
Demonology and Devil Lore (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. The Mythology of EvilBy Moncure D. ConwayLength30h 6m
About this audiobook
Demonology and Devil-Lore is a capacious Victorian inquiry into the origins, transformations, and cultural uses of demons, devils, spirits, and infernal imagery. Conway ranges across scripture, classical myth, folklore, comparative religion, and popular superstition, treating evil not as a fixed theological reality but as a historical construction shaped by fear, environment, and social imagination. Its style is learned, digressive, and humane, belonging to the nineteenth-century tradition of comparative mythology and rational religious criticism. Moncure D. Conway, an American-born Unitarian minister, abolitionist, and later freethinking reformer, was unusually prepared for such a study. His movement from evangelical culture toward liberal religion and secular humanism sharpened his interest in how doctrines acquire authority. Living between the United States and Britain, and engaged with reformist and intellectual circles, Conway brought to the book both moral urgency and cosmopolitan breadth. This work is recommended to readers interested in folklore, religious history, mythology, and the genealogy of ideas about evil. Though marked by the assumptions of its age, it remains a rich and provocative monument of Victorian scholarship, valuable for its vast learning and its insistence that even humanity's darkest imaginings deserve historical understanding.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreSpirituality and Religion
Length30 hrs 6 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJul 15, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
26Chapter I. Decline of Demons.
2Introduction
27Chapter II. Generalisation of Demons.
3Synopsis
28Chapter III. The Serpent.
4Historical Context
29Chapter IV. The Worm.
5Preface.
30Chapter V. Apophis.
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6Part I. Demonolatry.
31Chapter VI. The Serpent in India.
7Chapter I. Dualism.
32Chapter VII. The Basilisk.
8Chapter II. The Genesis of Demons.
33Chapter VIII. The Dragon’s Eye.
9Chapter III. Degradation.
34Chapter IX. The Combat.
10Chapter IV. The Abgott.
35Chapter X. The Dragon-slayer.
11Chapter V. Classification.
36Chapter XI. The Dragon’s Breath.
12Part II. The Demon.
37Chapter XII. Fate.
13Chapter I. Hunger.
38Part IV. The Devil.
14Chapter II. Heat.
39Chapter I. Diabolism.
15Chapter III. Cold.
40Chapter II. The Second Best.
16Chapter IV. Elements.
41Chapter III. Ahriman: The Divine Devil.
17Chapter V. Animals.
42Chapter IV. Viswámitra: The Theocratic Devil.
18Chapter VI. Enemies.
43Chapter V. Elohim and Jehovah.
19Chapter VII. Barrenness.
44Chapter VI. The Consuming Fire.
20Chapter VIII. Obstacles.
45Chapter VII. Paradise and the Serpent.
21Chapter IX. Illusion.
46Chapter VIII. Eve.
22Chapter X. Darkness.
47Chapter IX. Lilith.
23Chapter XI. Disease.
48Chapter X. War in Heaven.
24Chapter XII. Death.
49Chapter XI. War on Earth.
25Part III. The Dragon.
50Chapter XII. Strife.