A songnarrative poem transmitted orally that tells a

  • Slides: 10
Download presentation

• A song/narrative poem transmitted orally that tells a story • Focuses on

• A song/narrative poem transmitted orally that tells a story • Focuses on one incident • Begins in the midst of a crisis (in medias res) • Proceeds to the resolution with little background information, character development, or descriptive detail

Early Ballads often included: • • • Tragic love Domestic conflicts Wars Shipwrecks Sensational

Early Ballads often included: • • • Tragic love Domestic conflicts Wars Shipwrecks Sensational crimes Exploits of outlaws

Just like today with tabloid headlines and soap operas, certain forms of popular entertainment

Just like today with tabloid headlines and soap operas, certain forms of popular entertainment tended toward the sensational. Plot Examples: • Three dead sons visit mother for dinner • A maiden is headed for the gallows, and her family refuses to help

Later ballads often included: • Historical events • Romantic heroes • These ballads were

Later ballads often included: • Historical events • Romantic heroes • These ballads were written toward end of the Middle Ages when English was accepted as a language of literary merit.

• Four lines per stanza • Second and fourth lines rhyme and are

• Four lines per stanza • Second and fourth lines rhyme and are often shorter than the first and third lines (ABCB rhyme scheme)

• Stock descriptive phrases • A word or phrase habitually used by a

• Stock descriptive phrases • A word or phrase habitually used by a group of people: a cliché • Example: blood-red wine • One less thing for the singer to remember • Refrain in each stanza (repetition) • Contributed to the song’s rhythm and reinforced its theme • Provided the singer with time to think of the next verse • Incremental repetition • A line or stanza is repeated, but with an addition that advances the story

• Treats a highly dramatic situation in the simplest language • Uses a

• Treats a highly dramatic situation in the simplest language • Uses a considerable amount of dialogue (sometimes local dialect) • Because ballads were well-known, the folk balladeer could often skip parts, which allowed him to develop parts that interested him. This accounts for the gaps in plots – “leaping and lingering”

continued • Ballads deal with: • Strong elemental passions of humanity • Powerfully depicted

continued • Ballads deal with: • Strong elemental passions of humanity • Powerfully depicted love • Hatred, faith, revenge, fear, courage, loyalty – Many involve the supernatural and end tragically

• Work of known professional poets • These poets were so impressed by

• Work of known professional poets • These poets were so impressed by the vigor and emotion of the ballads that they imitated them. • Generally more sophisticated, subtle, and subjective― more psychological – Example: “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

A songnarrative poem transmitted orally that tells aA songnarrative poem transmitted orally that tells a
Introduction Poem 1 Poem 2 Poem 3 PoemIntroduction Poem 1 Poem 2 Poem 3 Poem
Joshua Tells About Judges Tells About Ruth TellsJoshua Tells About Judges Tells About Ruth Tells
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Infections Sexually transmittedSexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Infections Sexually transmitted
Kenning Poem What is a kenning poem PoemKenning Poem What is a kenning poem Poem
God tells us what is right God tellsGod tells us what is right God tells
Narrative a poem that tells a story andNarrative a poem that tells a story and
Types of Poems Ballad Songlike poem that tellsTypes of Poems Ballad Songlike poem that tells
Tell the story of the This poem tellsTell the story of the This poem tells