Oral-Formulaic Theory: Annotated Bibliography

Alan A. Jabbour. "Memorial Transmission in Old English Poetry." Chaucer Review, 3:174-90.

Argues that the British ballad, a primarily memorial oral tradition, is a better analog for OE oral poetry than SC epic, a primarily improvisational tradition. Proposes a "transitional text" transmitted in memorized form and examines a group of shorter OE poems (Soul and Body, Daniel and Azarias, The Dream of the Rood, etc.) for evidence of memorization. Concludes that this model provides a bridge between oral-formulaic and literary theories.
Area: OE, SC, FB, BR, CP