rhapsodismn.
/ˈrapsədɪz(ə)m/, U.S. /ˈræpsəˌdɪzəm/ Chiefly Ancient Greek History.
The recitation of poems by rhapsodists.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > recitation of poetry > [noun] > recitation of epic poetry
rhapsodya1822
rhapsodism1829
1829 E. H. Barker Parriana II. 763 The preservation of poems by rhapsodism and oral tradition is not so surprising as the instantaneous invention of poems by the Italian improvisatori.
1850 W. Mure Crit. Hist. Lang. & Lit. Antient Greece III. vii. §19. 469 The prevalence of public rehearsal or rhapsodism, as a favourite mode of promulgating or transmitting to posterity works of popular literature during this early period.
1888 F. D. Allen in Papers Amer. School Classical Stud. Athens (Archaeol. Inst. Amer.) IV. iii. 102 The occurrence of ἔην in pentameter, LX (Chios v), proves a very respectable antiquity for that bogus form. A similar product of rhapsodism is εὐκλειῆ, pent., 851 (Rhod. iii).
2000 tr. M. de Andrade in J. I. Suárez & J. E. Tomlins Mário de Andrade iii. 97 That simple speech, so like vibrant music, owing especially to the repetitions, so often the trait of..the ancient tales in popular rhapsodism.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1829