Ballad – from A Handbook to Literature

A form of verse to be sung or recited and characterized by its presentation of a dramatic or exciting episode in simple narrative form.

Though the ballad is a form still much written, the so-called “popular ballad” in most literatures belongs to the early periods before written literature was highly developed.  In America the folk of the southern Appalachian mountains have maintained a ballad tradition.  In Australia the “bush” ballad is still vigorous and popular.  In the West Indies the “Calypso” singers produce something close to the ballad with their impromptu songs.  Debate continues as to whether the ballad originates with an individual composer or as a group or communal activity.

In early ballads:

• the supernatural is likely to play an important part;
• physical courage and love are frequent themes;
• the incidents are usually such as happen to common people (as opposed to the nobility) and often have to do with domestic episodes;
• slight attention is paid to characterization or description;
• transitions are abrupt;
• action is largely developed through dialogue;
• tragic situations are presented with the utmost simplicity;
• “incremental repetition” is common;
• a single episode of a highly dramatic nature is presented;
• and often the ballad is brought to a close with some sort of summary stanza.

The greatest impetus to the study of ballad literature was given by the publication in 1765 of Bishop Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.  The standard modern collection still is The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898) edited by Francis James Child.

The tradition of composing story-songs about current events and personages has been common for a long time.  Hardly an event of national interest escapes being made the subject of a so-called ballad.  “Casey Jones,” the railroad engineer; “Floyd Collins,” the cave explorer; the astronauts – all have been the subjects of ballads.  Popular songs, particularly those engendered by protest movements, have revived the ballad form; for example, “Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley,” or the ballads of Bob Dylan or Joan Baez.  Strictly speaking, however, these are not ballads in the traditional sense; that form probably belongs to a period in the history of Western civilization that is past.

See: ART BALLAD, BALLAD STANZA, BROADSIDE BALLAD, FOLK BALLAD

BALLAD STANZA

The stanza of the popular or folk ballad.

Usually it consists of four lines, rhyming – abcb – with the first and third lines carrying four accented syllables and the second and fourth lines carrying three accented syllables.  There is variation in the number of unstressed syllables.

The rhyme is sometimes approximate, with Assonance and Consonance frequently appearing.

A Refrain is common.

The last stanza of “Sir Patrick Spens” illustrates both the alternation of Tetrameter and Trimeter and the substitution of Assonance for Rhyme:

Half o’er, half o’er to Aberdour

It’s fifty fadom deep.

And there lies guid Sir Patrick Spens

Wi’ the Scots lords at his feet.