Ballads

Ballads are short narrative poems.Those have transmitted orally from generation to generation and from society to society.Later they were written down. They were sung, often with accompaniment and dance before audience.Since ballads were passed on by word of mouth, several genuine versions (equally)of a single ballad exist.Also more than one tune can be seen for a single ballad.

                                                                                          The popular ballad is essentially a primitive form of art.It expresses the thoughts and feelings of small and simple,rather isolated societies. It flourished mainly in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.The origins of popullar ballads are complex.they cannot be assigned to single authors.In early theories ballads are regarded as the coperate expression of the folk.resent research brings out the importance of bard,the singer of tales,in shaping ballads and transmitting them.He occupied the privileged position in primitive societies. He contributed to the versions he sang.He was the agent of transmitting ballads.Still he was virtually the voice of his community. So it seems that ballads express group feelings and attitudes.