The medieval ballads

have been sung in particular in

Europe

the late Middle Ages

they were trasmitted orally

until 13th and 14th centuries,

when they started to be written

published by Bishop Thomas Percy in 1765 (seventheen-sixtyfive)

they are arranged into four-line stanzas

in the ballads are important: repetition of words or lines and the use of refrains

usually rhyming ABCB or ABAB

that is the repetition of one or more lines, that helped the singer to memorize the text

The lines are often a mixture of dialogue and narration

ballad begins at the moment of catastrophe or resolution

there is no moral aim

the main characters are ordinary people

that can be real or supernatural (witches, ghosts...)

the language is simple

have a variety of themes

border ballads

ballads of love

ballads of magic

ballads of outlaws

the most popular is Robin Hood