Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Animal poetry
(1,151 words)

1. Term

Animal poetry is a collective term for (mostly) epic poetry in which animals are the participating figures. In the genres of animal fable, animal epic (Verse narrative), animal fairy tale, and animal Schwank, all of which are to some extent attested dating back to Antiquity, the animals are anthropomorphized, whereas in the animal story they remain in their natural living environment.

2. 15th-17th centuries

The animal epic of Greek Antiquity is only at…

Cite this page
Peil, Dietmar, “Animal poetry”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_028898>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160321



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