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The Origins and Evolution of the Ballad: A Historical Review
I. Etymology and Medieval Origins of the Word "Ballad"
This report traces the linguistic origin of the word 'ballad' and the historical development of this song form from its roots in medieval Europe to its modern-day manifestations. A crucial starting point for understanding the essence of the ballad is recognizing that the term was inextricably linked to the act of dancing from its very beginning.
1.1. From Dance to Song: A Linguistic Journey
The etymology of the word 'ballad' is deeply rooted in the act of dancing. The word is derived from the Late Latin term ballare, meaning "to dance." This root evolved into the Old Provençal word ballada, which meant "a poem for a dance," and later became the Old French balade, or "dancing song." The inherent connection to dance that the word 'ballad' carried when it entered the English language is a key factor in understanding its early function and characteristics. The theory that early ballads were created for dancing is supported by the word's etymology and by the fact that ballads are still used for dancing in some parts of Europe today.1 The rhythmic structure, a recurring refrain, and a predictable meter were not merely literary devices but functional features designed to be easily followed by a communal group of dancers and singers. A 14th-century Italian poet, Dante, considered the ballata a "lower order" of poetry than other forms because of its dependence on the movements of dancers, reflecting an elite perspective that looked down on communal and physical art forms in favor of more intellectual poetry.3 Origin Language Word Meaning Late Latin ballare "to dance" Old Provençal ballada "a poem for a dance" Old French balade "dancing song" English "ballad" "a short narrative poem suitable for singing"
1.2. The Oral Tradition of Medieval Europe
The ballad emerged in late medieval Europe as a rhythmic, narrative poem transmitted through the oral tradition.4 These poems were stories set to music, often recounting tales of love and adventure, much like folk tales and legends.4 Their communal nature meant that the ballads were "the property of the people" and were learned by ear rather than from a score.6 Because they were passed down orally, singers often changed the lyrics at will, resulting in countless versions and the loss of the original authors.4 Early ballads were sung to one of several "standard tunes" of the time, demonstrating the form's popular and adaptable nature.4 This fluid structure was not accidental; it was a functional result of the needs of a community that used these songs for collective dancing and storytelling.
II. From Folk Art to Print: The English Ballad
This section focuses on the pivotal transition of the ballad from an oral tradition to a commercial printed form. The development of printing did not destroy the folk ballad tradition but instead popularized it and gave rise to a new form of mass media that bridged the gap between oral and literary culture.
2.1. Traditional English and Scottish Ballads
Traditional ballads from England and Scotland, such as "Barbry Allen" and "Hangman Hangman," were an integral part of the "folk tradition" or "pop culture" of their day.4 These songs followed a narrative poetic form, typically consisting of four-line stanzas with a predictable rhyme scheme, and often featured repetitive words, lines, or a refrain.4 While the themes were often of love and adventure, they expanded to include urban and political topics after the Industrial Revolution, showcasing the form's flexibility to adapt to changing social contexts. Starting in the 18th century, the British folk revival movement sought to preserve and collect these folk ballads as a valued part of popular culture and national identity.7
2.2. The Rise of the Broadsheet: A New Mass Medium
One of the most significant turning points in the history of the English ballad was the emergence of the printed broadsheet in the early 18th century. Broadsheets were single-sheet printings of ballad lyrics sold by peddlers in public places like town squares, markets, and taverns, and they served as an early form of mass media. These broadsheets were the first printed materials to be called "ballads" in England and were instrumental in reviving public interest in the older folk narratives.4 They often chronicled the lives of the lower and middle classes, offering a more accessible poetic form than the "literary poetry" favored by the upper class. This made the ballad a barometer of societal feeling and a voice for the common people. Though contemporary literary critics of the time looked down on the "rough form, coarse language, and dubious subject matter" of broadsheet ballads, modern readers appreciate their value, especially given they were produced quickly as a means of making a living. The advent of broadsheets marked a crucial shift in the ballad's value from a communal, participatory art form to a commercial commodity. This commercialization, while criticized, was vital in ensuring the ballad's survival and its eventual evolution into modern popular music. Instead of homogenizing the oral tradition, printing became a democratizing force that spread folk forms widely, creating a bridge between ancient folk traditions and the mass-produced music of the 20th century.
Ballad Type Era Method of Transmission Authorship Primary Subject Matter Traditional Ballad Middle Ages - 19th c. Oral tradition Impersonal, anonymous Folk tales, legends, love, adventure 4 Broadsheet Ballad 18th c. onward Single printed sheets (broadsheets) Often anonymous, but linked to printers Lives of lower classes, current events, crime, gossip Literary Ballad Romantic era onward Published by notable authors Attributed to specific poets Mimics traditional form with refined artistic intent 5
III. The Ballad in the Romantic Era and Folk Revival
The ballad, once a popular but often scorned folk form, was "rediscovered" and elevated by scholars and poets. This section explores how the ballad was used as a vehicle for national identity and a new mode of artistic expression. The efforts of academics to collect and preserve folk ballads (Child, Sharp) and the reinterpretation of the ballad form as a sophisticated literary genre by Romantic poets (Wordsworth) were complementary forces that elevated the ballad's status.
