Ballads Narrative songs Medieval Ballads Medieval Period 1066-1485 Most common people could not...

Ballads

Narrative songs

Medieval Ballads

Medieval Period 1066-1485

Most common people could not read or write

Minstrels traveled singing these ballads (narratives) to entertain

Medieval Period 1066-1485

Narratives were about ordinary people

Because they were orally given many versions of the same story are told

DefinitionNarrative songs handed down in oral

tradition

From French word meaning “dance song”

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

◊ 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

TypesTypes◊ 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.”

TypesTypes

◊ 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.”

Ballad Headlines

THREE DEAD SONS VISIT MOTHER FOR DINNER

SLIGHTED WOMAN SPURNS LOVER’S DEATHBED REQUEST

Ballad Headlines

MAIDEN HEADED FOR GALLOWS; FAMILY REFUSES HELP

SubjectsSubjects

◊ Quarrels among family members or lovers or friends

◊ Death◊ War◊ Fear of the unknown◊ Lives of people◊ Adventures of outlaws ◊ Tragic love

Themes

Domestic tragedyFalse loveTrue loveAbsurdity of

husband/wife relations

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

Medieval Period 1066-1485

Most of the ballads remained anonymous

Songs were not written down until the 18th century

Ballads

Typically focused on a single incident

Begins in the middle of the crisis

Proceeds directly to the resolution

Ballads

Not developed charactersNot developed backgroundNot developed description

Ballads - Subjects

Tragic loveDomestic ConflictCrimeWarShipwrecks

Ballads - Subjects

Comic treatmentsTragic treatments

How to read a ballad

Read silently looking at side notes

Paraphrase each stanzaRead aloud to hear the

sounds

Song CharacteristicsSong Characteristics

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

The Refrain

Songs chorusProbable that the

singer of the ballad had the audience join in the refrain

The Refrain

RhythmThemeAllowed the singer to

improvise/remember the next verse

Assignment

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

Assignment

Break up into groups

A ballad will be assigned to you

Assignment

Annotate the poems - determine meaning, theme, speakers, etc.

Create a newspaper headline – National Enquirer

Write a newspaper article

Assignment

Type article and headline

Share with class