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Variations on the Theme of Witchcraft in American Literature
CRKVOVÁ, Simona
The aim of this thesis is a comparative analysis of American literature dealing with the topic of witchcraft and its variations. The theoretical part of the thesis gives information about the history of witchcraft, the Gothic literature, and the characteristics of magic. Furthermore, the thesis deals with the topic of witchcraft in British literature until the sixteenth century. The widest chapter of the theoretical part describes the history of Puritans arriving in America, the Salem witch trial, as well as the current witch movements in the USA. The analysis itself deals with three themes: the origin of magical powers of particular characters and their names; the manifestation of magical powers; and the question whether the stories contain the topic of the witch hunt.
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Representation and reception of witchcraft by modern cinematography
Grynyuková, Olivia ; Soukup, Martin (advisor) ; Štoll, Martin (referee)
The objective of this master thesis is image of witches and their most frequent and well- known representation in films of the 20th and 21st centuries, with the research that is specifically focused on Czechoslovak/Czech film productions. Through qualitative image analysis and semiotic analysis, this thesis aims to answer the main research question: how witches are portrayed in modern film/tv/series productions and how are these images received by us, as viewers. The thesis should form a comprehensive, concise, scholarly overview of the representation of witches (not only) in our local cinematography. The thesis is divided into a theoretical and analytical part. The first part is consisting of a brief definition of the media, followed by witchcraft definition by an anthropological perspective and the depiction of witches in world cinematography. The analytical part is devoted to Czechoslovak/Czech films and is divided into 20th century films and 21st century films. In four pre-selected films, I examine several elements such as the characteristics or abilities of the witches, their appearance, and their relationship to other characters in the film, the state system during the creation of the film and direct signs referring to witchcraft, as well as indirect symbols and finally, audience reception....
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Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard - Theory of Witchcraft and Other Mystic Phenomena
Jurásková, Kamila ; Dvořáková, Markéta (advisor) ; Kubišová, Zuzana (referee)
The diploma thesis deals with witchcraft and other mystic phenomena in conception of Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard. It is focused especially on the notion of witchcraft in connection with magic, shamanism and oracles. It describes relation of all these phenomena towards religious belief and various attitudes towards them. It defines respective practices and explains differences between them. Last but not least, it introduces usual reactions to them. Via concrete situation it also shows interconnection of all described phenomena and presents them as a coherent and logical system.
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Critical review of Mary Douglas`s Witchcraft Theory
Vacíková, Tereza ; Chlup, Radek (advisor) ; Záhořík, Jan (referee)
This diploma thesis has two aims. The first one is exploration of "Grid/Group Theory" as it was presented by its author Mary Douglas in "Cultural Bias" (1978). According to this theory the thinking in the idiom of witchcraft is a product of an perception of specific social structure by an individual. The crux of this thesis should be comparation of social structure of few African societies with their cosmologies according to the empirical materials. It should proof the validation of the theory and also show some dificulties which the student must face during the application. The second aim is description of witchcraft and sorcery phenomenon and attempt to determine its essence or function for society.
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Magic in the period of Judaism of the second temple and early Christianity
Nezmar, Daniel ; Lukeš, Jiří (advisor) ; Biernot, David (referee)
Magic in the period of Judaism of the second temple and early Christianity Abstract The presented work focuses on the history of esotericism in the period of the Second Temple of Judaism and early Christianity, and shows the cultural intersections of magical and religious communities as well as individuals who have studied the art of magic. It points out the main sources of their magical and religious teachings and the origin of magic and magical thinking. It traces the main roots of both religion and magic and describes the development of magical practices in that specifical period of the time. Furthermore, after a small analysis, a comparison is made of the five basic cultures living in the territory of the "fertile crescent" just at the time of the Second Temple and their magic. There is also a detailed discussion on the field of demonology and some personalities of the time who were obviously dealing with magic. The first part describes all of the available magical disciplines and techniques that a mortal can come into contact with during the Second Temple in the region known as "Fertile Crescent". All the disciplines I mention in my work were already known at the time of the Second Temple, but some of them were not that developed, so they were expanded or were elaborated on in a later period. A...
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Magic in the period of Judaism of the second temple and early Christianity
Nezmar, Daniel ; Lukeš, Jiří (advisor) ; Biernot, David (referee)
Magic in the period of Judaism of the second temple and early Christianity Abstract The presented work focuses on the history of esotericism in the period of the Second Temple of Judaism and early Christianity, and shows the cultural intersections of magical and religious communities as well as individuals who have studied the art of magic. It points out the main sources of their magical and religious teachings and the origin of magic and magical thinking. It traces the main roots of both religion and magic and describes the development of magical practices in that specifical period of the time. Furthermore, after a small analysis, a comparison is made of the five basic cultures living in the territory of the "fertile crescent" just at the time of the Second Temple and their magic. There is also a detailed discussion on the field of demonology and some personalities of the time who were obviously dealing with magic and also how the magic circle of protection was blessed and magicaly activated. The first part describes all of the available magical disciplines and techniques that a mortal can come into contact with during the Second Temple in the region known as "Fertile Crescent". All the disciplines I mention in my work were already known at the time of the Second Temple, but some of them were not that...
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Messengers of the Light: Angelic Spirituality in Czech Context
Tesárek, Jan ; Spalová, Barbora (advisor) ; Uherek, Zdeněk (referee)
This thesis addresses non-traditional angelic spirituality experienced outside of traditional churches. This spirituality is specific for its everyday communication and contact with angelic beings. The present research examines contemporary angelic spirituality using a lens of relational ontology and semiotic analysis, focusing on how recurrent communication acts allow the emergence of specific subjectivities and identifies the main processes behind this phenomenon - recognition, interpretation and reaction. Research documents specific techniques allowing the formation of angelic subjectivities and redefinition of human subjectivities; prayer, reading cards, guided meditation, different types of clairvoyance and interpretation of signs. Deliberately using these techniques leads to re/definition of subjectivity of a practitioner (through clairvoyant insights into the past lives) and transforms him into human/incarnated soul. These communication acts further form a subjectivity of deceased souls, with which practitioners of angelic spirituality are often in contact, together with the subjectivity of dark beings, which cannot interact with a person without invitation it first and a subjectivity of angelic beings, which are defined by their unconditional support of their charges. Emergent "ecology of...
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