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Copyright

Ruth Finnegan;

Published On

2025-05-28

Page Range

pp. 1–38

Language

  • English

Print Length

38 pages

1. Introduction

  • Ruth Finnegan (author)
Chapter of: Oral Poetry(pp. 1–38)
The study of oral poetry often involves assumptions that shape its analysis, making it important to distinguish between controversial, empirical, or outdated claims. Several influential approaches to oral poetry are examined. Romantic and evolutionist theories, rooted in 18th and 19th-century European Romanticism, highlight the spontaneous, emotional, and natural aspects of poetry, emphasizing a connection to "primitive" societies. These theories have shaped the perception of oral poetry as a natural, instinctive art form, often linked to rural or unlettered communities. The concept of tradition, where oral literature is passed down through generations, is central to this view.

The Finnish historical-geographical approach seeks to trace the origins and journeys of oral narratives, often focusing on content rather than performance or social context. This method has led to a focus on classifying and mapping motifs, which can overshadow the dynamic, local creation and performance of oral works.

Sociological approaches raise questions about the role of literature in society, whether it reflects or influences social order. Some view oral literature as supporting the status quo, while others emphasize its potential for social change. Finally, the dichotomy between "primitive" and modern societies, often linked to oral versus literate cultures, is questioned, as many oral traditions exist within societies influenced by literacy. These assumptions, rooted in Romanticism and sociological theory, need re-evaluation for a more nuanced understanding of oral poetry.

Contributors

Ruth Finnegan

(author)
Fellow at British Academy
Honorary Fellow of Somerville College at University of Oxford

Ruth Finnegan FBA OBE was born in 1933 in the beautiful fraught once-island city of Derry, Northern Ireland, and brought up there, together with several magical years during the war in Donegal. She had her education at the little Ballymore First School in County Donegal, Londonderry High School, Mount (Quaker) School York, then first class honours in Classics (Literae humaniores) and a doctorate in Anthropology at Oxford. This was followed by fieldwork and university teaching in Africa, principally Sierra Leone and Nigeria. She then joined the pioneering Open University as a founding member of the academic staff, where she spent the rest of her career apart from three years – and more fieldwork – at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, and is now, proudly, an Open University Emeritus Professor. She was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1996, and is also an Honorary Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford. Ruth has published two books with OBP, Why Do We Quote? The Culture and History of Quotation (2011), https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0012, and Oral Literature in Africa (2012), https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0025.