Oral-Formulaic Theory: Annotated Bibliography

Franz Dirlmeier. Das serbokroatische Heldenlied und Homer. Heidelberg: Carl Winter.

A comparative study of SC heroic epic and Homer. Maintains that for extemporaneous singing to take place the following are necessary: (1) a homogeneous vie w of the world by the populace and (2) memorization by the singer of a rather large number of formulaic phrases with heroic content. Contends that SC heroic poetry enables a more intensive understanding of the formulaic concept and its application, but th at it cannot solve the problem of the large epic (on the AG scale). Feels that poetic creation on the Homeric scale is unimaginable without writing and that the poetic mastery demonstrated in the Iliad and Odyssey has to be perceived as the accomplishmen t of a single author. Also presents a German translation of the SC poem Smrt majke Jugovia, with interpretation.
Area: SC, AG, CP