The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton

Aug 01, 2007 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: religion, witchmagichistory, 19thcentury, 18thcentury, britain, history

The true history of modern Wicca. Deeply academic yet totally fascinating, Ronald Hutton here turns his considerable historical expertise to unraveling the roots of Britain's only home-grown religion. No, it's not 30,000 years old, and yes, Gerald Gardener did fudge a lot of things. But Hutton argues persuasively that Wicca's origins do go beyond Gardener, for he was influenced not only by Hinduism (he'd been a civil servant in India) but by a diverse collection of sources: Romantic literature,...more

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Jun 12, 2007 Ken rated it 2 of 5 stars

I can't give a clear recommendation for this book.

It seems to be rather fixated on refuting an absolute connection from old pagan religion towards neopaganism. On the very narrow line the author follows that refutation can be justified, and for that I suppose it has some use.

On the other hand it tends to ignore broader connections that are the source of some of the revivification of older religions. Traditional dances, carnivals that have figures associated with pagan diety, and symbols that su...more

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Dec 12, 2008 Cwn_annwn_13 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-public-library

Hutton more or less aproached the book as an unbiased historian instead of going out of his way to critique Wicca. Although just stating the facts in itself makes wicca look silly. I'd recomend reading this book. As much as I dislike Wicca the history and evolution of it is interesting.

Wiccas roots are in freemasonry, crowleyish occult b.s and well meaning but flawed writers like Yeats, Frazer and Graves. Once you get past where its roots lie it gets even worse. Wicca has absolutely nothing to...more

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Apr 20, 2008 Dfordoom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Ronald Hutton’s The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft turned out to be a fascinating read. I found the first half especially interesting, where he traced the various strands – such as the revival of ritual magic, Theosophy, the increasing interest in ancient paganism, the survival of traditional magical practices like charms – emerged during the nineteenth century and then came together in the 20th to form what was effectively a new religion. The second half then traces t...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Brian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hutton's history of British Pagan Witchcraft as it came to be practiced in the 20th century is itself a triumph of scholarship - a synthesis of truly copious documentary sources, along with personal observations among contemporary practitioners, presented with rigorous thoroughness and anchored in the biographic narratives of the individuals who lived that history. Hutton's treatment of those individuals (who include practicing pagans, magicians, writers, scholars, and many others across several...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Steve Cran added it

If one wishes to practice the craft then it makes sense that one should learn the history of the craft. Wicca was introduced by Gerald Gardener in the mid to late 1950's shortly after Britain repealed their anti-witchcraft laws. Gardener claimed that he became initiated into a coven in North Forrest England. His claims are subject to dispute.

Prior to him introducing Wicca, Gerald Gardner was a member of the Mason and he was a member of Ordo Templis Orientales, Aleister Crowley's organization. Mr...more If one wishes to practice the craft then it makes sense that one should learn the history of the craft. Wicca was introduced by Gerald Gardener in the mid to late 1950's shortly after Britain repealed their anti-witchcraft laws. Gardener claimed that he became initiated into a coven in North Forrest England. His claims are subject to dispute.

Prior to him introducing Wicca, Gerald Gardner was a member of the Mason and he was a member of Ordo Templis Orientales, Aleister Crowley's organization. Mr. Gardner tried to set up OTO in London but he was not too successful. Many a people familiar with both Crowley's work and Wicca have noticed that Gardner plagiarized Crowley in many an instance and used his words in a construct that Crowley himself would not have used. Doreen Vailente would later on re-write everything.

Despite all this the author Ronald Hutton does make the statement that Wicca, meaning the wiseones, is a viable religion. Hutton is a historian who has written many books on Pagan movement and holidays in Great Britain.

Mr. Hutton goes on to say that "Wicca" is the first all British contribution to religion given to the world. In order to fully get an understanding of Wicca one must get an overall picture of British history and the British mentality. The British fascination with Paganism began with a renewed enthusiasm and admiration for Greco/Roman Culture. These nationalities were thought off as being advanced and were praised for their many contributions to world civilization. The Greeks and the Romans were only thought to be lacking morals and the revelation of Jesus Christ. Later on British literature would foster and cultivate a fascination with nature. The old pagans were thought to have a real closeness with nature.

