Sir Patrick Spens Group

Question:

chris12
chris12
Student
High School - 12th Grade

How is the ballad "Sir Patrick Spens" a ballad?

Make sure you explain why this is a ballad.

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Posted by chris12 on Wednesday October 7, 2009 at 2:40 PM and tagged with ballad form, reason, sir patrick spens.

Answers:


  1. sfwriter Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    I have written a response on "Sir Patrick Spens" which summarizes the poem and also discusses the ballad form.  Click on the link below to read the answer.  The last paragraph focuses on the poetic form.

    Ballads almost always tell a folk-tale (or sometimes fairy-tale or supernatural story) -type story, which often (but not always) is tragic.  In the majority of cases ballads were meant to be sung, so there is a definitely regular, rhythmic, song-like quality to them.  Also, most ballads have repeated lines, usually at the ends of stanzas.  "Sir Patrick Spens" has all of these features.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/sir-patrick-spens/q-and-a/what-cont...

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    Posted by sfwriter on Sunday October 11, 2009 at 7:46 PM