Sir James George Frazer, though not highly regarded by many contemporary anthropologists, remains a key figure in the development of the comparative method in the study of human societies. His influential work, The Golden Bough, significantly challenged Victorian ethnocentrism and inspired modernist literature in the early twentieth century. Frazer's contributions continue to resonate, despite changing perspectives in anthropology.

Origins and Childhood

James George Frazer entered the world on January 1, 1854, in Glasgow, Scotland. He was born to Katherine Brown and Daniel F. Frazer, a partner in an established pharmaceutical firm. Raised in a devout Presbyterian family, Frazer was steeped in daily Scripture readings. Though he later relinquished religious beliefs, he retained a deep respect for the Bible as "noble literature," evident in his 1895 publication, Passages of the Bible Chosen for Their Literary Beauty and Interest.

Frazer's academic journey began at local preparatory schools, leading to the University of Glasgow in 1869. Here, he earned an M.A. in 1874, studying under physicist Sir William Thomson, which fostered his belief in the immutable laws of nature. His achievements earned him a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he excelled in the historical tripos in 1878, subsequently becoming a College Fellow. Initially a classicist, Frazer's early works included a revised edition of Sallust's writings and translations of Pausanias’ Description of Greece and Ovid’s Fasti.

Entry Into Anthropology

Frazer’s fascination with anthropology was piqued through E. B. Tylor’s Primitive Culture. Embracing Tylor’s evolutionary progression of societies, Frazer viewed primitive cultures as snapshots of earlier stages in human development. Yet, it was William Robertson Smith who profoundly influenced Frazer's career. Smith, after losing his Aberdeen chair due to controversial beliefs, became a mentor to Frazer at Cambridge. Smith's Lectures on the Religion of the Semites presented Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as products of religious innovators, a concept that deeply impacted Frazer. Smith's assertion that ancient religions were shaped by unconscious forces spurred Frazer's anthropological pursuits, beginning with his 1885 work "On Certain Burial Customs as Illustrative of the Primitive Theory of the Soul." This led to his contributions on "taboo" and "totemism" for the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which marked his systematic foray into the study of so-called "savage and barbarian" societies.

Academic Career and Methodology

Despite becoming professor of social anthropology at the University of Liverpool in 1907, Frazer found teaching unsuitable and returned to Trinity College. Frazer, a linguistic prodigy fluent in multiple languages, conducted his research primarily through a wealth of ethnographic reports, travelers’ accounts, and correspondence with missionaries and colonial officials, rather than fieldwork. Renowned for his diligent work ethic, he filled volumes with copious notes that culminated in the publication Anthologia Anthropologica. Frazer's publications, filled with literary flair, occupy extensive shelf space, affirming his position as both a prolific writer and a purveyor of great literature.

The Golden Bough and Its Impact

Frazer’s legacy is most closely tied to The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion , which evolved through multiple editions from 1890 to 1936. This expansive work explored the relationship between magic, religion, and the role of priest-kings, drawing parallels across diverse cultures. His lectures and supplementary volumes delved into topics such as the primitive soul and the belief in immortality. Central to his thesis was the idea that societal well-being was linked to the vitality of their leaders, an idea he traced back to a shared human psyche. Frazer theorized that magic, with its flawed logic and reliance on the "Law of Similarity" and "Law of Contact or Contagion," gave way to religion, which in turn evolved into the...