3.1. The British Folk Revival: Collection and Preservation
The British folk revival movement, which began in the 18th century and intensified in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, stemmed from an awareness that older folk song forms were disappearing.7 Key figures in this movement included Harvard professor Francis James Child (1825–96) and music teacher Cecil Sharp (1859–1924).7 Child's eight-volume collection, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, published between 1882 and 1892, was hugely influential in defining the ballad repertoire for future generations. A "strong nationalist element" motivated this collection effort.7 Folk songs were seen as a symbol of a distinctive English national identity, and in 1906, the Board of Education officially sanctioned the teaching of folk songs in schools.7 As a reaction against the cultural fragmentation of the industrial age, these revivalists sought to find an "authentic" national voice in the ballad. This academic and nationalistic impulse to preserve folk culture directly inspired Romantic-era poets, who saw the ballad's simple, narrative structure and emotional honesty as the perfect vehicle for their own artistic and nationalistic sentiments.8
3.2. Romantic Reinterpretation: From Folk to High Art
From the mid-18th century and into the Romantic era, there was a new appreciation for the medieval 'romance,' a tale or ballad of chivalric adventure that influenced the Romantic movement.8 Romantic poets co-opted the ballad form, transforming it from a folk art into a refined literary genre.8 A prime example is William Wordsworth's 1800 preface to Lyrical Ballads, which became a manifesto for the English Romantic poetry movement.8 The Romantic era was characterized by a new interest in national origins, which led to the collection and imitation of native folklore, folk ballads, and music.7 This movement even gave birth to a unique school of English classical music known as the "national" or "pastoral" school.7 The ballad represents a unique interaction between folk culture and high art during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Academic preservation efforts led to artistic reinterpretation, which in turn influenced not only literature but also national identity and education. The ballad became more than just a song; it became a powerful symbol enlisted to forge a national identity in the face of cultural disruption.
IV. The Modern Legacy of the Ballad
Finally, this section examines how the ballad form has shown remarkable flexibility in adapting to 20th- and 21st-century popular media. The shift in the ballad's narrative function, from recounting specific events to expressing a universal emotional experience, is key to understanding the success of the modern pop ballad and the "power ballad."
4.1. From Parlor Song to Pop Anthem
By the late 19th century, the term 'ballad' had come to mean a "sentimental song of the Victorian parlor." These sentimental songs were critical to the success of the new sheet music and phonograph industries and remained a central part of popular music throughout the 20th century.8 During this period, the ballad became the form that "best expressed a public mood or emotion." This marks a key transition in the ballad's narrative function: from telling stories of action to telling stories of feeling.
4.2. Pop and Rock Ballads: Emotion as the New Narrative
Early rock and roll singers often drew on established pop ballad traditions, such as the Italian Neapolitan ballad or the American Tin Pan Alley sentiment.8 The modern rock ballad, however, is derived from soul music, with Ray Charles's 1962 gospel interpretation of the country song "I Can't Stop Loving You" serving as the "blueprint for generations of rock balladeers" like Tom Jones and Joe Cocker. The "power ballad" is a distinct modern form that, contrary to popular belief, did not originate in 1980s rock but emerged in the 1970s pop recordings of artists like Barry Manilow.9 Manilow helped to construct the "musical formula" for these songs, which are characterized by a dramatic emotional arc that moves from a "soft opening to a towering conclusion."9 The "excessive emotional expression" of the power ballad fit into a larger shift toward more effusive and demonstrative styles in popular culture that began in the 1960s.9 The success of the modern ballad lies in this shift of its narrative function from recounting events to expressing emotions. An old ballad might tell a story about what happened to its characters 4, while a modern ballad tells a story about what was felt. Its "narrative" is an emotional journey from quiet, introspective feelings to a grand, cathartic expression.9 Elton John's performance of "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997 is a powerful example of the ballad's ability to unite a public audience through shared emotion. The ballad's story is no longer about "what happened" but about "what was felt," a testament to the form's enduring ability to redefine its core function for every new era.
V. Conclusion: A Timeless and Flexible Form
The history of the ballad is a remarkable journey from a communal, oral dance song in the Middle Ages to a sophisticated emotional and artistic form today. Its Latin root, meaning "to dance," left a permanent mark on its rhythmic structure. The advent of the printed broadsheet was crucial for the ballad's preservation and commercialization, bridging the gap between oral and literary cultures. The 19th-century folk revival and the Romantic-era poets then elevated the form, making it a powerful vehicle for national identity and artistic expression. Ultimately, the ballad has survived into the modern era by transforming its narrative function from event-based storytelling to emotion-based storytelling. This continuous redefinition of its core purpose has allowed it to remain a powerful and flexible art form for telling stories across centuries. 참고 자료 Traditional Ballads | Traditional and Ethnic | Musical Styles | Articles ..., 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/traditional-and-ethnic/traditional-ballads/#:~:text=The%20word%20%22ballad%22%20is%20derived,ballads%20were%20used%20for%20dancing. Renouncement of an inheritance - German Embassy London, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://uk.diplo.de/resource/blob/504358/ec590d3444ec9b4228e752f5b9905f07/inheritance-information-sheet-renouncement-data.pdf The Ballad and the Dance | PMLA | Cambridge Core, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/pmla/article/ballad-and-the-dance/CA8F623C6E763C120DB97B63FCE375A5 Ballad | EBSCO Research Starters, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/ballad Acceptance of inheritance (Erbschaftsannahme) - german-probate-lawyer.com, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.german-probate-lawyer.com/glossary/def/acceptance-of-inheritance.html An introduction to: Folk music | Making Music, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/resource/introduction-folk-music British folk revival - Wikipedia, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_folk_revival Pop ballad | Sentimental Love Song, Storytelling & Emotional Impact ..., 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.britannica.com/art/pop-ballad The power ballad | Popular Music | Cambridge Core, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/popular-music/article/power-ballad/33764F82EAF2A3EBD19A77A5DC23827F Waiver of the inheritance - Familienzusammenführung, 8월 17, 2025에 액세스, https://www.rechtsanwalt-familienzusammenfuehrung.de/en/waiver-of-the-inheritance.html