Serpent-Worship, and Other Essays, with a Chapter on Totemism (ePub)

Charles Staniland Wake (1835-1910) was a British anthropologist and prolific writer whose intellectual pursuits were intricately woven into the fabric of nineteeth-century studies on religion, mythology, and cultural practices. Wake delved deeply into the origins and significance of Serpent worship across various cultures, culminating in his notable work 'Serpent-Worship, and Other Essays, with a Chapter on Totemism' (1888). This text stands as a seminal exploration of the serpent motif, reflecting Wake's broader interest in totemism and symbolic anthropology. He engaged in comparative analysis, seeking to shed light on the psychological and sociological underpinnings of ancient rituals and beliefs. Wake's analytical rigor was accompanied by a style that, while scholarly, remained accessible to a wider audience beyond just the academic community. Through his writings, Wake contributed to the understanding of the evolving concept of religious symbolism and fostered an appreciation for the continuity and divergence found in the human experience. As an author, his work is pivotal in understanding the nineteenth-century thought on cultural and religious phenomena, and it remains of interest to scholars in anthropology, religious studies, and history as it captures the intellectual zeitgeist of his era.