A Study on the Comparison of Celtic Culture and North-Eastern Asian Nomadic Culture through Macbeth: In the Perspective of Shamanism
Jun-soo Kang
The Journal of East-West Comparative Literature June 30, 2018 DOI: 10.29324/jewcl.2018.06.44.7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key points | Argues that Shakespeare's Macbeth contains shamanic elements that parallel those in Northeast Asian nomadic cultures, and that Celts and Asian nomadic tribes shared shamanic traditions including trialization, tree worship, a circular order of life and death, lunar calendar use, and statue culture, indicating close cultural exchange between ancient Europe and Asia. |
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to compare the elements of Shamanism in Macbeth by William Shakespeare with the similarities of nomadic cultures in Northeast Asia. Basically, Shakespeare focuses on the evil that happened by Macbeth’s murder and it was represented as a matter of constant human desire and corruption. However, this study focuses on the problem of cultural exchange and communication between ancient Europe and Asia rather than the process of human destruction caused by sin through Shamanism, which was common to Europe and Asia in ancient times. Celts believed in Shamanism like Asian nomadic tribes and it means that they had similar cultural traditions between themselves. They showed the similarities in terms of Shamanic elements like trialization, tree worship, the circular order of life and death, the use of lunar calendar, and statue culture. In conclusion, as in modern times, Europe and Asia coexist with each other through close cultural exchange in ancient times.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |