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This collection of fifty-nine poems spans six hundred years of literary tradition, from Chaucer to Auden, and includes such selections as Pope's "Rape of the Lock" and Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner."Tags
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waltzmn What is narrative verse, if it has music? Why, a ballad, of course. And there has never been a collection of ballads such as Francis James Child's. Anyone who studies narrative verse should have Child's master work.
Member Reviews
The Opies write in their preface that they have chosen (for the most part) poems that tell a straightforward and complete story. They also "....point out that narrative verse needs a different reading technique from lyric and reflective poetry." Of course! You really have to read it out loud. This selection, running from Chaucer to Auden, should convince the reader of this truth. Personal favourites are Robert Service's The Cremation of Sam Magee, Chesterton's Lepanto (with its stanza-closing motif - Don John of Austria has set his people free!), Browning's Pied Piper, Macaulay's Horatius, Cowper's John Gilpin and, of course, Marriott Edgar's The Lion and Albert (the only one I would venture from memory).
These works have much more to do show more with ballad than poesy and are a long way from the works of most modern poets who are much more inclined to investigate emotion and intellect than to tell a story. Read them around the fire. show less
These works have much more to do show more with ballad than poesy and are a long way from the works of most modern poets who are much more inclined to investigate emotion and intellect than to tell a story. Read them around the fire. show less
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Author Information
45+ Works 7,068 Members
Iona Margaret Opie was born on October 13, 1923. During World War II, she made meteorological maps in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She married Peter Opie in 1943. Together they collected children's rhymes, riddles, and street culture. Their books included I Saw Esau, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book, The show more Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, Children's Games in Street and Playground, and The Classic Fairy Tales. After her husband's death in 1982, she continued the work alone. Her books included The People in the Playground, Tail Feathers from Mother Goose, Here Comes Mother Goose, A Dictionary of Superstitions, and Children's Games with Things. Her son Robert collaborated with her on The Treasures of Childhood. She was made CBE in 1999. She died on October 23, 2017 at the age of 94. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
17+ Works 4,436 Members
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Oxford Book of Narrative Verse
- Original publication date
- 1983
- People/Characters
- Robin Hood; Tam Lin; King Estmere; Upland Mouse; Burgess Mouse; Henry V, King of England (show all 17); John Gilpin; Tam O'Shanter; Alice Fell; Bishop Hatto; Lochinvar; Peter Grimes; Lady of Shalott; Paul Revere; Horatius; Pied Piper of Hamelin; Sam McGee
- Important places
- Ticonderoga; Reading Gaol
- Important events
- Battle of Agincourt; Battle of Lepanto (1571)
- First words
- (Preface): Geographically this anthology has come back nearly to its starting place.
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
c. 1343-1400
The Cock and the Hen
A poore widow, somedeal stape in age,
Was whilom dwelling in a narrow cottáge,
Beside a grové, standing in a dale. - Quotations
- Tragedy, passion, and heroism, the frequent themes of narrative verse, are large themes requiring a large canvas. Humanity seems to want excitement more than it wants security, but often compromises by experiencing it vicario... (show all)usly in comfort.
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Statistics
- Members
- 136
- Popularity
- 239,720
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.79)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 3
