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