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Excerpt
Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 2, by Charles Mackay
They heard, and up they sprung upon the wing
Innumerable. As when the potent rod
Of Amram's son, in Egypt's evil day,
Waved round the coast, up call'd a pitchy cloud
Of locusts, warping on the eastern wind
That o'er the realm of impious Pharaoh hung
Like night, and darken'd all the realm of Nile,
So numberless were they. * * *
* * * * * * *<br />
All in a moment through the gloom were seen
Ten thousand banners rise into the air,
With orient colours waving. With them rose
A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and serried shields, in thick array,
Of depth immeasurable.
Paradise Lost.
Every age has its peculiar folly--some scheme, project, or phantasy
into which it plunges, spurred on either by the love of gain, the
necessity of excitement, or the mere force of imitation. Failing in
these, it has some madness, to which it is goaded by political or
religious causes, or both combined. Every one of these causes
influenced the Crusades, and conspired to render them the most
extraordinary instance upon record of the extent to which popular
enthusiasm can be carried. History in her solemn page informs us, that
the crusaders were but ignorant and savage men, that their motives were
those of bigotry unmitigated, and that their pathway was one of blood
and tears. Romance, on the other hand, dilates upon their piety and
heroism and pourtrays in her most glowing and impassioned hues their
virtue and magnanimity, the imperishable honour they acquired for
themselves, and the great services they rendered to Christianity. In
the following pages we shall ransack the stores of both, to discover
the true spirit that animated the motley multitude who took up arms in
the service of the Cross, leaving history to vouch for facts, but not
disdaining the aid of contemporary poetry and romance to throw light
upon feelings, motives, and opinions.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions by Charles Mackay
This passage is taken from Charles Mackay’s Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841), a historical work examining mass hysteria, financial bubbles, and collective irrationality. The excerpt specifically introduces Mackay’s discussion of the Crusades, framing them as a prime example of how popular enthusiasm, religious fervor, and political manipulation can drive entire societies into delusional enterprises.
The text begins with a poetic epigraph from Paradise Lost (Book 1, lines 338–348) by John Milton, describing Satan’s demonic legions rising in vast numbers—an analogy Mackay uses to evoke the overwhelming, almost supernatural scale of the Crusades. This is followed by Mackay’s own prose, where he contrasts historical reality with romanticized myth, setting the stage for his analysis of the Crusades as a mass delusion.
1. Analysis of the Miltonic Epigraph (from Paradise Lost)
Mackay opens with a vivid, apocalyptic image from Milton’s Paradise Lost, comparing the Crusaders to a biblical plague of locusts—a swarm so vast it blots out the sky. This choice is highly deliberate:
Biblical Allusion (Exodus 10: Locust Plague):
- The reference to "Amram’s son" (Aaron, Moses’ brother) and the "pitchy cloud of locusts" recalls the eighth plague of Egypt, a divine punishment for Pharaoh’s stubbornness.
- By invoking this, Mackay frames the Crusades as a divine scourge—not a holy mission, but a destructive, uncontrollable force descending upon the world.
- The locusts "darken’d all the realm of Nile" just as the Crusaders’ blind zealotry darkened Europe and the Middle East with war and suffering.
Milton’s Satanic Imagery:
- In Paradise Lost, this passage describes Satan’s rebel angels rising in Hell, their numbers so vast they resemble an unstoppable, chaotic horde.
- Mackay implicitly compares the Crusaders to demonic forces—not in a literal sense, but in their unthinking, fanatical unity, driven by religious madness rather than reason.
- The "ten thousand banners" and "forest huge of spears" suggest military grandeur, but also mindless conformity—a faceless mass rather than noble individuals.
Literary Devices in the Epigraph:
- Simile: The Crusaders are like locusts, emphasizing their swarming, consumptive nature.
- Hyperbole: "Innumerable," "depth immeasurable"—exaggeration to convey overwhelming scale.
- Sensory Imagery: "Pitchy cloud," "gloom," "darken’d"—creates a sinister, oppressive atmosphere, foreshadowing Mackay’s critique.
Why does Mackay use this epigraph? He sets a tone of foreboding—the Crusades were not a glorious endeavor but a collective frenzy, as irrational and destructive as a biblical plague or Satan’s rebellion.
2. Mackay’s Prose: The Crusades as a "Peculiar Folly"
After the poetic preamble, Mackay shifts to his own analysis, making several key points:
A. Every Age Has Its "Peculiar Folly"
- Mackay argues that mass delusions are recurrent in history, driven by:
- Love of gain (economic motives, e.g., looting the Holy Land).
- Necessity of excitement (boredom, desire for adventure).
- Force of imitation (peer pressure, herd mentality).
- Political/religious manipulation (leaders exploiting faith for power).
- The Crusades exemplify all these factors combined, making them the most extreme case of popular enthusiasm.
