The Ballad In fours and threes and threes and fours In fours and threes and threes and fours ‘The...

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The Ballad The Ballad In fours and threes and threes and fours In fours and threes and threes and fours The Ancient Mariner’ of course The Ancient Mariner’ of course The The Ballad Ballad beats its drum: beats its drum: Remains the exemplum. Remains the exemplum. With manly eights ( or female nines) With manly eights ( or female nines) Your are allowed if ‘tis your pleasure, Your are allowed if ‘tis your pleasure, To stretch the length to equal lines To stretch the length to equal lines And make a ballad of And make a ballad of LONG MEASURE LONG MEASURE

Transcript of The Ballad In fours and threes and threes and fours In fours and threes and threes and fours ‘The...

Page 1: The Ballad In fours and threes and threes and fours In fours and threes and threes and fours ‘The Ancient Mariner’ of course ‘The Ancient Mariner’ of.

The BalladThe Ballad

In fours and threes and threes and foursIn fours and threes and threes and fours ‘‘The Ancient Mariner’ of courseThe Ancient Mariner’ of course The The BalladBallad beats its drum: beats its drum: Remains the exemplum.Remains the exemplum.

With manly eights ( or female nines)With manly eights ( or female nines) Your are allowed if ‘tis your pleasure,Your are allowed if ‘tis your pleasure, To stretch the length to equal linesTo stretch the length to equal lines And make a ballad of And make a ballad of LONG MEASURELONG MEASURE

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BalladBallad The word “ballad” comes from The word “ballad” comes from

ballare,ballare, the Italian for ‘to dance’. the Italian for ‘to dance’. (Same root as ballet, ballerina and (Same root as ballet, ballerina and

ball)ball)

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A Ballad is Pub PoetryA Ballad is Pub Poetry

Its elbows are always on the table, never Its elbows are always on the table, never holds the doors for the ladies or covers its holds the doors for the ladies or covers its mouth when it burpsmouth when it burps

Ballads have little interest in description of Ballads have little interest in description of landscapes or the psychology of the individuallandscapes or the psychology of the individual..

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The oldest, in some ways the easiest, and surely the most enduring of all poetic forms is the ballad. Ballads, the main vehicle for stories and songs, go back into the mists of prehistory, before English was even recognizably English:

In Scarlet Town, where I was born,There was a fair maid dwellin'Made every lad cry wellaway,And her name was Barbara Allen.

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Chief among its Chief among its virtues is a virtues is a

keen passion to keen passion to tell you a story: tell you a story: it will grab you it will grab you by the lapel, by the lapel,

stare you in the stare you in the eyes & plunge eyes & plunge

right in:right in:

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Ballad Of Jed Clampett 

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named JedPoor mountaineer barely kept his family fedThen one day he was shooting for some food,And up through the ground come a bubbling crude(Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea)

Well the first thing you know old Jed's a millionaireKin folk said Jed move away from thereSaid California is the place you oughta beSo they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly(Hills that is, swimming pools, movie stars)

Well now it's time to say goodbye to Jed and all his kinThey would like to thank you folks for kindly dropping inYou're all invited back again to this localityTo have a heaping helping of their hospitality(Beverly Hillbillies, that's what they call 'em now, Nice folks Y'all come back now, ya hear?)

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It’s irresistible lilt is familiar to us It’s irresistible lilt is familiar to us in everything from nursery rhymes in everything from nursery rhymes

to rugby songs.to rugby songs. Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,

The cow jumped over the moon.The cow jumped over the moon.The little dog laughed to see such funThe little dog laughed to see such funAnd the dish ran away with the spoon!And the dish ran away with the spoon!

Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater;Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater;Had a wife, and couldn't keep her;Had a wife, and couldn't keep her;He put her in a pumpkin shell,He put her in a pumpkin shell,And there he kept her very well.And there he kept her very well.

Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater;Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater;Had another and didn't love her;Had another and didn't love her;Peter learned to read and spell,Peter learned to read and spell,And then he loved her very well.And then he loved her very well.

