Rhyme and Rhyming in Verbal Art, Language, and Song

This interdisciplinary collection explores the forms and aesthetics of rhyme in a variety of languages and from a variety of perspectives. A wide-ranging introduction that ends with a list and associated bibliography of rhyming traditions of the world is followed by thirteen chapters. These explore the history of rhyme, including Arabic and medieval Latin and the older Germanic languages, as well as literary and folk traditions in Northern Europe where rhyme plays a complex role alongside alliteration. Literary rhyme is explored from a psychological perspective, and oral composition with end rhyme is addressed. Discussions of modernist poetry, rap lyrics, and previously undiscussed traditions shed new light on the possibilities of rhyme. The book will be of interest to literary scholars, folklorists, and anyone interested in written, oral, and song traditions. Students, poets, and songwriters will find insights into the functions and aesthetics of rhyme.