Ballads have gone through specific changes. Since ancient ballads, this folk song got its root, and through relevant metamorphosis, it reached the medieval ballad. This term “ballad” has been derived from the French term “ballare.” Ballare means ‘dance’, so the narrative pattern is seemingly engaging with common people.
Generally, these folk songs are sung by people, and they elaborate songs or poems in terms of creating good relationships among people. They only have oral transmission. As it mainly was sung, it spread from one country to another. Yes, they had differences in meaning and as people used to deliver the songs within people.
There were some control points based on the songs that had been written. They chanted the songs with deep meaning, strong rhyming, the reputation of key phrases, and melodious voices. Some common characteristics will tell you it is a medieval ballad. Are you eagerly waiting to know them? Have a blast then…
What Is A Ballad?
Ballad is a type of folk song or a kind of short poem. Generally, people of the Medieval age used to chant them. From this, the Medieval ballad has come upon. The short poem comprises short stanzas. Most of the time, the poem consists of four stages.
According to F.B. Gum, an English researcher, the ballad is,
“a poem meant for singing, quite impersonal in material, probably connected in its origins with the communal dance but submitted to a process of oral traditions among people who are free from literary influences and fairly homogeneous in character.”
Although there are speculations in the definition of ballads. As derived from the anxiety time, there is controversy in the definition.
Do you know which celebrity received their stage name from a medieval English ballad? Chevy Chase was that comedy actor who received their stage name from a Medieval Engiling Ballad. He appeared in dramas like “Saturday Night Live”, “Fletch”.
What Are The Characteristics Of Medieval Ballads?
Mainly in European countries, the ballads were famous. Although the tradition of medieval poems spread over the nations with time. You will be surprised to know there has a difference in approaches—border ballads, outlaws, love ballads, ballads of magic, etc.
All of them have something in common that attracted contemporary readers as well as researchers.
- The morality of the music was one of the significant things.
- It is a song with a nice story. Generally, the account has been recited.
- The language of the songs or the poems always remains flat and straightforward.
- Usage of rhymes is one of the significant characteristics. When people chanted, it looked excellent.
- The poem follows the specific rhyming pattern and literary devices that make the quality better to understand.
- Medieval ballads have a surprising ending. This type of endings attracted the readers more to hear the songs.
- The story has been written with tough dialogs.
- The medieval ballads have a specific theorem. It might be tragic or comedy. But a special smell always remains in the story.
- Based on orientation, resolution, and complications, the story has been sketched.
- Lack of specified direction and storyline. You can’t have a specified story. Whether it would tell a story of a society, or group of people, etc.
- Many times, the poets included the question and answer.
- One of the most influential things is, the sense remains intensified. You may find the story with a happy ending or end with sad points.
Examples of Medieval Ballads
Previously, I talked about some types of ballads. Let’s have examples of them. The most conventional ballad is a traditional ballad. People consider this as a folk song. Chevy Chase is a great conventional ballad that has come from a celebrity name.
Chevy Chase
GOD prosper long our noble king,
our liffes 1 and saftyes all!
A woefull hunting once there did
in Cheuy Chase befall.
To driue the deere with hound and horne
Erle Pearcy took the way:
The child may rue that is vnborne
the hunting of that day!
The stout Erle of Northumberland
a vow to God did make
His pleasure in the Scottish woods
three sommers days to take.
John Keats, Samuel Tailor Coleriudse, Wordsworth, etc famous ballad writers that still are famous for their creation.
The Bottom Lines
If in the world anything stays evergreen, Medieval ballads are one of them. From the ancient time to the contemporary, thousands of researches have been approved. Even in the present time, singers and poets are adopting the methods in the newest ways.
How are you feeling knowing the Medieval ballads? I hope this content sorted all your curiosity about ballads. Leave a comment, I definitely raise myself to answer you.