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Some GuidelinesSome Guidelines

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7 Characteristics of Ballads:

1. Dramatization of a single incident Story begins abruptly, often in medias res Little attention to characterization, background, or

description 2. Little reflection or expression of sentiment

What happens rather than what people thought or felt

Ends abruptly, often leaving unanswered questions 3. Dialogue or questions and answers that

further the story Told through speech of characters rather than first

person narrative

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4. Strong, simple beat and uncomplicated rhyme scheme or pattern Repetition to emphasize ideas and add to musical

quality 5. Use of refrain at end of stanza

Listeners can join in 6. Tendency to suggest rather than directly

state Sparsely told Sharp psychological portraits Folk wisdom

7. Stories often based on actual events (shipwrecks, murders, accidental deaths)—i.e. narrative poems

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Appreciate the GenreAppreciate the Genre

Many ballads are about tragic Many ballads are about tragic circumstances, ending in death by accident, circumstances, ending in death by accident, suicide, the return of the dead, or murder. suicide, the return of the dead, or murder.

Many ballad seem to have been composed Many ballad seem to have been composed to commemorate important events or to commemorate important events or important people in particular communities.important people in particular communities.

As a rule, the background material is As a rule, the background material is sketchy; the listeners were more interested sketchy; the listeners were more interested in rapid and dramatic action.in rapid and dramatic action.

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Let the Repetition have its Let the Repetition have its effecteffect

A A refrainrefrain is the repetition of words, phrases, or is the repetition of words, phrases, or lines employed for melodic effect, to provide lines employed for melodic effect, to provide emphasis, and to heighten emotion.emphasis, and to heighten emotion.

An An incremental refrain, incremental refrain, or the repetition in or the repetition in succeeding stanzas of lines containing some small succeeding stanzas of lines containing some small addition, or addition, or increment, increment, is used to build to a climax.is used to build to a climax.

Many ballads, like “Get Up and Bar the Door,” use Many ballads, like “Get Up and Bar the Door,” use what is called a what is called a ballad stanza: ballad stanza: four alternating line four alternating line of Iambic Tetrameter and Trimeter that rhymes the of Iambic Tetrameter and Trimeter that rhymes the second and fourth lines. second and fourth lines. Hint:Hint: if you can sing a if you can sing a poem to the theme of Gilligan’s Isle, then it’s in poem to the theme of Gilligan’s Isle, then it’s in ballad stanza form. ballad stanza form.

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Here’s the ballad you need to finish

Now gather round and let me tell The tale of Danny Wise: And how his sweet wife Annabelle Did suck out both his eyes.

And if I tell the story true And if I tell it clear, There’s not a mortal one of you Won’t shriek in mortal fear.

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What to keep in mind…

This is written in abab rhyme and you can drop it from time to time, BUT do stick to the four-line structure.

Enjoy yourself The ballad has a certain flow, a

rhythmic swing and a beat.

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Ballad RubricBallad RubricCategoryCategory ExemplaryExemplary BasicBasic Below BasicBelow BasicThe song mimics The song mimics ballad structureballad structure

Each stanza effectively Each stanza effectively utilizes the structural utilizes the structural elements of a ballad: elements of a ballad: refrain, incremental refrain, incremental refrain, strong meter refrain, strong meter (ballad stanza), (ballad stanza), dialogue, and rhyme. dialogue, and rhyme.

Song contains at least Song contains at least five stanzas.five stanzas.

Stanzas utilize ballad Stanzas utilize ballad elements, but not as elements, but not as effectively as an effectively as an exemplary piece: exemplary piece: example, may begin example, may begin with exact phrasing with exact phrasing repeated instead of repeated instead of building upbuilding up

Song only contains Song only contains between two and four between two and four stanzasstanzas

Poem does not utilize Poem does not utilize important elements of important elements of balladballad

Song is one stanzaSong is one stanza

Song lyrics reflect a Song lyrics reflect a tone appropriate to tone appropriate to the ballad’s themethe ballad’s theme

Lyrics build a Lyrics build a suspenseful, tragic, or suspenseful, tragic, or comic tone; like in-class comic tone; like in-class examples, end of poem examples, end of poem has impact (whether has impact (whether purposeful, tragic, or purposeful, tragic, or comic). comic).

Lyrics sometimes create Lyrics sometimes create an appropriate tone; an appropriate tone; ending’s impact is not ending’s impact is not as impactful as an as impactful as an exemplary work.exemplary work.

No thoughtful creation No thoughtful creation of toneof tone

The song will contain The song will contain original imagery and original imagery and symbolism to convey its symbolism to convey its message message

Imagery is fresh and Imagery is fresh and clearly relates to three clearly relates to three to five of the senses; to five of the senses; symbols are strong and symbols are strong and clear.clear.

Imagery relates to a Imagery relates to a couple of the senses; couple of the senses; work utilizes symbolism.work utilizes symbolism.

Imagery not used or Imagery not used or simply sight; no simply sight; no symbolism or symbolism or symbolism is unclearsymbolism is unclear