BalladsLord Randall, Get Up and Bar

the Door, Edward, Edward

Ballads – songs or songlike poems that tell stories in simple, rhythmic language

Ballads were the poetry of the people and just as popular as music is today

Common Characteristics of Ballads1. An exciting or tragic subject like

love, death, or supernatural2. Details are left out3. Contains 1 or more Refrains – a

word, line, or group of lines that is repeated throughout the ballad

4. Mysterious events

Lord Randall

Background This ballad was written in the Middle Ages. In the ballad, a young man and his loyal hunting dogs get sick after eating dinner. Food poisoning and stomach illnesses were very common problems in the middle ages. No refrigeration and unclean habits made it hard to keep foods as safe as we can today

This ballad was written in an old Scottish version of English. Some of the words may seem incomplete compared to the language we speak today.

As you read Lord Randall identify the characteristics of a ballad within it using the chart below and answer the questions that follow.

Ballad Features

Example from “Lord Randall

Sad Story

Missing Details

Mysterious events

Refrains

1. What is happening in each stanza? (Paraphrase)2. What are the incomplete words in the first three stanzas?3. What are the modern English spellings of the words in

number 2?4. What does each refrain tell us?5. Why do you believe the author wrote this poem?

PurposeThe reason that an author writes.

Details such as dialogue, images, or repeated words can help us guess the purpose of a piece of literature

There are six common purposes for writing.

Purposes for writing

– describe something or someone

– analyze something (examine critically)

– tell something

– Persuade someone

– Inform someone of something (How to)

- Entertain

NOTE: author’s can have several purposes in one writing they are not locked into just one

DAT

PIE

Purpose PracticeType of literature Author’s Purpose

An autobiography by a woman who grew up in poverty and became a successful business owner

A children’s book about a rabbit who travels in space

A collection of Native American Myths

A consumer guide about different types of cars that are on the market

A book about American soldiers who fought in World War II

Get Up and Bar the DoorBackground The story in this ballad exists in many

versions in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East - perhaps illustrating the universal theme sometimes called the battle of the sexes.

Goodman and goodwife are terms that were commonly applied to married men and women.

The story takes place around November 11, Martinmas, or the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, which was usually celebrated with a big meal

Understanding PurposeAs you read, note details that help you determine the purposes of the ballad. Use the chart below to record your findings. In the third row, identify for each ballad the most powerful and significant detail that led to your interpretation of the ballad’s purpose.

Item Get Up and Bar the Door

Details

Purpose/ explanation

Most Powerful and Significant Detail

IronyThe difference between what is expected and what actually happens

If the shortest kid on the basketball team was the best player or the firehouse caught on fire this would be ironic because it is not what we expect to happen

There are three types of Irony: Verbal, Situational, and Dramatic

Types of Irony

1. Verbal Irony

2. Situational Irony 3. Dramatic Irony

Saying on thing but meaning another

(kind of like sarcasm)

A man who hunts humans says “oh yes.. I have electricity. We

try to be civilized here.

When your standing next to a house that is falling down and you say, “Now that is a

mansion.”

When a situation turns out to be the opposite of

what you expected

“It’s like rain on your wedding day”

“Winning the lottery and dying the next day”

The surprise ending is situational irony (SAW)

When the reader or audience knows something the

character does not

We knew that Juliet wasn’t dead but Romeo did not

In horror movies we know the killer is in the house when the characters do not

Irony PracticeListen to the song and identify as many ironic statements as possible. When finished explain why each statement is ironic.

Edward, EdwardBackground

• Edward is a traditional murder ballad existing in several variants.

• In English its versions were collected by Francis James Child as Child ballad number 13

• It is about a young man who is questioned about the blood on his sword.

• After claiming the blood belongs to different animals he admits to his mother that he has killed his father.

• He declares that he is leaving never to return and that various creatures will have to fare without him.

• However, the ballad ends with a twist.

Understanding IronyEach of the ballads below are Ironic. Identify why each ballad is ironic, which type of irony is used, and explain why it is ironic.

Lord RandallIronic because _________________________________________Type of Irony ___________________________________________Explanation of Irony _____________________________________

Get Up and Bar the DoorIronic because _________________________________________Type of Irony ___________________________________________Explanation of Irony _____________________________________

Edward, EdwardIronic because _________________________________________Type of Irony ___________________________________________Explanation of Irony _____________________________________