Heroic Poets, Poetic Heroes Contributor(s): Reynolds, Dwight F. (Author) |
|||
ISBN: 0801431743 ISBN-13: 9780801431746 Publisher: Cornell University Press
Binding Type: Hardcover - See All Available Formats & Editions Published: May 1995 Click for more in this series: Myth and Poetics |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology - Literary Criticism | Middle Eastern - Social Science | Anthropology - Cultural & Social |
Dewey: 398.096 |
LCCN: 94044173 |
Series: Myth and Poetics |
Physical Information: 0.93" H x 6.31" W x 9.36" L (1.29 lbs) 128 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - Middle East |
Features: Bibliography, Index, Maps |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: An astonishingly rich oral epic that chronicles the early history of a Bedouin tribe, the Sirat Bani Hilal has been performed for almost a thousand years. In this ethnography of a contemporary community of professional poet-singers, Dwight F. Reynolds reveals how the epic tradition continues to provide a context for social interaction and commentary. Reynolds's account is based on performances in the northern Egyptian village in which he studied as an apprentice to a master epic-singer. Reynolds explains in detail the narrative structure of the Sirat Bani Hilal as well as the tradition of epic singing. He sees both living epic poets and fictional epic heroes as figures engaged in an ongoing dialogue with audiences concerning such vital issues as ethnicity, religious orientation, codes of behavior, gender roles, and social hierarchies. |
Customer ReviewsSubmit your own review |
To tell a friend about this book, you must Sign In First! |