The Golden Bough

Rules surrounding sacred rulers lead James George Frazer into a wider study of taboo, belief and social custom. This third volume of the third edition of The Golden Bough bears the section title Taboo and the Perils of the Soul. Its chapters consider restrictions placed on kings and priests, ideas about the soul, and prohibitions connected with objects, actions and names. In his preface, Frazer explains how comparisons across societies changed his understanding of taboo and its place in religious and moral life.

The discussion gathers reported customs and compares the reasoning behind them. One passage links the opening of doors and the loosening of knots during childbirth with beliefs about removing obstacles, drawing examples from Chittagong and other places. Readers interested in the history of anthropology can examine both Frazer's comparative method and the dated assumptions in his language. The volume offers a detailed record of how he connected everyday restrictions with larger ideas about authority and unseen powers.