As history would progress several authors would write paens to Pan and how he would chase wood nymphs in the the forest. The Christian religion was felt to be too rigid at this time. Godfrey Higgins asserted that in ancient History that there was an ancient civilization that extended through out the known world. They were the ones who discovered writing and religion. Helena Blavatsky, s spiritualist, speculated that Atlantis was this society.

In the Ancient world there was a Goddess for every aspect of civilization but not nature, however. The Goddesses had their own identity. Toward the end of the Pagan Period in a work called "Metamorpheisis" by Apuleius it was said that the moon goddess was said to embody all the other Goddesses. In literature and in Archaeology a view was starting to prevail that humanity worshiped a mother goddess. She is represented by the earth and the moon. She ended up embodying all the Goddesses and this is the current view of Pagan Witchcraft.

Like wise with the Greek Gods like Jupiter, Apollo and Neptune all of them fell out of favor. For while Apollo was the favorite but soon he gave way to the horned God Pan. Pan was a favorite of the literary scene up until the 1930's. He represented nature, sexuality and playfulness. He was the exact opposite of Jesus. In the view of Robert Graves the horned God was the consort of of the Goddess and was both the lover and the offspring of the Goddess. Death served as a transition.

Wicca borrowed their ritual structure from the Masons. The first Masonic Lodge was established in the late 1596 in North Scotland. They had initiations, handshakes and passwords. Many of which Wicca would come to borrow. In Medieval times there were guilds who had secret organizations. They too had a lot in common with the Masons but with more of a focus towards their craft or profession.

Masonic craft was oriented towards spiritual perfection. To join a lodge one had to believe in a supreme being. Their ceremonies had 4 cardinal directions and they were connected with mythology. As more archaeological information became available about the Sumerians, Egyptians and Greek that information slowly got added into the Masonic lore.

The Pentagram was one of the Masonic symbols, the masons also ended their ceremonies with "so mote it be" These element should be recognizable to those who practice Wicca. One Masonic type organization was called " The Horseman's Word" This guild of horse whisperers would mock Christ and Christianity and say parts of the Bible backwards.

In a nutshell to cap things off, word has it that Gerald Gardener after returning from India in the 1930 became acquainted with a group of Rosicrucian actors who introduced him to the craft. Dorothy Clutterbuck was the priestess who supposedly initiated Gardner. Later he tried to bring to London with success along with a woman named Dafo. Later on she would leave and Gardner would recruit Doreen Valiente. Valiente upon looking over Gardners book of shadows noticed a lot of phrases taken from Aleister Crowley. Crowley himself was not really interested in Witch Craft which he considered a woman's religion. None the less Crowley did meet with Gardner 3-4 times. Later on Valiente would part with Gardner and join with Robert Cochran. Valiente later left Cochran and wnet on her own. The book discusses the growth of Wicca, Alex Sanders, the impact of American Wicca on the British.

For those who practice Wicca I advise that you read this book. Not only does it tell the history and development of the craft but also what events and trends lead to it's birth. It is very scholarly and thorough.(less)

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Apr 05, 2010 R. Ellis rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. It took me quite awhile to get through it, but I thought the effort well worthwhile as an aid to any seeker inclined toward paganism or wicca. Even though the book focuses on paganism as practiced in Britain and northern Europe, its reasoning is universal in nature. Only the examples and history are specific.

