Oral traditional literature and the composition of Mark's Gospel
This thesis addresses the paradoxical image of Mark's Gospel in contemporary criticism by an attempt to follow a tradition-oriented approach informed by the ~oralformulaic theory~ of oral literature. Mark is at once a loosely organized collection of traditionally shaped units and a coherent narrative with distinct literary qualities. Current critical approaches have difficulty with these contrary features of the Gospel. The oral-formulaic theory, developed in the field of Homeric studies, is able to account for the units of tradition, their combination and use in extended narratives, and the literary characteristics of such oral compositions. Oral narratives are re-composed in each ~performance~ through the use of ~formulaic~ diction and of ~thematic~ narrative units fashioned in the tradition. These texts, if recorded, can be compared and contrasted with written literature by their formulaic and thematic characteristics. Discussion of oral-formulaic theory in folkloristics and related studies provides general support for its description of the traditional process of oral composition, and enables its application to non-poetic oral narratives. This account of the nature and literary potential of oral composition
Haverly, Thomas P.
Philosophy
Oral traditional literature and the composition of Mark's Gospel. This thesis addresses the paradoxical image of Mark's Gospel in contemporary criticism by an attempt to follow a tradition-oriented approach informed by the ~oralformulaic theory~ of oral literature. Mark is at once a loosely organized collection of traditionally shaped units and a coherent narrative with distinct literary qualities. Current critical approaches have difficulty with these contrary features of the Gospel. The oral-formulaic theory, developed in the field of Homeric studies, is able to account for the units of tradition, their combination and use in extended narratives, and the literary characteristics of such oral compositions. Oral narratives are re-composed in each ~performance~ through the use of ~formulaic~ diction and of ~thematic~ narrative units fashioned in the tradition. These texts, if recorded, can be compared and contrasted with written literature by their formulaic and thematic characteristics. Discussion of oral-formulaic theory in folkloristics and related studies provides general support for its description of the traditional process of oral composition, and enables its application to non-poetic oral narratives. This account of the nature and literary potential of oral composition
oral traditional literature composition mark gospel address paradoxical image mark gospel contemporary criticism attempt follow tradition oriented informed theory oral literature mark loosely organize collection traditionally shape unit coherent narrative distinct literary quality current critical approach difficulty contrary feature gospel oral formulaic theory develop field homeric study able_account unit tradition combination use extend narrative literary characteristic oral composition oral narrative composed performance use formulaic thematic narrative unit fashion tradition text record compare_contrast write literature formulaic thematic characteristic discussion oral formulaic theory related study provide_general support description traditional process oral composition enable application non poetic oral narrative account nature literary potential oral composition