Research Topic
For my research topic, I am extremely interested in examining the magical and the supernatural as it pertains to Irish music, poetry, and storytelling. How large of a role does the supernatural/magic play in each of these genres? Why is it so important? What comparisons can I find between the subjects of Irish music, poetry, and storytelling that are similar to American music, poetry, and storytelling? These are some of the questions that I wish to answer by studying this topic in more detail. I plan to use sources from the Texas Tech library including books, personal accounts, and possibly musical recordings (if they can be found). Naturally, I will also utilize any other sources that I happen to come across outside of our own library. More specifically, I would like to select at least one example from each genre so that I can draw comparisons between them. More specifics include an interest in the legends of Tir na nOg, the ideas of triads, and the mythological cycle. As I continue with my research, I expect to find more subjects of interest that will more clearly define my thesis.
posted by Michelle @ 5:17 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
OK, good. But, I think you have two topics here:
(1) "magical/supernatural in music, poetry and storytelling"
(2) comparison b/w Irish and American methods
I don't think you can do both; I think you need to choose one or the other.
I think the former is more interesting and relevant to our topics: the role, portrayal, significance of magic attributed in music, poetry, and storytelling. Certainly there are examples of each of these genres in which magic is given a key role, or in which magical power is attributed to music or poetry, or in which stories of magic are used to help "frame" the music or poetry that is to come.
Suggestion: look at some of the storytelling texts about music, both in our Reading Packet and also in the lending library I have previously mentioned. For example: Glassie has a whole chapter in his "Irish Folk Tales" on magic tales, and Carson has several chapters in which he tells stories about magic and music.
Also, there is a wonderful book called "The Northern Fiddler" (from which Carson got some of his stuff), probably available through Interlibrary Loan, which contains lots of these stories about music.
How large of a role does the supernatural/magic play in each of these genres? Why is it so important? What comparisons can I find between the subjects of Irish music, poetry, and storytelling that are similar to American music, poetry, and storytelling?
I see a connection between Michelle's (first) topic and my own. Michelle is researching the supernatural and magical as it is revealed through music, poetry, and storytelling. I plan to do something similar, except my focus will be primarily on the Sidhe and their various relationships to music. Since the Sidhe are magical/supernatural beings, I'm sure that Michelle's research could easily reference them. When this happens, the sources which pertain to the Sidhe and music could be shared between us.
After reading the comments, I am choosing to narrow down my topic to examining the magical and supernatural as it pertains to Irish music, poetry, and storytelling. I also read the topic proposals of Robin and Kelli, which were very similar to my own. I am particularly interested in the natural lore and symbols that Robin will research. I think that we will have some overlapping findings because of the nature of Robin’s topic and its recordings in folklore. As for Kelli, I am particularly interesting in learning more about the Sidhe as well. Although she is attacking her topic from a musical standpoint, I’m sure that we will be able to collaborate on references dealing with storytelling. After reading these different ideas and topics, I am starting to think of ways to really define and narrow down my own ideas.
sorry, i totally forgot to post this, and am very sorry about that. so here goes:
i think michelle's research topic is similar to mine because, though hers is more comparing the supernatural, she is looking at music and storytelling and finding links between the two, just as i am.
um, whoops. there's more. ahem,
the storytelling is very similar because a lot of the stories i have found in my research pertain to the supernatural. i'm not really sure about the music aspect of the research. i don't know if she might be studying just the instrumental music, or just songs, etc. my research has drawn from both areas, and i may narrow it further it to just one, or the other.
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