However, this book is not for everybody. Hutton is an academician, a history professor to be exact, and his book is a study of paganism from a historical perspective. Not...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Helena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: witchcraft-and-occult

As a scholarly book written by a professional historian, I did not expect to ‘swallow this book whole’, but I was mistaken. The Triumph of the Moon exceeded its already lofty reputation for me as it wove a rich tapestry of the sociocultural context from which modern pagan witchcraft emerged. Hutton presents a detailed overview of historical movements and shifts in ideology, which set the precedence for the pagan revival of the 1950’s. He gently but firmly breaks down the myth that modern day Pag...more As a scholarly book written by a professional historian, I did not expect to ‘swallow this book whole’, but I was mistaken. The Triumph of the Moon exceeded its already lofty reputation for me as it wove a rich tapestry of the sociocultural context from which modern pagan witchcraft emerged. Hutton presents a detailed overview of historical movements and shifts in ideology, which set the precedence for the pagan revival of the 1950’s. He gently but firmly breaks down the myth that modern day Paganism is the continuation of a surviving practice of Goddess worship, an assertion that contradicts the claims of Gerald Gardner and many other prominent Pagans, and is likely to vex a fair few practitioners of the Old Ways. However, his tone remains respectful, his argument compelling, and his style idiosyncratic throughout.
Hutton’s training as an academic is evident in the best ways, namely, his use of referencing where each contention is backed by a hearty serving of supporting evidence. The Triumph of the Moon changed the way I thought about my religion. It serves a refreshingly three-dimensional understanding of modern paganism, coupled with a renewed appreciation of its modern inception that enhances, rather than delegitimises, its beauty and mystique.
The first half of the book on Macrocosm was exceptionally captivating. In particular, the chapters on Finding a Goddess and Finding a God revealed the various mythological figures, most notably Diana and Pan, that captured the inspirations of writers and artists throughout the past few centuries. It was particularly interesting to discover how Western thinking has idealised and romanticised pagan ways for many decades before sensationalist media painted Wicca in a Satanic light during the mid 20th Century, the negative stereotypes of which many Pagans still live with today.
I would recommend to this book to almost anyone, but especially Wiccans and Pagans who would like to consume a critical and yet liberating perspective on modern pagan witchcraft. Contrary to how one would expect to feel about a book that dispels the very romantic myths on Wicca and Paganism and portrays both the formidable pioneering efforts as well as the imperfections of its founders, The Triumph of the Moon charged me with a sense of elation borne out of illumination. However, it can be quite dense, and may be more palatable for those with an academic background.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: spiritual, nonfiction, historical

This is an awesome book. It gives the history of modern paganism, with a particular focus on Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions, and the cultural forces that precursed them. For a scholarly text, is is extremely easy to read and Hutton puts his own wry wit into numerous examples. He is also extremely respectful of the beliefs of current Wiccans and Pagans, and never uses the historical fallacies or irregularities to discredit the religion. His final chapter, where he synthesizes his findings...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Celestial Elf rated it 4 of 5 stars

Intruigued by Mr Hutton's assertion that "Wicca" (meaning the wiseones) is the first all British religion given to the world, I approached his book The Triumph of the Moon as my first serious study of Wicca and Witchcraft with an objective attitude and without any preconceived perspectives on the matter. As anyone who has read any Hutton will already know, his books are academic, copiously refferenced and invariably not a light read.

Of The Origins of Modern Perspectives On Wichcraft, Wicca and P...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paganism

Anyone wanting to understand the development of Wicca should read this book. It's very detailed, but also easy to follow, as long as you have a basic background on the subject. It is one of the few academic publications on the topic. AS such, it has things like footnotes rather than wild claims without reference taht are unfortunately common in non-academic works.

Downside: The print is small, and the reading is fairly dry since it is academic. The first chapter or two are the worst. I found ever...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Ryver Maren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: occult

I think this is a book anyone getting into modern pagan witchcraft/Wicca should read. It certain dispells a lot of the misinformation floating about, connecting the changing cultural ideals of the late 19th/early 20th century to the formation of groups such as the Freemasons, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) - all of which had some contribution to what later became known as Wicca.

