Početna teza ovog doktorskog rada, "Utjecaj magijskih predodžaba na oblikovanje
hrvatskoga kulturnoga identiteta", jest da su magija, magijske predodžbe i magijski obrasci
zauzimale i još uvijek, u određenoj mjeri, zauzimaju bitno mjesto u procesu oblikovanja
hrvatskog kulturnog identiteta. Istraživanje tog utjecaja pokazalo je i točnost teza da su
prostor i njegove značajke u vremenu određivale ovisnost o utjecajima različitih političkih i
vjerskih silnica na oblikovanje kulturne svijest u Hrvata, da se hrvatski kulturni identitet u
pitanju magijskih predodžbi i obrazaca pomicao i još uvijek pomiče u ovisnosti o glavnim
religijskim i kulturnim strujanjima direktno i indirektno vezanim za magijske predodžbe i
obrasce, da su starovjerne pretkršćanske magijske predodžbe ostavile značajne tragove u
hrvatskoj kulturnoj svijesti do danas, ali i da se novovjerne, postkršćanske i nekršćanske
magijske predodžbe i obrasci 20. i 21. stoljeća isprepliću s kršćanskim kulturnim krugom u
Hrvata i drugih etničkih zajednica na hrvatskom tlu, te tako utječu i na daljnje oblikovanje
svakodnevnog života, stava prema duhovnome i razvoju duhovnog iskustva. Za dokazivanje
ovih teza bio je potreban sveobuhvatan interdisciplinaran pristup iz perspektive više
znanstvenih disciplina, povijesti, etnologije i antropologije te filologije.
Iz tog razloga ovoj studiji pristupilo se sa svjesnošću da su pitanja magijskoga od 19.
stoljeća do danas proučavana samo partikularno, dakle s gledišta pojedinih istraživanja i
analiza poput etnografskih zapisa folklornih vjerovanja i praksi, povijesnih analiza
dokumenata ili pak književno-jezičnih analiza unutar usmenoknjiževnih oblika, te magijskog
u književnosti. Zbog te partikularnosti dosad nije izvedena studija koja bi interdisciplinarno
obuhvatila sva navedena gledišta i obradila ih u jednoj studiji. Objedinjavanjem tih gledišta
ovaj doktorski rad usustavio je: pregled i definicije magijskih predodžabama i obrazaca kroz
podjelu na magijske sustave, magijska sredstva i magijske osobe. Obuhvatio je tri različite
perspektive magijskog: religijsku perspektivu, književnojezičnu perspektivu kao i
dokumentiranu perspektivu povijesti magijske prakse. Na taj su način u ovom radu
interdisciplinarno analizirani specifični utjecaji, kako europskih tako i hrvatskih, na razvoj i
oblikovanje određenih magijskih predodžaba i obrazaca koji su djelovali i, u određenoj mjeri,
još uvijek djeluju na oblikovanje hrvatskog kulutrnog identiteta.Starting thesis of this study, "Influence of magical conceptions on shaping of Croatian
cultural identity" was that magic, magical conceptions and patterns are very important factors
of influence on Croatian cultural identity. Until now, problems of magic were, from 19th
Century to present day, studied only partially, through points of view of ethnographical
records of folk beliefs and practices, historical analysis of legal document or linguistic
analysis of verbal forms of magic or magical in literature. There wasn't integrated study like
this which would, by interdisciplinary means and methods, combine these points of view in
one place. Here it is done by systemizing definitions of magic systems, mediums and
practitioners, with creation of a list with the most important European and Croatian
researchers and progress of their ideas in their works about this topics, and with list of most
important foreign and Croatian journals and publications in the last one hundred years which
published or still publish primal sources and articles about magic practices. Furthermore, this
study included three different perspectives on magical conceptions and patterns, through
religion, literature and magic practices by itself, with analysis of European influences on
Croatian culture and its own ideas of magic.
This dissertation consists of Introduction, five larger chapters, Conclusion and
Bibliography.
In first chapter, Methodological and theoretical context, study deals with methodology
and timeline of research, interdisciplinar approach, sources and literature which were used,
theoretical background, especially those connected with defining terms of Croatian cultural
identity and Magic per se. Magic herebye is defined from three points of view, those of
religion, science and those of magic practitioners. In the chapter follows brief history of
magical culture in European area and researched terms connected with magical culture, such
as occultism and esoteria.
In second chapter, Categorization and definitions of magical patterns and beliefs, study
deals with major divisions and categorizations of magical practices. From introductive part
where were analyzed some other categorization possibilities, such of those of Mauss,
Čulinović-Konstantinović or Lazar, to the main topic, categorization of all magical
conceptions and patterns in three major parts: magical systems, magical mediums and magical
persons. Each of parts is divided in lesser divisions and categorizations with the goal of
getting analytical tool for recognition, classification and definition of magical conceptions, patterns, beliefs and phenomena in the systems according to its different goals and fields of
human culture and work, of course, mostly with examples from Croatian history and culture.
Third chapter, Religious view upon magic, follows the story of interaction between
religion and magic from theoretical introduction, through concepts of Old Faith in Croatian
historical premises and it's view on magic, Judeo-Christian thoughts, ancient and medieval
about magic, developement of medieval religion and legal views against magic, witchtrials in
Medieval and Early modern period, to modern Christian view on the subject of magic in
Croatia, as also early modern and modern Muslim views on the same subject.
Fourth chapter, Magical conceptions, patterns and practices in Croatian historical
space, deals in the timeline of dozen phenomena connected with magical practices in Croatian
history, from medieval Croatian alchemists, freemasonery, syncretic secret societies,
theosophy, antrophosophy, to 20th Century's New Faiths, New Age movements, Satanism,
Wicca, Native Faith, Neopaganisms, Neoshamanisms, Neoanimisms and Magic in mass
media culture. All these phenomena are shown in interaction with European and World
movements in similar concepts and their influence on everyday culture.
Fifth chapter, Literal and linguistical view on magic – magic as literature and magic in
literature, studies oral patterns of verbal magical practice, charms, spells and curses with their
examples. Then it deals with subject of magical practices and concepts in older Croatian
literature, that of Renaissance and Baroque, and finally in the modern literature of 20th
Century in the examples in the works of Marija Jurić Zagorka and Ivana Brlić Mažuranić.
Conclusion of this study confirms initial thesis of research that magic, magical
conceptions and patterns are very important factors of influence on Croatian cultural identity;
that space and its characteristics in time defines dependance of influences of different political
and religous flows which shape cultural conscience among Croatian people; that Croatian
cultural identity in the point of magical conceptions shifts accordingly to main and
mainstream religious and magical cultural currents; that Old Faith and Prechristian magical
beliefs are still important factors in Croatian cultural conscience and still persist to this day;
and last, that New Faiths, like Postchristian and Nonchristian magical concepts of 20th and
21st Century had spread and intertweened with Christian cultural circle among Croatian and
other inhabitants on Croatian historical premises and that they still influence on everyday life,
and perception of spiritual
