1. Ballads
Narrative songs

2. Medieval Ballads

3. Most common people could not read or write
Medieval Period
Most common people could not read or write
Minstrels traveled singing these ballads (narratives) to entertain

4. Narratives were about ordinary people
Medieval Period
Narratives were about ordinary people
Because they were orally given many versions of the same story are told

5. Definition Narrative songs handed down in oral tradition
From French word meaning “dance song”

6. Characteristics
◊ Simple and direct - stresses a single incident; begins in the midst of the incident
◊ Little or no background information
◊ Tells a story developed through dialogue
◊ Tells of dramatic events of ordinary people or legendary heroes
◊ Performed for an audience

7. Types
◊ Folk Ballad - oldest type; composed by local bard to remember important event
◊ Story most important
◊ Tone is tragic
◊ Ends in death by accident, murder, suicide, or return of the dead
◊ Use of repetition - adds to melody, provides emphasis, heightens emotional effect
◊ Some well known traditional folk ballads include “Lord Randall,” “The Three Ravens, and “Get up and Bar the Door.”

8. Types ◊ Minstrel Ballad
◊ Used themes of folk ballads and added descriptions of settings and characters’ feelings
◊ Longer than folk ballad
◊ Less direct than folk ballad
◊ More literary than folk ballad
◊ A well known minstrel ballad is “Sir Patrick Spens/Spence.”

9. Ballad Headlines THREE DEAD SONS VISIT MOTHER FOR DINNER
SLIGHTED WOMAN SPURNS LOVER’S DEATHBED REQUEST

10. Ballad Headlines
MAIDEN HEADED FOR GALLOWS; FAMILY REFUSES HELP

11. Subjects ◊ Quarrels among family members or lovers or friends ◊ Death
◊ War
◊ Fear of the unknown
◊ Lives of people
◊ Adventures of outlaws
◊ Tragic love

12. Themes Domestic tragedy False love True love
Absurdity of husband/wife relations

13. Themes ◊ The supernatural ◊ Courage ◊ Death ◊ Revenge ◊ Envy
◊ Rebellion
◊ Betrayal
◊ Remorse
◊ Loyalty
◊ Patriotism

14. Most of the ballads remained anonymous
Medieval Period
Most of the ballads remained anonymous
Songs were not written down until the 18th century

15. Ballads Typically focused on a single incident
Begins in the middle of the crisis
Proceeds directly to the resolution

16. Ballads Not developed characters Not developed background
Not developed description

17. Ballads - Subjects
Tragic love
Domestic Conflict
Crime
War
Shipwrecks

18. Ballads - Subjects
Comic treatments
Tragic treatments

19. How to read a ballad Read silently looking at side notes
Paraphrase each stanza
Read aloud to hear the sounds

20. Song Characteristics
◊ Four-line stanzas ◊ Rhyme in lines 2 and 4 ◊ Repetition of words, phrases, and lines ◊ Refrains

21. The Refrain Songs chorus
Probable that the singer of the ballad had the audience join in the refrain

22. The Refrain Rhythm Theme
Allowed the singer to improvise/remember the next verse

23. Assignment
Read both ballads – “Barbara Allan”– “Get Up and Bar the Door”

24. Assignment
Break up into groups
A ballad will be assigned to you

25. Assignment
Annotate the poems - determine meaning, theme, speakers, etc.
Create a newspaper headline – National Enquirer
Write a newspaper article

26. Assignment
Type article and headline
Share with class