Opening of the book
THE BEGINNINGS OF POETRY
Macmillan logo
THE
BEGINNINGS OF POETRY
BY
FRANCIS B. GUMMERE
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN HAVERFORD COLLEGE
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LǵŠ.
1908
All rights reserved
CLjǙΏǡƗƄƒǵ, 1901,
BΏ THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1901. Reprinted
October, 1908.
Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing Co.—Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
I ne have no text of it, as I suppose,
But I shal fynde it in a maner glose.
CĵƿǵŧǡœǼǡΏ TĵƯŧǪ, 1919 f.
PREFACE
The opening pages of this book contain, so one may hope, an adequate answer to the objections of those who may have been led by its title to expect a more detailed treatment of poetic origins and a closer study of such questions as the early forms of rhythm, the beginnings of national literatures, and the actual history of lyric, epic, and drama. Not these problems have been undertaken, interesting and important as they are, but rather the rise of poetry as a social institution; whether or not a definite account of this process has been obtained must be left for the reader to judge.
F. B. G.
9 SŧǙǵŧƽœŧǡ, 1901.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PǼǡǙLjǪŧ ĵƿŠ MŧǵƒLjŠ
PAGE
Object of the book. Historical and comparative treatment.
Sources of help. Modern scientific aids. Limitations to their value. The evidence of poetry itself. The curve of evolution
1
CHAPTER II
RƒΏǵƒƽ ĵǪ ǵƒŧ EǪǪŧƿǵƗĵƯ Fĵŕǵ Ljż PLjŧǵǡΏ
Definitions of poetry. The line between poetry and prose.
Summary of the dispute. Rhythm fundamental and essential in poetry. Proofs from ethnology, psychology, and the history of poetry itself
30
CHAPTER III
Tƒŧ T΅Lj EƯŧƽŧƿǵǪ Ɨƿ PLjŧǵǡΏ
The dualism in its various forms. Poetry of nature and of art.
Poetry of the people. Romantic and rationalistic theories.
The real dualism
116
Keep listening free
Readnara
