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Daemonologie

2022-07-08T15:18:35Z

Zunaira Muzaffar:

In this article we will discuss about Daemonologie a book written by King James and his beliefs and actions regarding witches, demons, magic and witchcraft. Daemonologie is a book written by James VI of Scotland who later became James I of England in 1603 after the death of Elizabeth. The book is about demons, witchcraft, magic and spirits. James strongly believed in the persecution of witches. This takes us to the trials of North Berwick witches which occurred during 1590 to 1592. Those witches were accused of making several attempts to kill the young king and his wife. King James considered this not only an attack on his life but also an act of Satan (as witches were believed to be the followers of Satan) against the God’s chosen King there a threat to the establishment of God’s reign on Earth. King James took direct part in the investigation and questioning of the witches which affected his thoughts and beliefs on a much deeper level as he mentioned in his Tolbooth speech of 1591 that the proceedings against the witches occupied him for whole nine months and he was a prime mover during the whole matter. He also observed and witnessed torture and confession of the witches and got to know that Devil hates the King considers him the greatest enemy in the whole world. So, James believed all the supernatural and magical activities are the doings of Devil and there cannot be any magic that can have good or positive effects. He spent quite a lot of time in doing his research on the topic of magic and witchcraft and he had a hands-on experience with the north Berwick witches. The purpose of writing such a book was to increase the persecution of the witches in Scotland and in England. Right after he became the King of England, he ordered another edition of his book published in London in order to continue his actions in England against witchcraft. Translations in Dutch and Latin were also published in 1604 and 1607 respectively.

A year after his coronation he enforced mush harsher laws and punishments against witchcraft. Before this magic and witchcraft was crime only if someone gets caught if they practice magic to harm someone but James considered all types of witchcraft practice a form of trafficking with the Devil. So, any form of practicing magic was severely punished regardless of whether it harms somebody or not. Any act which was punished by imprisonment would be now punishable by death. There were a few exceptions where on the first time offense they would be punished by one year imprisonment but if committed the same crime second time then it was punishable by death. Even the capital punishment in England was death by hanging but in Scotland it was death by burning. If a witch would confess a crime then she would be hanged first as an act of mercy to lessen the pain and then was burnt but if a witch would not confess then she might be burned alive.

There is another reason mention by Tim Weed in his writing about James I and daemonologie, he says, “In his article, “Witchcraft and Calvinism in Elizabethan England”, John Teall asserts that the reason that the English under James I came down so hard on witchcraft was because of the Calvinist influence.” He further adds, “The influence from Calvinism arrives in James’ life at an early age when he was tutored by a Calvinist from Geneva, home of John Calvin. Therefore the Calvinist desire to drive witches from this world was always part of James’ thought process.11 His ordeal with the North Berwick witches had only served to strengthen his resolve, and in 1603 he published his great treatise on witchcraft.”

'''Sources:'''

Weed, Tim. "James I and Demonology." When Druids and Mystics Ruled Harshly Over the Superstitious Peasants (2007): 105.

Tyson, Donald. The Demonology of King James I: Includes the Original Text of Daemonologie and News from Scotland. Llewellyn Worldwide, 2012.

Daemonologie

2022-07-05T11:39:40Z

Zunaira Muzaffar: Created page with "A book about demons and witches written by Prince James."

A book about demons and witches written by Prince James.

User:Zunaira Muzaffar

2022-03-17T12:45:53Z

Zunaira Muzaffar: Created page with "== '''Steven Wilson and his art of storytelling by his Music''' == “Routine,” is one thing that can keep you moving even during the hardest times of your life even if it..."

== '''Steven Wilson and his art of storytelling by his Music''' ==

“Routine,” is one thing that can keep you moving even during the hardest times of your life even if it is so hurtful and hard to do so. Steven John Wilson’s song “Routine” has depicted this small theory in the most emotional and heartfelt way possible. Steven Wilson is one of the most successful British singers you can find. At the age of eight he got inspired by the Christmas gifts his parents exchanged and discovered his interest in music. He ended up to be not only a musician but singer, song writer and a record producer. As a founder, guitarist, lead vocalist and a songwriter his first band is Porcupine tree. He has been a member to several other bands as well. His most inspiring works are the ones he did as a solo artist. This can also be noticed as he has been nominated for Grammy’s Award for six times and out if these six three times he was nominated as a solo artist. He is a self-taught producer, composer, audio engineer, guitarist, keyboard player and can play other instruments as needed. This shows the diversity in his abilities as he has accomplished multiple genres in his field of work.

The most inspiring work he has done is the art of storytelling through his songs such as “Routine,” “The Raven that refused to sing,” “Hand. Cannot. Erase.” and several others. Especially The Raven has taken his art of story telling to a totally new level as every song is connected to a short story written by Hajo Muller. Wilson has declared that “Hand. Cannot. Erase.” is inspired by a true story of Joyce Carol Vincent who had cut the ties with everyone she knew before her death and her body was found in her apartment in London after two years of her death. Steven Wilson has used media elements and videography for his storytelling to illustrate protuberant concerns in today’s society, such as the relation of social media and isolation, as well as loss. Wilson’s collaboration with the videographer Jess Cope for his song “Routine” has shown an incredible work of combining the story world and human experience in the form of music and performance. “Routine” is the story of an isolated, left alone mother who has lost all of her family in a school shoot and now having to live alone she tries to cope up with her life by keeping her routine of everyday. “In interviews, Wilson describes his aim to communicate his album narratives through multi-dimensional modes of artistic expression, including texts, music, and images, as well as a variety of media, including CDs, DVDs, music videos, internet blogs, and elaborate special edition books featuring artwork and other material artifacts” (Burns 95). So far, he is very much successful in achieving his aim and making the best use of his gifted abilities.

== '''Sources''': ==

Burns, Lori, and Laura McLaren. "Interpreting the Materials of a Transmedia Story World: Word-music-image in Steven Wilson’s ''Hand. Cannot.

Erase. (2015)." The Bloomsbury handbook of music production'' (2020): 392-404.

Burns, Lori. "Steven Wilson’s “''The Raven That Refused to Sing”." The Routledge Companion to Popular Music Analysis: Expanding Approaches''

(2018): 95.

Blakeley, Ryan. ''Genre and Influence: Tracing the Lineage of Timbre and Form in Steven Wilson's Progressive Rock''. Diss. Université

d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa, 2017.