I found this book also places a lot of common modern pagan traditions in cont...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Derek Baldwin rated it 4 of 5 stars

A proper history of paganism, wicca etc. Exposes all the wanky claims of wicca's timelessness - given that what most people call paganism was invented by Gerald Gardner et al in the last 100 years. None of which makes paganism invalid, or pagans frauds, but they need to be careful about some of their claims and all this skyclad dancing around in stone circles is a bit lame really and makes you want to punch them. Recommended to me by Sally: "Hi I'm Sally. I'm a witch" "Um, ok, nice to meet you....more

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May 09, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

Here is a book that brings witchcraft out of the shadows. The Triumph of the Moon is the first full-scale study of the only religion England has ever given the world--modern pagan witchcraft, otherwise known as wicca. Meticulously researched, it provides a thorough account of an ancient religion that has spread from English shores across four continents.
For centuries, pagan witchcraft has been linked with chilling images of blood rituals, ghostlike druids, and even human sacrifices. But while Ro...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

the book was a mixed bag for me. i knew going in it was a scholarly book, the adf.org website lists the reading level of the book as "Late Undergraduate to Post-Graduate" so it's not like i was expecting flowing narrative or the tone of a memoir or anything like that. some of the chapters i very much liked as they took the approach of how a concept develops. it's not so much about what is right or wrong, what was or wasn't but simply what people thought at particular times and how that evolved....more the book was a mixed bag for me. i knew going in it was a scholarly book, the adf.org website lists the reading level of the book as "Late Undergraduate to Post-Graduate" so it's not like i was expecting flowing narrative or the tone of a memoir or anything like that. some of the chapters i very much liked as they took the approach of how a concept develops. it's not so much about what is right or wrong, what was or wasn't but simply what people thought at particular times and how that evolved. (from the first half of the book see chapters on goddess, god, and high magic.) however other chapters were an annoyance, they read like lists in paragraph form (chapter on low magic). there are a number of times where the author seems more concerned with names and places (particularly of previous scholars and authors) than the essence of the point he was trying to make. a number of times i found myself wondering what he was actually talking about.
The book is very Wicca heavy, Gardner in particular. Modern means the last 200 years. The book is only about British Witchcraft, with the exception of 1 or 2 chapters that delve into the US in particular Feminist Witchcraft, which he seems vaguely hostile towards. Anyone who wants to hold on to the notion of Wicca/Witchcraft/Paganism as an unbroken line stretching back to ancient times will hate the book, i suspect, and while that's not a position i've held to, reading the book did feel a little...demoralizing. His whole point in the end, is that it's all made up. For me it doesn't matter, all religion is made up. Jesus, if you accept his existence in the first place, didn't pass out a handbook for Christianity, later people made it up. So it doesn't matter if Gardner made up Wicca, and i don't argue the authors scholarship, it seems of high quality, but i argue his presentation of the information and perhaps a disconnect between title and content. it's like the author so very much wants to find information that proves the link going way back, so he repeatedly builds up to a point, and then repeatedly one is let down when there is no proof. it's the up and down nature that i object to especially in a history book. but i do want to stress that the scholarship is excellent and i do like how he weaves together the threads that became modern witchcraft. (less)

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Mar 18, 2011 Wishmaster rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first half of the book is incredibly dry and hard to get into. Things liven up (comparitively anyway) in the second part and this is where it becomes very interesting.

I can understand why Ronald Hutton came under fire for his quite constricted presentation of the provenance of Wicca. There are hints of there being much more to the story, but without definitive evidence, he either sits on the fence and says maybe, or dismisses things that really deserved more attention.

I'm torn. The book is e...more

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Dec 22, 2010 Hermgirl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: neopaganism

I liked this book, and didn't like it.

I like that the connections with antiquity are found in classic literature, such as Byron, Shelly, and Swinburne, rather than insisting on connection with some kind of lineage that goes back to ancients. I have a theory that while there was "a witchcraft" in pretty much every religion and culture throughout history, Wicca itself, and by extension most modern paganism, is a modern invention of many different things taken from different places.

