The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 10 of 12)

This tenth volume of James George Frazer's monumental study, originally published in 1911, focuses on the concept of the divine king and the scapegoat. Frazer meticulously compiles examples from diverse cultures, analyzing the rituals surrounding royal succession, death, and the transference of evil. He investigates how societies appointed individuals to bear the sins or misfortunes of the community, often through elaborate ceremonies involving symbolic death or exile. The text presents a comparative approach, drawing parallels between seemingly disparate traditions across the globe to identify underlying patterns in human belief and practice. It continues Frazer's broader argument about the evolution of human thought from magic to religion to science. The volume details specific instances of scapegoat figures and rituals, from ancient Greece and Rome to more contemporary practices observed by anthropologists. Frazer's work is characterized by its vast scope and its attempt to construct a universal history of human superstition. He looks at the magical beliefs that often underpinned these practices, particularly the idea that certain individuals held special powers or responsibilities related to the community's welfare. The analysis here is central to his larger thesis on the development of religious ideas and social structures.