Oral-Formulaic Theory: Annotated Bibliography

James D. Johnson. "Formulaic Thrift in the Alliterative Morte Arthure." Medium AEvum, 47:255-61.

Contends that thrift, while absent from OE formulaic poetry, is found in some of the formulaic systems of the Alliterative M.A. Argues that the poet's substitution of elements was limited not only by the required alliteration of the line but also by the number of words that the poet could associate rapidly with the rest of the system.
Area: ME, OE, CP