The function of narrative obituary verse in Northern Cape Breton, 1894-1902

• Main Author: Caplan, Ronald, 1942-
• Other Authors: MacKinnon, Kenneth, 1933-
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University 1989
• Subjects: GR113.5; Obituaries > Nova Scotia > Cape Breton Island; Folklore > Nova Scotia > Cape Breton Island; Folk poetry; Canadian > Nova Scotia > Cape Breton Island; Folk songs > Nova Scotia > Cape Breton Island; Breton Island
• Online Access: http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/22689

[iv], 210 leaves : ill., map 29 cm. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-210). This thesis is based on five narrative obiturary poems, and tape recorded interviews with people from the Aspy Bay region of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The interviews are principally from 1985 to 1989. The aim of this study is to question the current definition of narrative obituary verse and to demonstrate the variety of both approaches, uses and functions within the genre, that the current definition does not address. As a sub-text, this thesis makes a contribution toward an operative definition of the folk poet.