“Music Makers” and World Creators: The Forms And Functions Of Embedded Poems In British Fantasy Narratives (Routledge Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature)

Many works of fantasy literature feature a considerable number of embedded poems, some written by the authors themselves, some borrowed and transformed from other authors. Exploring the mechanisms of this mix and the interaction between individual poems and the overall narrative, this monograph analyses the various forms and functions of embedded poems in major works of fantasy literature. The choice of authors and texts shed light on the development of fantasy as a genre that frequently mixes prose and verse and thus continues the long tradition of prosimetric practices after the Romantic period. Not only does the analysis of the embedded poems allow for a new understanding of the individual works. It also promises insights into shared literary-historical roots, cross-influences between the authors and the role of the mix of poetry and prose for the imaginative and subversive potential of fantasy literature in general. Providing comprehensive case studies of the forms and functions of embedded poems in fantasy literature, this volume illuminates the emergence of modern fantasy and its impact on contemporary fantasy.

Michaela Hausmann received her Ph.D. at the University of Vechta, Germany, where she also worked as a research assistant and lecturer in English Literary Studies. She has taught and presented on various aspects of English literature, especially fantasy literature, poetry, Victorian literature, Early Modern drama and Romanticism. Her publications include: Beyond Generic and Medial Borders: Poetry in Fantastic Literary Narratives and Their Respective Film Adaptations, in Timo Müller/David Kerler (eds.). Poetry Unlimited. Berlin: de Gruyter, and Lyrics on Lost Lands: Constructing Lost Places through Poetry in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings in Dimitra Fimi / Thomas Honegger (eds.). Sub-creating Arda: World-building in J.R.R. Tolkien's Work, its Precursors and its Legacies. Zurich / Jena: Walking Tree.