Elements of oral literature pdf

The ter m, oral literature, has been variously referred to as folklore, folk literature, oral narrative, oral tradition, traditional literature and orature. The main idea of the work, or a specific message they author attempts to convey. In fact, the greeks revered the oral culture over the written. The perception of african oral literature 29 nineteenthcentury approaches and collections. In an attempt to preserve this oral literature, several individual authors have collected tales, proverbs, riddles and published them in books. Elements of oral literature in the thousand and one nights 2006. Oral literature, the standard forms or genres of literature found in societies without writing. Oral literature is a form of literature that is not written but instead is passed verbally from person to person. Recent trends in african studies and the revival of interest in oral literature. Much of the oral literature is highly developed in metaphor just as is the written. One of the features that probably characterize african cultural lore is the richness of oral genres variously known as oral literature or orature. The nature and kinds of oral literature in this online version, the pagenumbers of the printed version are indicated within braces and. The term oral literature is also used to describe the tradition in written civilizations in which certain genres are transmitted by word of mouth or are confined to the socalled folk i.

This study further aims to analyse the differences between modern and traditional praise poetry, and bring to light the characteristics and techniques that operate in them. After speech, important elements include storytelling, plot, protagonists, antagonists, culture, moralslessons, preservation of history andor lore, legitimization and praise of rulers, rhetoric, etc. Some examples of oral literature include, the oral narrative, sometimes referred to as the folktale, myths, explanatory tales, ogre tales, trickster tales, dilemma stories, historical tales, legends, including the epic. It provides a guide to human behavior and how to live ones life. In various forms this oral literature portrays the societys belief systems that makes sense of life. The social, linguistic, and literary background 51. This paper discusses akan oral literature in the media, concentrating on radio and tv. With the arrival of literacy, the core of this literature and its art rapidly disappears.