Here are some of his most notable works:
* "The Beginnings of Poetry" (1901): A seminal work that explored the origins of poetry and its connection to folklore and oral tradition.
* "Old English Ballads" (1906): A collection of old English ballads, edited and annotated by Gummere.
* "The Germanic Origins of the English Folk-Song" (1909): A study tracing the origins of English folk-song back to its Germanic roots.
* "The Popular Ballad" (1907): A comprehensive study of the ballad form, analyzing its structure, themes, and origins.
Gummere's work significantly contributed to the understanding of balladry and the role of oral tradition in shaping literature. He argued that ballads were not mere remnants of a distant past but were living forms of oral art that continued to evolve and adapt. He believed that folklore and oral tradition played a crucial role in shaping both medieval literature and later forms of poetry.