Lascelles Abercrombie

If epic poetry is a definite species, the sagas do not fall within it.

If epic poetry is a definite species, the sagas do not fall within it.

But the development of human society does not go straight forward; and the epic process will therefore be a recurring read more

But the development of human society does not go straight forward; and the epic process will therefore be a recurring process, the series a recurring series - though not in exact repetition.

But the gravest difficulty, and perhaps the most important, in poetry meant solely for recitation, is the difficulty of achieving read more

But the gravest difficulty, and perhaps the most important, in poetry meant solely for recitation, is the difficulty of achieving verbal beauty, or rather of making verbal beauty tell.

No poet will ever take the written word as a substitute for the spoken word; he knows that it is read more

No poet will ever take the written word as a substitute for the spoken word; he knows that it is on the spoken word, and the spoken word only, that his art is founded.

Poetry is the work of poets, not of peoples or communities; artistic creation can never be anything but the production read more

Poetry is the work of poets, not of peoples or communities; artistic creation can never be anything but the production of an individual mind .