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Elizabethan Literature and the Supernatural
- Elizabethan literature reflects the era's fascination with witchcraft and supernatural creatures.
- These themes reveal the worldview of people in the late 1500s.
Anglo-Saxon Beliefs and Laws
- Anglo-Saxons had words for supernatural beings like "amor" (nightmare's origin).
- Early English laws against witchcraft existed during Alfred the Great's reign.
Chaucer's Elves and Fairies
- Chaucer's Canterbury Tales mentions a decline in elf and fairy beliefs.
- This was likely exaggerated, as these beliefs persisted, especially in rural areas.