MEDIEVAL BALLADSPoetry of the People

BACKGROUND

Ballad – derived from old French word meaning “dancing song”

Originally composed in 15th century Oral art passed from singer to singer

Minstrels – court singers Troubadours – traveling singers

Not written down until about 300 years later

COMMON SUBJECT MATTER

Domestic tragedy False love True love The absurdity of husband wife

relationships Supernatural events Sensational, sordid, or tragic subject

matter

STYLE CHARACTERISTICS

Strong beat Refrain Repetition Omission of details Question and answer format Conventional phrases

STRONG BEAT

Strong beat though not necessarily strictly structured O where have you been, Lord Randall, my

son? My hand is in my hussyfskap / Goodman, as

you may see Later, when “literary ballads” were

written the rhyme scheme & meter were more regimented – (abcb); alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter

REFRAIN

Word, phrase line, or group of lines repeated at regular intervals

Contributed to the song’s rhythm Reinforced theme Allowed singer time to think of next

verse Ex: “For I’m weary with hunting and fain

would lie down.” –Lord Randall (last line of every stanza

INCREMENTAL REPETITION

Phrase or sentence repeated with new element added each time until the climax is reached

Suspense Various versions of the line “get up and bar

the door” – Who will bar the door? What will happen?

OMISSION OF DETAILS

Adds mystery and suspense“Lord Randall” Did Lord Randall’s love kill him? If so, why?“Edward, Edward” What did Edward’s mother do to lead him

astray? What did Edward’s father do that was so

bad?

QUESTION AND ANSWER FORMAT

Facts of the story are gleaned little by little from the answers to the questions posed

Suspense“Edward, Edward”Why is your sword bloody? What punishment will you bear? What will you leave to your children? What will you leave to your mother?

“Lord Randall”Where have you been? Where did you eat? What did you eat? Where are your dogs?

CONVENTIONAL PHRASES

Understood by listeners to have meaning beyond their literal ones

“Make my bed soon.” = “I’m about to die.”

WRITE AN ORIGINAL BALLAD

REQUIRED: Four line stanzas Strong, simple beat Tragic subject

matter Narrative (brief

story)

Use at least THREE: Supernatural events Refrain Question/answer

format Conventional

phrases Incremental

repetitionExtra Credit: Performance of ballad – Like we did with the bird poems last year, the performance must show preparation and creativity in order to receive extra credit.