Homer

Head of Homer. Roman copy of  Greek 5th century BCE. original. Glyptothek Munchen, Munich. Image, Harvard Divinity School.

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Introduction

Explore this page to find library resources and other materials related to oral literature. For research assistance with oral literature topics, contact Pam Matz.

Reference Resources

Center for Studies in Oral Tradition

Milman Parry Collection at Harvard: Website of the Milman Parry Collection of Literature On-Line. Provides links to:

Information About the Collection
An Introduction to the Collection
Four Generations of Oral Literary Studies at Harvard University, by David Bynum
Performance and Performer, the Role of Epic Song, by Casey Due
About the Database
Collection Database
Examples of Songs Collected by Milman Parry
Examples of Songs Collected by Albert Lord
Photo and Film Gallery


Folklore, Cultural Performances, and Popular Entertainments: A Communications-Centered Handbook
by Richard Bauman, ed.
Location 1: Lamont Library GR35 .F64 1992
Location 2: Loeb Music Library Seeger Room GR35 .F64 1992
Location 3: Quad Library GR35 .F64 1992
Location 4: Tozzer Library TECH. F 719
Location 5: Widener Library Pusey 3 Stacks WID-LC GR35 .F64 1992
HOLLIS Catalog Record

How to Read an Oral Poem
by John Miles Foley
Location 1: Lamont Library PN1341 .F65 2002
Location 2: Quad Library PN1341 .F65 2002
Location 3: Widener Library WID-LC PN1341 .F65 2002
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Oral Traditions and the Verbal Arts: A Guide to Research Practices
by Ruth Finnegan
Location 1: Tozzer Library ETHL. F 497 o 
Location 2: Widener Library Pusey 3 Stacks WID-LC GN346 .F56 1992x
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Orality and literacy: The technologizing of the word
by Walter J. Ong
Location 1: Lamont Library P35 .O5 1982
Location 2: Quad Library P35 .O5 1982
Location 3: Widener Library WID-LC P35 .O5 1982
HOLLIS Catalog Record
Location 4: Tozzer Library LING. On 3 o
Location 5: Widener Library WID-LC P35 .O54 2002
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Singer of Tales(includes CD-ROM)
by Albert B. Lord; Stephen Mitchell and Gregory Nagy, ed. 2nd ed.
Location 1: Lamont Library PN1303 .L62 2000
Location 2: Quad Library PN1303 .L62 2000
HOLLIS Catalog Record 1st ed.
Location 3: Tozzer Library REL. L 884 s
Location 4: Widener Library Lit 1534.32.1
HOLLIS Catalog Record
Also other Harvard Library Locations: See HOLLIS Catalog Record, HOLLIS Catalog Record, and HOLLIS Catalog Record

Story, Performance, and Event: Contextual Studies of Oral Narrative
by Richard Bauman
Location 1: Gutman Library GR72.B38 1986
Location 2: Lamont Library GR72.B38 1986
Location 3: Quad Library: GR72.B38 1986
Location 4: Tozzer Library ETHG.B327 s
Location 5: Widener Library Pusey 3 Stacks: GR72.B38 1986
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Storytelling Encyclopedia: Historical, Cultural, and Multiethnic Approaches to Oral Traditions Around the World
by David Admas Leeming, general ed., Marion Sader, project ed.
Location1 : Lamont Library Reference GR72 .S76 1997
Location 2: Widener Library Pusey 3 Stacks WID-LC GR 72.S76 1997
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Storytelling Links for Storytellers

Teaching Oral Traditions
edited by John Miles Foley
Location 1: Lamont Library GR40 .T393 1998
Location 2: Quad Library GR40 .T393 1998
Location 3: Widener Library Pusey 3 Stacks WID-LC GR40 .T393 1998
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Theory of Oral Composition: History and Methodology
by John Miles Foley
Location 1: Lamont Library D16.14 .F65 1988
Location 2: Quad Library D16.14 .F65 1988
Location 3: Tozzer Library ANT. F 699 t
Location 4: Widener Library WID-LC D16.14 .F65 1988
HOLLIS Catalog Record


Traditional Storytelling Today: An International Sourcebook
Margaret Read MacDonald, ed.
Location 1: Lamont Library GR72.3 .T73 1999
Location 2: Quad Library GR72.3 .T73 1999
Location 3: Tozzer Library REL. T 676
Location 4: Widener Library Pusey 3 Stacks WID-LC GR72.3 .T73 1999
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Verbal Art as Performance
by Richard Bauman
Location 1: Lamont Library P35 .B3x 1984
Location 2: Quad Library P35 .B3x 1984
Location 3: Tozzer Library LING. B 327 v 1984
HOLLIS Catalog Record

Primary Sources

Milman Parry Collection of Oral Literature
The largest single repository of South Slavic heroic song in the world, and its website offers multiple resources.

North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries, and Oral Histories
Provides written and oral records of the experiences of immigrants to the United Stats and Canada between 1800 and 1950.

North American Indian Thought and Culture
Includes biographies, autobiographies, personal narratives, speeches, diaries, letters, and oral histories.

Research Librarian

Profile Photo
Ramona Crawford
Contact:
Widener Library Rm. 220; (617) 384-5848