Recent Russian Publications On Indian Epic

Author(s): J W De Jong
Publisher: J W De Jong

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RUSSIAN PUBLICATIONS ON THE INDIAN EPIC
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greatly. According to Emeneau the Toda songs seem to be almost entirely formulaic. In his analysis of the first 15 verses of Homer's Iliad, Lord arrived at the conclusion that 90 per cent of the text was formulaic. However, many scholars have rightly rejected Lord's method in arriving at this figure. Lord stated dogmatically that 'an oral text will yield a predominance of clearly demonstrable formulas, with the bulk of the remainder “ formulaic”, and a small number of nonformulaic expressions. A literary text will show a predominance of nonformulaic expressions, with some formulaic expressions, and very few clear forumlas.' (op. cit., p. 130). Hainsworth has rightly pointed out that the difference between Homer and Homeric imitators such as Apollonius and Virgil is not a difference of degree but one of kind. Neither Apollonius nor Virgil shows any economy or extension in their limited collections of formulae. Their choice of words is made on entirely different principles (op. cit., p. 9). However, what may be true of Homer and his imitators, may not apply to the oral and written traditions in other literatures. It remains to be seen whether in India there is a difference in degree or a difference in kind between the epic and texts belonging to the written tradition. The Indian epic does not show an organization of the diction into economical and extensive systems and types
1 See M. B. Emeneau, Oral Poets of South India--the Todas', Journal of American Folklore, 71 (1958), pp. 312-24; 'Style and Meaning in an Oral Literature ', Language, 42 (1966), pp. 323. 45; Toda Songs, Oxford University Press.