Folklore: Introduction and Terms
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Transcript of Folklore: Introduction and Terms
What is folklore?First coined in 1846 by William John Toms, it
is simply the lore (stories and cultural behaviors) shared by a particular folk (or group of people).
Folk or Folk GroupAny two or more people who share at least one
significant cultural behavior in common.They often share traditions which create a
shared identity among group members and help the group endure over time.
Everyone belongs to at least a few folk groups; most people belong to many.
The more cultural factors a folk group shares, the more traditions the will likely share.Catholic high school students who live in Miami
and go to LaSalle and are juniors are likely to share more stories than Catholic college students in Michigan, etc.
Culture:Everything that humans do that isn’t
motivated solely by natural instinct.Sleeping is natural—we do it by instinct.
Sleeping with in a bed is cultural.Give another example of a cultural behavior.
NarrativeA story of any kind.
Has plot and characters Different cultures have a different sense of
story What is an is not appropriate in that culture Has a moral or lesson that is culturally
appropriateTraditionalHas continuity over time and through space
Variant:Any version of a folk/traditional narrative that is
similar to another version of the same narrative.Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid”Disney’s The Little MermaidCreation stories
Orality:A quality of anything that is spoken, chanted,
sung or read aloud rather than written down. Most folk tales begin as an oral traditional narrative.
Types of Lore/Traditional CultureTraditional narratives
epics, magic tales, legends, jokes, folk dramaTraditional costumes
Professional clothing, sports, uniforms, hairstylesTraditional beliefs
Religions, superstitions, ethical valuesTraditional non-narrative speech
Slang, jargon, nicknamesTraditional material culture
Architecture, folk artTraditional calendar customs
Holidays, festivals, birthday partiesTraditional music and dance
Folksongs and folk dances
Genres of Folk NarrativeEpic
A long narrative poem passed down from oral tradition. Usually tells the story of a great hero doing great deeds. The Odyssey is an example
LegendA folk tale that is told as though the teller believes it
is true. They often deal with the origins of things, phenomena, or names. King Arthur
Urban LegendA legend told in or about modern society. They
often express the concerns/anxieties of modern existence. “Kentucky Fried Rat”
Genres ContinuedJoke
A short traditional narrative designed create laugher or a humorous response. Three mathematicians were walking down to the railway station one day,
deep in conversation about mathematics. They were so absorbed in what they were talking about that as they approached the station, they failed to hear the announcement that the train was about to leave. However they did notice when the train started to pull away from the platform. Alarmed, they started to run after the train, and eventually two of them managed to scramble on board. A station porter noticed the remaining man looking glum. "Never mind", he said, "Two out of three isn't bad." "But you don't understand," replied the mathematician, "they only came to see me off."
Folk DramaDrama performed with less formality than
mainstream theater. It often involves audience participation. The Rocky Horror Picture Show “floor show”
BalladAny traditional song that recounts a narrative,
usually structured around repetition. “Scarborough Fair”
So…Name a folk group of which you are a part.What traditions do you share?What lore/traditional culture do you share?What is one folk tale from that group?
What genre of folk tale is it?