Supernatural and Secular Power in Early Modern England

Nonfiction, History, Modern, 17th Century, British
Cover of the book Supernatural and Secular Power in Early Modern England by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen ISBN: 9781317048367
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: April 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
ISBN: 9781317048367
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: April 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

For the people of early modern England, the dividing line between the natural and supernatural worlds was both negotiable and porous - particularly when it came to issues of authority. Without a precise separation between ’science’ and ’magic’ the realm of the supernatural was a contested one, that could be used both to bolster and challenge various forms of authority and the exercise of power in early modern England. In order to better understand these issues, this volume addresses a range of questions regarding the ways in which ideas, beliefs and constructions of the supernatural threatened and conflicted with authority, as well as how the power of the supernatural could be used by authorities (monarchical, religious, legal or familial) to reinforce established social norms. Drawing upon a range of historical, literary and dramatic texts the collection reveals intersecting early modern anxieties in relation to the supernatural, issues of control and the exercise of power at different levels of society, from the upper echelons of power at court to local and domestic spaces, and in a range of publication contexts - manuscript sources, printed prose texts and the early modern stage. Divided into three sections - ’Magic at Court’, ’Performance, Text and Language’ and ’Witchcraft, the Devil and the Body’ - the volume offers a broad cultural approach to the subject that reflects current research by a range of early modern scholars from the disciplines of history and literature. By bringing scholars into an interdisciplinary dialogue, the case studies presented here generate fresh insights within and between disciplines and different methodologies and approaches, which are mutually illuminating.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

For the people of early modern England, the dividing line between the natural and supernatural worlds was both negotiable and porous - particularly when it came to issues of authority. Without a precise separation between ’science’ and ’magic’ the realm of the supernatural was a contested one, that could be used both to bolster and challenge various forms of authority and the exercise of power in early modern England. In order to better understand these issues, this volume addresses a range of questions regarding the ways in which ideas, beliefs and constructions of the supernatural threatened and conflicted with authority, as well as how the power of the supernatural could be used by authorities (monarchical, religious, legal or familial) to reinforce established social norms. Drawing upon a range of historical, literary and dramatic texts the collection reveals intersecting early modern anxieties in relation to the supernatural, issues of control and the exercise of power at different levels of society, from the upper echelons of power at court to local and domestic spaces, and in a range of publication contexts - manuscript sources, printed prose texts and the early modern stage. Divided into three sections - ’Magic at Court’, ’Performance, Text and Language’ and ’Witchcraft, the Devil and the Body’ - the volume offers a broad cultural approach to the subject that reflects current research by a range of early modern scholars from the disciplines of history and literature. By bringing scholars into an interdisciplinary dialogue, the case studies presented here generate fresh insights within and between disciplines and different methodologies and approaches, which are mutually illuminating.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Social Mobility in Industrial Society by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Time-Space Compression by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Israel: The First Hundred Years by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Negotiating the Complexities of Qualitative Research in Higher Education by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Outcast Europe: The Balkans, 1789-1989 by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book American Slavery, Atlantic Slavery, and Beyond by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Clinical Art Therapy by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Aspects of Islamic Civilization by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Teaching Languages Creatively by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Siblings in Development by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Rave Culture and Religion by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Locating Deviance by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book Criteria for Competence by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
Cover of the book On Paul Ricoeur by Marcus Harmes, Victoria Bladen
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy