Albanian epic poetry is a form of epic poetry created by the Albanian people. It consists of a longstanding oral tradition still very much alive.[3][4][5] A good number of Albanian epic singers (Albanian: lahutarë or rapsodë, 'bards' or 'rhapsodes') can be found today in Kosovo and northern Albania, and some also in Montenegro.[4] The Albanian traditional singing of epic verse from memory is one of the last survivors of its kind in modern Europe,[6] and the last survivor of the Balkan traditions.[7]
Albanian epic poetry has been analysed by Homeric scholars to acquire a better understanding of Homeric epics. The long oral tradition that has sustained Albanian epic poetry reinforces the idea that pre-Homeric epic poetry was oral.[8] The theory of oral-formulaic composition was developed also through the scholarly study of Albanian epic verse.[9]
Northern Albanian epic poetry is performed singing to the accompaniment of the lahutë or çifteli.[5] Within the Albanian epic poetry, Kângë Kreshnikësh constitute the most important heroic non-historical cycle, while the songs of Skanderbeg form the most important historical cycle.[10][5]
- ^ Elsie & Mathie-Heck 2004, p. xv.
- ^ Neziri & Scaldaferri 2016.
- ^ Elsie 2014, p. 1.
- ^ a b Dushi 2014, pp. 37–38.
- ^ a b c Samson 2013, pp. 185–188.
- ^ Elsie 2014, p. 1.
- ^ Di Lellio & Dushi 2024.
- ^ Gadamer 2013, p. 160.
- ^ Blum 2023, p. 91.
- ^ Preminger 1975, p. 9.