The Rites of Passage

Birth, puberty, marriage, and death are, in all cultures, marked by ceremonies which may differ but are universal in function. Arnold van Gennep (1873-1957) was the first anthropologist to note the regularity and significance of the rituals attached to the transitional stages in man's life, and his phrase for these, "the rites of passage," has become a part of the language of anthropology and sociology.

Customer Reviews:

A book worth reading

By A Customer - October 28, 2000

This book is worth reading. As an early work (published in 1908), it has influenced many Anthropologists. Amazingly, it was not translated into English from French until 1960, so students (and others) who wished to read it had to be either fluent in French or willing to translate it sentence by sentence.Although many of its concepts are considered elementary by the unknowing today, it was a revolutionary look at cross-cultural phenomenon, namely the rites surrounding territories, pregnancy/childbirth, childhood, initiation, bethrothal/marriage and funerals.It is a great basis for a complete understanding of the history of Anthropology.

Landmark Anthropology Text

By Mike - March 22, 2009

This is one of the most interesting, well-researched, and innovative books I've ever read. Van Gennep provides an entire philo-anthropological system for understanding ritual and the rites of passage. A truly powerful piece of scholarship that establishes a framework based on inductive first-hand research, that compares and contrasts itself to other texts, and that has relevance to life.

This is the Anthropological equivalent to Aristotle's Poetics. It is dense, it is well-reasoned, and it justifies its categorizations. Not an easy read, but extraordinarily worthwhile. Must read for people interested in philosophy, myth, psychology, anthropology, cultural studies, theater, and literature.

Important insight into universal rituals

By James Maslach - December 29, 2011

I am very disappointed to find this work out of print. This is one of the most powerful and important books on societal rituals that were once universal. I studied Folklore and Mythology long ago, and this is the first book that I recommend to anyone interested. Rituals long ago were the glue that held a society together and ameliorated conflict. Our rituals of today are pale imitations, without much power or effectiveness. We lack a true initiation ritual which was once an indispensable element of every culture.

Van Gennep delineates a concise and intuitive discussion of the elements of rites of passage, and indicates the societal need for such ritual. Understanding these principles enhances further readings in anthropological studies of primitive cultures. Moreover it provokes thought and theories about current culture and society.

I cannot recommend this work highly enough.