Characteristics_of_Ballads_Presentation.pptx

Characteristics_of_Ballads_Presentation.pptx

1. Characteristics of Ballads This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

2. What is a Ballad? A ballad is a type of narrative poem that tells a story. Traditionally passed down orally, ballads are often set to music. They often explore themes of love, tragedy, and adventure.

3. Key Characteristics • Simple language • Repetition • Dialogue • A consistent rhyme scheme, often ABAB or ABCB • A regular meter, typically in quatrains (four-line stanzas) • Focus on a single, dramatic event or story

4. Ballad Structure • Stanzas: Usually consist of four lines (quatrains). • Rhyme Scheme: Often follows ABAB or ABCB patterns. • Meter: Typically alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter .

5. Example: 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Opening lines: 'It is an ancient Mariner, / And he stoppeth one of three. / 'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, / Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?'

6. Example: 'The Ballad of John and Yoko' by The Beatles Lyrics: 'Standing in the dock at Southampton / Trying to get to Holland or France / The man in the mac said, 'You've got to go back' / You know they didn't even give us a chance'

7. Why Study Ballads? • Ballads provide insight into cultural and historical contexts. • They enhance understanding of narrative poetry and its elements. • Writing ballads can improve creative writing skills and appreciation for poetic forms.

8. Conclusion Ballads are a timeless form of narrative poetry that combine storytelling with musicality. Understanding their characteristics helps appreciate their artistic and cultural significance. Engaging with ballads through analysis and writing can deepen literary knowledge and creativity.

9. Questions

10. Activity 1: Analyzing a Ballad • Choose a ballad (traditional or modern). • Identify its key characteristics (language, repetition, dialogue, rhyme scheme, meter). • Discuss how these elements contribute to the story being told.

11. • Create a story outline focusing on a single dramatic event. • Write a ballad using quatrains, a consistent rhyme scheme, and simple language. • Incorporate repetition and dialogue to enhance the narrative.

12. RECITATION #2: USING EITHER THE ABAB OR ABCB PATTERN, CREATE YOUR OWN BALLAD CONSISTING OF THREE STANZAS. YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR OWN THEME AND PRESENT IT TO CLASS.