Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (Vol. 1-3) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Collection of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and Other Pieces of Early PoetryBy Various Authors
Length40h 14m
About this audiobook
Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (Vols. 1–3) is a landmark anthology of ballads, songs, and lyrical fragments drawn from medieval and early modern England and Scotland. Combining antiquarian recovery with eighteenth-century editorial refinement, it preserves chivalric romances, border ballads, historical laments, and popular songs in a style at once rugged, musical, and suggestively archaic. Its literary context is crucial: the collection helped redirect taste from neoclassical polish toward the imaginative freedoms of Romanticism. Though attributed to various authors, the work is inseparable from Thomas Percy, the bishop, scholar, and antiquary who edited and arranged the materials, many from the famous Percy Folio manuscript. His interventions—sometimes restorative, sometimes creative—reflect both the scholarly methods and the aesthetic assumptions of his age. Percy's fascination with oral tradition, national antiquity, and vernacular genius shaped the anthology's purpose: to demonstrate that English poetry possessed deep, popular roots. This collection is recommended to readers interested in the origins of British literary nationalism, the ballad tradition, and the prehistory of Romantic poetry. It rewards both scholarly attention and imaginative reading, offering a rich archive of voices that profoundly influenced later poets and critics.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- An Introduction draws the threads together, discussing why these diverse authors and texts belong in one collection.
- Historical Context explores the cultural and intellectual currents that shaped these works, offering insight into the shared (or contrasting) eras that influenced each writer.
- A combined Synopsis (Selection) briefly outlines the key plots or arguments of the included pieces, helping readers grasp the anthology's overall scope without giving away essential twists.
- A collective Analysis highlights common themes, stylistic variations, and significant crossovers in tone and technique, tying together writers from different backgrounds.
- Reflection questions encourage readers to compare the different voices and perspectives within the collection, fostering a richer understanding of the overarching conversation.
Audiobook details
GenrePoetry
Length40 hrs 14 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateSep 17, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
2Introduction
3Historical Context
4Synopsis (Selection)
5Volume 1
Show all chaptersShow less
6Editor's Preface
7General Introduction (pt. 1)
8General Introduction (pt. 2)
9The Preface
10Book I.
11I. The Ancient Ballad of Chevy Chase.
12II. The Battle of Otterbourne.
13III. The Jew's Daughter.
14IV. Sir Cauline.
15V. Edward, Edward.
16VI. King Estmere.
17VII. Sir Patrick Spence.
18VIII. Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne.
19IX. An Elegy on Henry Fourth Earl of Northumberland.
20X. The Tower of Doctrine.
21XI. The Child of Elle.
22XII. Edom O' Gordon.
23Book II. Ballads that Illustrate Shakespeare.
24I. Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough, and William of Cloudesley.
25II. The Aged Lover Renounceth Love.
26III. Jephthah Judge of Israel.
27IV. A Robyn Jolly Robyn.
28V. A Song to the Lute in Musicke.
29VI. King Cophetua and the Beggar-maid
30VII. Take Thy Old Cloak About Thee.
31VIII. Willow, Willow, Willow.
32IX. Sir Lancelot Du Lake.
33X. Corydon's Farewell to Phillis.
34XI. Gernutus the Jew of Venice.
35XII. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.
36XIII. Titus Andronicus's Complaint.
37XIV. Take Those Lips Away.
38XV. King Leir and His Three Daughters.
39XVI. Youth and Age.
40XVII. The Frolicksome Duke, or the Tinker's Good Fortune.
41XVIII. The Friar of Orders Gray.
42Book III.
43I. The More Modern Ballad of Chevy Chace.
44II. Death's Final Conquest.
45III. The Rising in the North.
46IV. Northumberland Betrayed by Douglas.
47V. My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is.
48VI. The Patient Countess.
49VII. Dowsabell.
50VIII. The Farewell to Love.
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