Poetic style

[Mike Baker]

Robin/Margret raises a bit of color to my face by saying
> ... anyway I particularly like your critiques; your suggestions for change 

> are both clear and tactful and you also mention what's done right!

Allow me the modesty of a slight blush here -- I have not always been noted 
for tact, and so work hard to preserve at the least a semblance of the 
condition.

> I have a question on another aspect of period performance poetry -- about
> specifically those pieces meant as commentary or instruction, such as we 
are
> doing here with the "honor" topic.  Which form was preferred: the 
anecdotal
> (such as Kathleen's submission) or ... hm, call it conceptual, presenting 
a
> concept with no obvious story?  The anecdotal style seems to me more in 
line
> with the morality-play form of instructional entertainment ... would I be
> right in thinking the conceptual sytle became popular mostly later, maybe
> even out of period?

Honestly, I am not certain (I claim some small skill at the bardic arts, not 
any great learning in the history of literature).  My general impression is 
that the emphasis slid, in a vague & general way, from conceptual to 
anecdotal and back to conceptual among the Europeans of the SCA time period. 
 The "conceptual" form was most definitely well-rooted prior to 1600CE.

The reasoning behind this: even as late as 600ce, the late Roman / 
continuing Byzantine influences were still extremely strong -- and 
powerfully seated in "concept" -- and the doctrines of the Church were more 
"spiritual" in nature.  As the slide into the "Dark" Age continued, people 
became less spiritual and more physical in their daily lives as well as in 
much of their religious and philosophical expression. Theology ossified to a 
great extent, and poetry beyond that found in the scriptures or an 
occasional sermon was actively discouraged.  "Churchmen and secular writers 
who used poetic forms both often resorted to the 'it was all a dream' claim 
in order to avoid sanctions...". As poetry fell into disfavor, the emphasis 
upon the concrete led to more directly factual forms.

With the emergence of the Renaissance and the Protestant movement, and a new 
level of open debate in theological discussions, "concept" crept back to the 
fore.

Then, again, this philosophy does not quite serve: the troubadour & 
trouvere, composing their works in the 12th and 13th centuries CE, were 
extremely "conceptual" in many of their works.  "True" (Celtic-society) 
bards pre-dating this time appear to have been purely anecdotal, but able to 
address any concept through an appropriate bit of historical anecdote. 
 YMMV.

By the time of Spenser (_The Faerie Queen_ serves as a widely known 
example), the morality play had circled back into elaborate allegorical 
constructs wherein even the anecdotal account was generally expected to have 
conceptual scope.  Whether or not any particular work did is a matter that 
continues to be discussed among scholars even today. I usually tend to avoid 
THAT level of confusion  <gryn>.

On the closely-related topic of attitudes toward poetry, Ld. Rosario di 
Palermo (m.k.a. Jeff Verona, and an erstwhile resident of the Barony of the 
Steppes here in Ansteorra) has compiled a paper on the subject of defending 
poetry against "the authorities" in Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance 
times. Although I believe he is currently away from electronic 
communications of this form, I would be glad to pass along requests if you 
desire greater depth of study.

Kihe Blackeagle (the Dreamsinger Bard)  s.k.a. Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri 
al-Amra
     currently residing in Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mike C. Baker                      mbaker at rapp.com
Any opinions expressed are obviously my own unless explicitly stated 
otherwise!