Signs, texts, and oral tradition

Article Abstract:

An analysis of the evolution of Milman Parry's Oral-Formulaic Theory suggests ways in which folklore and literature studies can be combined into a discipline addressing the verbal art in both written and oral forms. Such a combination would allow for study of work or word's composition and reception, in both physical and oral forms. Such an approach is applied to the passage form the 'Iliad' that ordinally inspired Parry.

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It is with great pleasure that I recommend...

Article Abstract:

A fictional recommendation letter recommending a folklorists for a position in a American literature departments points out the real contributions folklore can make to the study of literature. These include the critical skills developed in folklore studies, which can identify change and continuity in literature and culture, and the folklorist's focus on groups until recently marginalized in literature studies.

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On being a folklorist in an English department: implications for research

Article Abstract:

English departments in the 1990s are more receptive to the theories and insights of folklore studies than they have been over the previous thirty years. Multicultural concerns and a theoretical focus on context, rather than simply text, are partially responsible for this increasing influence of folklore. The relationship between literature and folklore studies since the 1960s is discussed.

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