After reading th...more

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Nov 16, 2012 Story rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the books I used for my thesis. Hutton, an excellent historian, traces the origins of modern Pagan Witchcraft, an invented tradition, from Gerald Gardner and his fascination with esoteric societies to present practice, which has become its own beast. Like any good historian, he allows and investigates the origin myths as Neo-Pagans give them, but ultimately uncovers the roots of this invented tradition, without ever once disrespecting it. Fascinating and accessibly written.

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Dec 29, 2010 Adriane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, non-fiction, spiritual-research, witchy-books

This is a wonderful and informative book, but it is incredibly dense, took me about 6 months to finish cause I had to keep re-reading passages to absorb everything. I think I need to read it again, because I don't remember it as well now, it's been a few years. Actually I got kicked out of an online club because I said Aleister Crowley is interesting due to the info in this book. That group was stupid anyway.

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May 08, 2010 Gregory Mark rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book comes across as a scholarly book, and therefor, trustworthy in its accuracy. However, this is not the case. Hutton makes a great many assertions that are just plain false, and easily proved so.

The underlying goal of this book seems to be to conduct a "character assassination" on an entire movement.

Fortunately, author Raven Grimassi has taken on Hutton's inaccuracies in several of his books.

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Feb 26, 2011 Christine Bowles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even after years of practicing the pagan religion, I found this book to be very useful in further understanding the history of the religion I follow. Hutton does an incredible job of delving into the past of a religion that is deeply hidden in shadow. Not only does he find details that have been previously hidden or misunderstood, but he collects them in a way that allows the reader to fully comprehend it all. I feel that I am walking away from this book with a far deeper knowledge of not only t...more

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Feb 16, 2010 Electric Funeral rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, other-non-fiction

A really good book on the making of the wicca movement in England and the US writen by an english historian. A little dry at times but very well researched. If you want to know how religion in general is constructed, get this one.

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Feb 20, 2013 Gabriel M. Clarke rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book demands a thorough review from me at some point. Suffice to say that if you're attracted to any form of Paganism, Triumph of the Moon will provide you with a framework for appreciating and engaging with the experiences those paths offer without requiring you to check your credulity at the door. Not without flaws but generally wonderful.

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Jul 23, 2011 Kari rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is itself a triumph! Extremely informative and interesting, Hutton presents to the reader a extremely detailed and thoroughly researched insight into a part of English history that had an impact that spread across the world. Modern paganism is one of the fastest growing religions in today's society and through Hutton's work it is possible to trace it back to it's origins and the role of the key figures that helped it take on the shape it has today. Dispelling the myths and showing the...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars

Yeats, the warlock, but seriously, the book provides a context for Yeats' use of theosophy, his interest in the occult, and the notorious Mdme Blavatsky.

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Jul 12, 2008 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

Terribly interesting to read in it's own right, this book will level the head of any new neo-pagans and aspiring witches. Follow it up with "Drawing Down the Moon" and you'll have your spiritual cap screwed on tight enough to withstand the sea of occult books out there that seek to do little beyond part you with your money. I wish this book was around when I was a teen. This isn't to say I wish I hadn't become a pagan or that I regret any of my past. But a scholarly shot in the arm would have pr...more

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Oct 16, 2008 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Elizabeth, Christine, Zane

This is the most important Witchcraft book ever. I mean, once you've read all the pretty pseudo-histories and herstories that this book turns into lovely fairy tales. Every single religious movement, occult organization, art trend, anthropologiist mistake and more that went into the Gerald Gardner creating Wicca is documented brilliantly! It's worth the read for non-Pagans just to learn about things such as the Freemasons. The writer is an English scholar, but it's a fun read while your brain ge...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Kerr Cuhulain rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wicca-and-pagan-spirituality

Excellent history of the origins of modern Wicca. I highly recommend it!

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Apr 19, 2009 Elisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a masterful work of scholarship and fun to read to boot.

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Dec 20, 2011 Marije rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: academic, religion

Thorough, well-written, instructive, humorous, fascinating.

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