Traditional ballads

Traditional ballads are narrative folksongs - simply put, they are folksongs that tell stories. They tell all kinds of stories, including histories, legends, fairy tales, animal fables, jokes, and tales of outlaws and star-crossed lovers. ... Many traditional ballads came to North America with settlers from Europe.

1. What are the characteristics of a traditional ballad?
2. What are traditional songs examples?
3. What is the theme of traditional ballad?
4. What is an example of a ballad in literature?

What are the characteristics of a traditional ballad?

13 Characteristics of a Ballad

• It is a song that tells a story.
• The beginning is often surprising.
• Its language is simple.
• It concentrates on a single episode.
• The theme is often tragic & sad.
• The story is told through dialogue & action.
• It lacks specific detail.
• It has a surprising ending.

What are traditional songs examples?

Example Folk Songs

• Scarborough Fair.
• Greensleeves.
• Early One Morning.
• Swing Low Sweet Chariot.
• Kalinka.
• Auld Lang Syne.
• Oh Danny Boy.
• Waltzing Matilda.

What is the theme of traditional ballad?

A page from the "Poetry through the Ages" exhibit...

What is an example of a ballad in literature?

Example 1. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner is one of the best examples of a ballad. The poem is very strictly structured in terms of meter and rhyme, and tells a story of an old sailor who stops people on their way into a party.