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What is Black Magick?
Witches, warlocks, demons…they all have a little something to do with black magic, don’t they? But what about Harry Potter? The wildly popular franchise explores the unexplained, utilizing magic to accomplish amazing things. Is the kind of magic we see used in the beloved children’s series equivalent to summoning Cthulu from the depths of an H. P. Lovecraft tale?
To understand the subtle differences, and why feats of black magic are categorized as such, delving into the history of the craft is essential. Exploring the origins of what some consider macabre, and others consider doctrine, can enlighten a person not only to the false accusations brought against black magic, but how much of it really coincides with the evil wizards we see in the movies.
While magical practices can be traced to many different eras, such as ancient Egypt and China, what is commonly understood today as “black magic” has its strongest roots in medieval England. While Christian values perpetuated by the church were practically law, and the church itself was somewhat stronger than the ruling nobles in most cases, magic was still common practice.
Simple curses and hexes were cited in private, for fear of being condemned as a witch. Since the church ruled above most others, magic propaganda was kept silent because the punishments of open practice were harsh.
Ironically, those that never really considered themselves masters of the craft never really functioned as such. People like Gerbert d’Aurillac and Albertus Magnus were researchers and scientists, who were constantly working on innovations based on science that most considered to be witchcraft. The simple fact was this: education amongst the common man was virtually nonexistent, so anything that was unexplained was considered magic.
These two men differed from those who claimed to practice black magic largely due to the style of their “spells.” While the scientists’ work was misinterpreted, there were those who actually believed in what they were doing, fooling themselves into thinking that their curses were successful.
So, what is black magic?
Typically, the standard definition is that black magic is any ritual that seeks to control, manipulate, harm, or kill for reasons of anger or personal gain. The “black” part of the term is most closely associated with death, which in most societies has always been marked by dark colors. Mostly associated with uneducated commoners during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, black magic mostly existed in folklore in the more rural parts of England. While by definition the intent of black magic is negative, it is not always harmful.
Manipulation of others for reasons of personal gain does imply malicious intent, but it is not a prerequisite. Jealously was a strong motivational factor amongst neighbors, and while their “spells” did nothing except to bolster their own confidence, the practice of black magic was considered very serious. Fueling their beliefs with anger and rage, derived from their initial jealousy, is what closely associates the negative connotations with black magic.
These are but the broadest terms of black magic, which would eventually evolve during the thirteenth century to be the basis for more scientific means of witchcraft. Demonology and angelology would give rise to concrete rituals, based on the popular beliefs of the rural areas of England.
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