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The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern — Occult Philosophy

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The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern

Name: The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern
Price: 49.00 USD
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ISBN: 9780226642017

✍️ Owen, Alex

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4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Owen’s groundbreaking work delves into the unexpected flourishing of occult practices in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, a period otherwise defined by scientific and psychological enlightenment. Rather than dismissing spiritual experimentation as mere folly, this study reclaims occultism's intellectual significance, positioning it as a pivotal force within the era’s avant-garde thought. It reveals how esoteric pursuits were not antithetical to emerging rationalities, but rather deeply intertwined with new understandings of mind and consciousness, offering a fresh perspective on a complex cultural moment before World War I.

Owen, Alex

📚 all books by this author (3) →

🕯️

Occult Philosophy

Praise for this book

“Present in this book are a wonderfully rich cast of characters. It is splendid to have them rescued from the past. . . . This is a fascinating study. . . . It succeeds in making its point that British occultism is a significant part of the intellectual history of modernity.”

— Peter Stansky

🏛 University of Chicago Press 📅 2004 📖 384 pages 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9780226642017

Fun Fact

Owen’s "The Place of Enchantment" is an essential read, expertly dismantling the dismissive view of Victorian and Edwardian occultism. It shines in its meticulous research and compelling argument for esotericism’s intellectual gravity, positioning it squarely within the era’s most progressive thought. Those seeking a sensationalist account of magic will be disappointed; this is a serious academic history. It stands as a vital contribution, redefining our understanding of a pivotal moment in British cultural and intellectual history.

📝 Description: The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern

By the end of the nineteenth century, Victorians were seeking rational explanations for the world in which they lived. The radical ideas of Charles Darwin had shaken traditional religious beliefs. Sigmund Freud was developing his innovative models of the conscious and unconscious mind. And anthropologist James George Frazer was subjecting magic, myth, and ritual to systematic inquiry. Why, then, in this quintessentially modern moment, did late-Victorian and Edwardian men and women become absorbed by metaphysical quests, heterodox spiritual encounters, and occult experimentation? In answering this question for the first time, The Place of Enchantment breaks new ground in its consideration of the role of occultism in British culture prior to World War I. Rescuing occultism from its status as an "irrational indulgence" and situating it at the center of British intellectual life, Owen argues that an involvement with the occult was a leitmotif of the intellectual avant-garde. Carefully placing a serious engagement with esotericism squarely alongside revolutionary understandings of rationality and consciousness, Owen demonstrates how a newly psychologized magic operated in conjunction with the developing patterns of modern life. She details such fascinating examples of occult practice as the sex magic of Aleister Crowley, the pharmacological experimentation of W. B. Yeats, and complex forms of astral clairvoyance as taught in secret and hierarchical magical societies like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Through a remarkable blend of theoretical discussion and intellectual history, Owen has produced a work that moves far beyond a consideration of occultists and their world. Bearing directly on our understanding of modernity, her conclusions will force us to rethink the place of the irrational in modern culture. "An intelligent, well-argued and richly detailed work of cultural history that offers a substantial contribution to our understanding of Britain."--Nick Freeman, Washington Times

📑 What's inside

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Enchantment à la Mode
1. Culture and the Occult at the Fin de Siècle
2. Magicians of the New Dawn
3. Sexual Politics
4. Modern Enchantment and the Consciousness of the Self
5. Occult Reality and the Fictionalizing Mind
6. Aleister Crowley in the Desert
7. After Armageddon
8. Occultism and the Ambiguities of the Modern
Notes
Bibliography
Index

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Alex Owen delivers a groundbreaking examination of British occultism, successfully arguing for its intellectual legitimacy within late Victorian and Edwardian society. The text is rigorous and insightful, effectively dismantling the notion that esoteric pursuits were antithetical to rationality. However, this book is not suited for readers seeking practical magical instruction or light historical anecdotes; it demands engagement with dense academic argumentation regarding mind and consciousness. Those expecting a celebratory history of magic without critical scrutiny may find the tone too analytical. It is best reserved for scholars and serious enthusiasts willing to navigate complex cultural intersections before World War I.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the paradoxes of modernity will find this book essential for understanding how spiritual experimentation coexisted with rationalism in pre-WWI Britain. Owen offers a refreshing perspective that elevates occult practices from mere folly to pivotal intellectual forces, revealing their deep connection to emerging theories of consciousness. If you are interested in how cultural moments shape esoteric thought, or if you seek to reclaim the intellectual significance of magical traditions during an age defined by enlightenment, this study provides the necessary context. It is particularly rewarding for those who appreciate nuanced historical analysis that bridges the gap between psychology, philosophy, and the occult, offering a fresh look at a complex era.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you’re fascinated by the hidden undercurrents of history, the interplay between science and spirituality, or the intellectual ferment of late Victorian and Edwardian society, this book offers a profound re-evaluation of a misunderstood era.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Alex Owen delivers a groundbreaking examination of British occultism, successfully arguing for its intellectual legitimacy within late Victorian and Edwardian society. The text is rigorous and insightful, effectively dismantling the notion that esoteric pursuits were antithetical to rationality. However, this book is not suited for readers seeking practical magical instruction or light historical anecdotes; it demands engagement with dense academic argumentation regarding mind and consciousness. Those expecting a celebratory history of magic without critical scrutiny may find the tone too analytical. It is best reserved for scholars and serious enthusiasts willing to navigate complex cultural intersections before World War I.

❓ Frequently asked questions

The book argues that far from being an irrational anomaly, occultism offered a means for the intellectual avant-garde to explore new understandings of consciousness and reality, often in dialogue with scientific and psychological theories of the time.

It focuses on British occultism primarily from the late 19th century up to the outbreak of World War I, examining its integral place within the nation's cultural and intellectual life.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Occultism's Cultural Rebirth

This book challenges the perception of occultism as a fringe activity, demonstrating its central role within British intellectual circles. It highlights how esoteric thought permeated the cultural landscape, influencing prominent thinkers and artists who were also grappling with new scientific paradigms.

Rationality and the Esoteric

Owen meticulously explores how engagement with the occult wasn't a rejection of reason but often an attempt to apply new psychological and anthropological frameworks to ancient mysteries. It shows a fascinating interplay between emerging scientific models and spiritual quests, rather than a simple dichotomy.

The Modern Mind's Mysticism

The study illustrates how figures like Darwin, Freud, and Frazer—who sought to demystify the world—inadvertently created space for new interpretations of psychic phenomena and hidden truths. It argues that a 'psychologized magic' emerged, reflecting a period of profound re-evaluation of human consciousness.

📜 Historical context

This work situates British occultism within a pivotal historical juncture, as traditional religious beliefs waned under the influence of Darwinian evolution and nascent psychology. It explores how a society grappling with rapid change found new intellectual and spiritual frameworks beyond conventional explanations, bridging ancient mystical traditions with modern inquiries into the self.

📚 Glossary

Occultism
Esotericism
Avant-garde

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might current scientific or technological advancements create new forms of 'esoteric' exploration or belief systems today?
Consider a historical period you know well. Were there seemingly 'irrational' trends that, upon closer inspection, reveal deeper cultural or intellectual anxieties?
If occultism was a 'psychologized magic' in this era, how do you see psychology influencing contemporary spiritual or self-help movements?