The Influence Of Folklore On English Literature
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Abstract
Folklore has played a significant role in shaping English literature, influencing its themes, motifs, narrative structures, and poetic forms. This paper examines the impact of folklore on English literature, tracing its influence from the oral storytelling traditions of Beowulf to the use of folklore in the framing narratives of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The paper explores the themes of nature and the supernatural, heroism and the quest, love and romance, and morality and ethics in English literature, highlighting how these themes have been shaped by folklore. It also discusses the influence of magical creatures, supernatural beings, rituals, customs, folk beliefs, and superstitions on English literature. Additionally, the paper examines the influence of folk ballads on the poetic form of English poetry. Finally, the paper discusses the continuing influence of folklore on contemporary English literature, with authors like Neil Gaiman and Philip Pullman drawing on folklore to create modern fairy tales and fantasy worlds.
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