Magical Beginnings: The Intellectual Origins of the Victorian Occult Revival

Abstract

In the late nineteenth century, the formation of a society of practising magicians marked the climax of the Victorian revival of magic and occultism. This paper examines the origins of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn through an analysis of the intellectual environment of the nineteenth century as well as through the identification of the presence and influence of a continuous magical tradition. As the tradition is traced throughout the century, individuals and societies responsible for its preservation are identified and their roles in the history of magic are established. The way in which these societies and individuals directly influenced the Order itself is also examined. Analysing this renewal of the intellectual appeal of magic in the nineteenth century, as exemplified by societies such as the Order of the Golden Dawn, will enable comprehension of why the Western magical tradition continued and thrived in the face of its supposed enemies:scientific advancement and secularisation.

Keywords

• victorian era, magic, occult, hermetic order of the golden dawn