B. The Dual Narrative: History vs. Romance
Mackay contrasts two perspectives on the Crusades:
Historical Reality (Sober, Critical View):
- Crusaders were "ignorant and savage men"—uneducated, brutal, driven by bigotry.
- Their path was "one of blood and tears"—war, slaughter, suffering for little gain.
- Motives: Religious fanaticism, greed, feudal obligations, not pure piety.
Romanticized Myth (Idealized View):
- Poetry and romance (e.g., medieval chivalric tales) portray them as pious heroes.
- Emphasizes "virtue, magnanimity, imperishable honour"—a noble quest for Christendom.
- Services to Christianity (defending the faith, reclaiming Jerusalem).
Mackay rejects both extremes, instead seeking a balanced truth:
- He will "ransack the stores of both" (history and romance) to understand the real motivations of the Crusaders.
- History provides facts, but literature reveals emotions—why people believed in the Crusades.
C. The "Motley Multitude"
- The Crusaders were not a uniform group but a diverse, chaotic mass:
- Knights (seeking glory, land, or salvation).
- Peasants (following charismatic preachers like Peter the Hermit).
- Merchants & Opportunists (profiting from war).
- Fanatics (believing in divine mission).
- Mackay’s phrase "motley multitude" suggests disorganization, conflicting motives, and lack of coherent leadership.
3. Themes in the Excerpt
The Danger of Mass Hysteria:
- The Crusades are presented as a cautionary tale about how collective enthusiasm can override reason.
- Mackay later applies this to financial bubbles (e.g., Tulip Mania, South Sea Bubble)—showing how irrational exuberance leads to disaster.
The Power of Narrative:
- History vs. Myth: People’s actions are shaped by stories they believe (religious prophecy, chivalric romance).
- Mackay suggests that propaganda and legend (e.g., tales of Crusader heroism) fueled the delusion.
Religious Fanaticism as a Double-Edged Sword:
- Faith can inspire great sacrifices but also justify atrocities.
- The Crusades were both a holy war and a brutal conquest—Mackay questions whether the ends justified the means.
The Illusion of Noble Causes:
- Many Crusaders believed they were doing God’s work, but Mackay implies that most were misguided or self-serving.
- This reflects his broader skepticism about popular movements—whether religious, political, or economic.
4. Literary & Rhetorical Devices in Mackay’s Prose
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Antithesis | "History... informs us that the crusaders were but ignorant and savage men... Romance, on the other hand, dilates upon their piety and heroism." | Highlights the contradiction between reality and myth, forcing the reader to question which is true. |
| Metaphor | "Every age has its peculiar folly" | Frames the Crusades as a disease of the mind, not a rational enterprise. |
| Allusion | Reference to Aaron’s rod (Exodus) and Milton’s demons | Connects the Crusades to biblical plagues and infernal chaos, reinforcing the idea of divine punishment or madness. |
| Parallelism | "Spurred on either by the love of gain, the necessity of excitement, or the mere force of imitation." | Emphasizes the multiple, overlapping causes of mass delusion. |
| Irony | "the great services they rendered to Christianity" (when in reality, the Crusades often harmed Christianity’s reputation) | Subtly undermines the romantic view, suggesting the Crusades were counterproductive. |
5. Significance of the Excerpt
Historical Context:
- Mackay writes in the 19th century, a time of industrialization, colonialism, and revolutionary movements.
- His work warns against blind enthusiasm—whether in religious revivals, political revolutions, or financial speculations.
- The Crusades serve as a precedent for modern "popular delusions" (e.g., stock market bubbles, nationalist frenzies).
Literary Significance:
- Mackay blends history, psychology, and literature—a precursor to modern studies of mass psychology (e.g., Gustave Le Bon’s The Crowd).
- His use of Milton’s epic imagery elevates the Crusades to a mythic, almost supernatural scale, reinforcing their irrational, overwhelming nature.
Philosophical Implications:
- Challenges the idea of progress—if the Crusades were a medieval madness, what prevents modern societies from similar folly?
- Questions how much of history is shaped by delusion rather than rational choice.
6. Conclusion: Mackay’s View of the Crusades
Mackay does not outright condemn the Crusaders but presents them as victims of their own enthusiasm—caught between religious fervor, political manipulation, and human weakness. The Miltonic epigraph sets a dark, almost supernatural tone, while his prose dismantles the myth of noble Crusaders, revealing a complex, often ugly reality.
His broader argument is that civilizations are prone to periodic insanities, and the Crusades are one of history’s greatest examples. By comparing them to locusts and demons, he suggests that mass movements, no matter how holy in appearance, can become forces of destruction when reason is abandoned.
Final Thought:
Mackay’s excerpt remains relevant today—whether analyzing political extremism, financial bubbles, or social media-driven frenzies, his warning about the dangers of unchecked popular enthusiasm still resonates. The Crusades, in his view, were not just a medieval phenomenon but a timeless lesson in human irrationality.