Ballads English 12 Mrs. Kinney

What is a Ballad? A ballad is a short narrative poem which is written to be sung and has a simple but dramatic theme. Ballads can be of love, death, the supernatural or even a combination of the three. Many ballads also contain a moral which is expressed (most often) in the final stanza.

Two Main Characteristics incremental repetition-- the repeating of one or more lines, with slight but significant changes which advance the action ballad stanza--made of four lines; most commonly the first and third lines contain four feet (stresses), while the second and fourth lines contain three feet. Ballads most often have abrupt openings, brief descriptions and economical, although frequent, dialogue.

Types of Ballads Broadsheet Ballads (also known as street ballads) Cheaply printed, topical, humorous, mildly subversive. Sub-genres –Murder ballads Usually told from the killers point of view. The ballad recounts the crime and ends with him getting caught or escaping. Occasionally ends with a moral. Most of the murderers are men and the victims female.

Types of Ballads Folk Ballads Usually anonymous and presented impersonal Sub-genres –Border ballads (includes fairy ballads) Popular along the Anglo-Scottish border in the 15th and 16th centuries; dealing with raids, feuds, seductions and elopements between the two sides.

Types of Ballads Literary Ballads Composed and written formally, usually of folk ballad style; became popular during the Romantic era.

Types of Ballads Opera Ballads an English form, usually alternate between iambic tetrameter and iambic pentameter (but not always)

Types of Ballads Jazz Ballads Sentimental narrative adagio. Although many modern rock, pop and country songs label any slow song as a jazz ballad, this is not the case. The song must be in ballad form to be a ballad.

Checklist for Ballads Plot: – a single episode of highly dramatic nature is presented – the supernatural is likely to play an important part – the incidents are usually such as happen to common people (as opposed to nobility) and often have to do with domestic episodes – physical courage and love are frequent themes

Structure: – incremental repetition is common – transitions are abrupt – often the ballad is brought to a close with some sort of summary stanza

Narration: – slight attention is paid to characterization or description in a detached narration

Dialogue: – action is largely developed through dialogue with little clue as to who is speaking

Language: – tragic situations and sudden disasters are presented with the utmost simplicity using plain, simple language