. This will examine skills
developed during the special subject, including the ability to write concisely and to
have a detailed command of the subject, and where appropriate of its technical
language. The second paper (B) requires three essay questions to be answered in three
hours: these should also draw on and refer to the source material studied.
Description
This special subject explores the rituals and beliefs which characterised the culture of
Early Modern Europe. It will involve close evaluation and examination of appropriate
primary sources in a number of formats, introducing students to the tasks of the
historian and to the variety of approaches to the subject in recent work. Students will
be expected to familiarise themselves with the material and undertake detailed textual
analysis, and comment on the texts in class.
Religious upheaval and political changes in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
had a dramatic impact upon European culture, and upon the beliefs and practices of
the populations. This special subject will examine the place of ritual myth and magic
in popular culture in the early modern period, and analyse the way in which the
people of Europe viewed and attempted to influence the world around them. The
impact of the Reformation and Catholic reform on popular culture will be examined
in depth, alongside a study of the changing nature of the ritual year, the calendar by
which communities measured the passage of time. Consideration will also be given to
beliefs in magic and witchcraft, the persecution of witches in the early modern period,
and changing patterns of belief.