1. 14 th and 15 th Centuries

2.  Rhymed verse that was recited or sung  Themes  Murderous acts / desire for revenge  Tragic accidents and sudden disaster  Heroic deeds motivated by quest for honor  Jealous sweethearts / unrequited love

3.  English and Scottish  Authors unknown  Many versions  Told from Memory  Passed down from generation to generation  Collected and published during 18 th Century

4.  Dramatization of a single incident  Begins in the middle of action  No background info  Little reflection or expression of sentiment  What happened  No feelings  Dialogue or questions and answers that further the story  Told through speech rather than first-person

5.  A strong, simple beat / easy rhyme scheme  Repetition of key word, line, or phrase  Adds to musical quality  Use of the refrain  Regularly repeated line at end of stanza  Allows listeners to join and singers to remember verses  Suggest rather than directly state  Folk wisdom

6.  Actual events  Shipwrecks, murders, accidental deaths  Could make headlines today.

7.  One of the best-known ballads  Story of sailors on an ill-fated voyage  May be based on actual events  Partner chat!! – Do you think Sir Patrick did the right thing? Give reasons for your answer, using details from the ballad.

8.  “Bonny Barbara Allan” tells a familiar and tragic story of disappointment in love.  Partner chat!! Do you think the ballad would be more effective if the writer had included the character’s thoughts and emotions? Explain why or why not.

9.  A comic ballad about married life – a favorite target of medieval humor.  Partner Chat!!! To what aspect of human nature does this ballad point?

10.  Title: Ballad in My Own Words  Each ballad tells a story. Choose one of the ballads we read and rewrite it as a short story.  SHARE!!!