Ballad
Literary term · say it BAL-ud
A ballad is a poem or song that tells a story, often through short stanzas, strong rhythm, and rhyme. Ballads commonly focus on dramatic events such as a dangerous journey, a betrayal, or a death, with repetition helping readers follow the action.
The two main kinds of ballad
Traditional ballad
A traditional ballad is a story-song with no known author, often found in several versions. Its action usually moves quickly, with dialogue and repeated phrases.
In Sir Patrick Spens, a sailor must undertake a dangerous voyage at the king's command, and the ship is lost at sea. The closing image of the waiting women brings the disaster home.
In Sir Patrick Spens by Anonymous
Literary ballad
A literary ballad is a storytelling poem by a known poet, with features familiar from traditional ballads. These can include short stanzas, repeated words, dialogue, and sudden turns of fate.
In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an old sailor stops a wedding guest and tells him about a disastrous voyage. His killing of an albatross sets the central trouble in motion.
In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
How to spot a ballad
- Look for a story with characters and a clear sequence of events.
- Listen for a strong beat, rhyme, and repeated words or lines.
- Notice short stanzas, direct speech, and sudden dramatic events.
Does a ballad have to be sung?
No, a ballad can be read as a poem without musical accompaniment. Its strong rhythm and repetition may still give it a songlike quality. In literature, the key feature is usually its storytelling, rather than whether anyone sings it.
What is the usual rhyme scheme of a ballad?
A common ballad rhyme scheme is ABCB, meaning that the second and fourth lines of a four-line stanza rhyme. These stanzas often alternate lines with four strong beats and lines with three. Not every ballad follows this pattern throughout.
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