"That is to say, epic poetry has been invented many times and independently; but, as the needs which prompted the invention have been broadly similar, so the invention itself has been"
- Lascelles Abercrombie
About this Quote
This quote by Lascelles Abercrombie talks to the idea that epic poetry has actually been created multiple times and separately. He recommends that although the creation of epic poetry has been repeated, the needs that prompted the creation have actually been comparable. This suggests that the invention of impressive poetry is an action to a certain set of requirements, and that these needs have been consistent throughout history. This could be translated as a commentary on the universality of human experience, and the idea that specific needs are shared by all people regardless of time or location. It could likewise be viewed as a testament to the power of storytelling, and how it has been utilized to reveal and check out the human experience for centuries.
"I think Ginsberg has done more harm to the craft that I honor and live by than anybody else by reducing it to a kind of mean that enables the most dubious practitioners to claim they are poets because they think, If the kind of thing Ginsberg does is poetry, I can do that"
"Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet; especially not against their poetry"
"The dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs"
"A book is sent out into the world, and there is no way of fully anticipating the responses it will elicit. Consider the responses called forth by the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare - let alone contemporary poetry or a modern novel"
