I. Introduction
In this Essay I shall argue that one can find aspects of moral education in virtually
every subgenre of late medieval and renaissance ballads and that this is probably
one of the main functions for the spreading of the ballads. Despite the fact that
there are no real fixed and approved subgenres of ballads, I am going to divide the
ballads I am working with into three different subgenres: religious ballads,
supernatural ballads and romances, or to be precise, romance ballads. For each
subgenre, I will present examples, which share common motifs of late medieval
and renaissance ballads and can therefore be marked as traditional ballads from
that specific period. Subsequently, I am going to emphasise on the particular
aspect of moral education in the discussed ballad. Even though the content of
most ballads is not bound to a specific country, respectively culture, but can be
identified in various versions all over the world, mainly Europe and the United
States, I will concentrate on the British versions of particular ballads, taken from
“The Oxford Book of Ballads” edited by James Kinsley and published in 1970.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Moral Education in Late medieval and Renaissance Ballads
II. 1 Religious Ballads
II. 2 Supernatural Ballads
II. 3 Romance Ballads
III. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Topics
This essay explores the function of late medieval and Renaissance ballads as instruments of moral education. It argues that while these folk-tales served an entertainment purpose, they were fundamentally designed to convey social values, laws, and moral lessons by depicting the consequences of criminal or immoral actions within a narrative framework.
- The role of ballads as a medium for moral instruction and cultural value transmission.
- A comparative analysis of subgenres: religious, supernatural, and romance ballads.
- Examination of recurring motifs, such as the "angel's knee" and the consequences of greed or adultery.
- The relationship between folklore, oral tradition, and the preservation of societal norms.
Excerpt from the Book
II. 1 Religious Ballads
Religious ballads from medieval and renaissance times are surely those, which are most expected to contain some kind of moral education. This is because they are commonly based on the bible, which means they have a literate background. One of those ballads is the one called Dives and Lazarus (Kinsley, p. 5-7). The tale with a biblical background is about the rich Dives and the poor Lazarus. In the first seven stanzas of the ballad, the latter asks Dives three times for something to eat or something to Drink:
"Then Lazarus laid him down and down
And down at Dives’ door:
Some meat, some drink, brother Dives,
Bestow upon the poor (Stanza 2)."
Wile the first three lines of Lazarus’ requests are always the same, the fourth differs each time. Dives, however, declines the beggar’s search for help. His answers are in the same form as Lazarus’ begging and follow the same pattern of repetition:
"Though art non of my brother, Lazarus,
That lies begging at my door,
Nor meat nor drink will I give thee
Nor bestow upon the poor (Stanza 3)."
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: The introduction outlines the thesis that late medieval and Renaissance ballads functioned as vehicles for moral education, and categorizes the ballads into three distinct subgenres.
II. Moral Education in Late medieval and Renaissance Ballads: This chapter analyzes specific ballads across three categories—religious, supernatural, and romance—to demonstrate how moral lessons are embedded within their narratives.
II. 1 Religious Ballads: This section uses the ballad "Dives and Lazarus" to show how biblically-rooted tales utilize repetition and motif to reinforce the virtue of charity and condemn greed.
II. 2 Supernatural Ballads: This section examines "The Laily Worm and the Machrel" and "Young Hunting," highlighting how supernatural elements and tragic outcomes serve to punish moral failings like jealousy and murder.
II. 3 Romance Ballads: This section investigates "Little Mousgrove and the Lady Barnet" and "Babylon" to illustrate how romance narratives uphold societal standards regarding adultery and the sanctity of life.
III. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, asserting that the primary role of these ballads was to preserve the societal canon of values through the collective memory of the populace.
Keywords
Ballads, Folklore, Moral Education, Medieval, Renaissance, Oral Tradition, Dives and Lazarus, Supernatural, Romance, Narrative, Values, Social Norms, Literature, Cultural History, Ethics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic essay?
The essay explores the moral and educational functions of late medieval and Renaissance ballads, arguing that these stories were not merely for entertainment but were essential for transmitting societal values.
Which subgenres of ballads are analyzed in the work?
The author categorizes the ballads into three main groups: religious ballads, supernatural ballads, and romance ballads.
What is the central research question?
The study seeks to identify how late medieval and Renaissance ballads served as a form of moral education and how their narratives reinforced social laws and ethical standards.
What scientific methodology is applied?
The paper utilizes a qualitative literary analysis, focusing on the identification of specific motifs and poetic structures within British ballad versions from "The Oxford Book of Ballads."
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines several representative ballads, such as "Dives and Lazarus" and "Young Hunting," to analyze how specific themes and motifs convey moral consequences to the listener or reader.
Which keywords best describe the content of this paper?
Key terms include Ballads, Folklore, Moral Education, Oral Tradition, Ethics, Social Norms, and Cultural History.
Why is "Dives and Lazarus" considered a religious ballad?
The author classifies it as such because it is based on biblical content, providing a literate background that directly addresses themes of charity versus greed.
How do the supernatural ballads convey their moral message?
By depicting characters who commit evil deeds (like the stepmother in "The Laily Worm") and subsequently receiving severe punishments, these ballads teach the reader that wrongdoing leads to suffering.
What is the significance of the "angel's knee" motif?
It is a recurring motif in traditional British ballads that symbolizes reward in the afterlife for those who lived a decent life, contrasting with the punishment found in hell for the greedy.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the role of ballads?
The author concludes that ballads were a perfect, enduring medium for keeping the collective moral canon of a society intact through generation-spanning oral tradition.
- Citation du texte
- Julian Hatzig (Auteur), 2012, Moral Education as a function of British Folklore in the Form of Late-medieval and Renaissance Ballads, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/211691
