"If epic poetry is a definite species, the sagas do not fall within it"
- Lascelles Abercrombie
About this Quote
Lascelles Abercrombie's quote recommends that legendary poetry is a distinct type of literature, which the legends do not fit within this definition. This implies that the sagas are a separate kind of literature, distinct from epic poetry. Abercrombie's quote is considerable since it highlights the differences in between impressive poetry and the sagas, and suggests that the two should not be confused. It also suggests that the legends have their own special characteristics and need to be valued as a distinct form of literature. By making this distinction, Abercrombie is emphasizing the significance of recognizing the unique qualities of the legends and appreciating them as a separate type of literature. This quote is very important because it encourages readers to value the legends for their own unique qualities, rather than just comparing them to epic poetry.
"We don't attempt to have any theme for a number of the anthology, or to have any particular sequence. We just put in things that we like, and then we try to alternate the prose and the poetry"
"Concrete poets continue to turn out beautiful things, but to me they're more visual than oral, and they almost really belong on the wall rather than in a book. I haven't the least idea of where poetry is going"
"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"
