Description - Revising Oral Theory by Paul Acker
Focusing on the Old English poem "Beowulf", on various Old Norse rune poems, and on the Old Icelandic mythological and legendary poems of the Elder Edda, this study addresses the following questions: what does it mean to compose with formulas; was repetition in these poems fixed or flexible; how do formulas relate to more large-scale poetic strategies and motifs; and in what sense are such formulas a part of oral tradition? The introductory essay places oral-formulaic theory into a larger theoretical context, relating it to structuralist activities in folklore and mythology. The author then continues on to employ a linguistically-based stylistic criticism, investigating the use of fixed and flexible language in the poetry. Throughout the book the author attempts to negotiate a shift from and older, structuralist theory of oral-formulaic composition to a more recognizable contemporary oral theory.
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