Unit 2: The Ballad and Analyze Literature

Dating from the twelfth century, a ballad is a traditional form of narrative poetry that may be recited or sung.

Slant rhyme, in which the rhyming sounds are similar but not identical, is common to many ballads, such as “Lord Randall” and “Bonny Barbara Allan.”

The regular rhythm of the lines balances the variations in sound patterns, as does the frequent inclusion of a strong refrain, or repetition of lines, and other instances of repetition (“bar the door;” “For I’m sick at heart, an I fain wad lie down;” “my blue-eyed son”).

The regular rhythm of the lines balances the variations in sound patterns, as does the frequent inclusion of a strong refrain, or repetition of lines, and other instances of repetition (“bar the door;” “For I’m sick at heart, an I fain wad lie down;” “my blue-eyed son”).

A ballad conveys a dramatic story through the use of dialogue, often in the form of questions and answers.

Mood, or atmosphere, is the emotion created in the reader by part or all of a literary work.

Characterization is the act of creating or describing a character.

Irony is the difference between appearance and reality

An Arthurian romance tells of the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds, as in “And both were bound up with a band of brilliant green."