BALLAD OF

A MOTHER’S HEART
Written by: Jose La Villa Tierra
LESSON OUTLINE

 Define the ballad

 Infer character traits

 Analyze the poem

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WHAT IS A BALLAD
 It is a poem or a song narrating a story in short stanzas
 Has a simple structure and tells of a single incident
 Emphasizes strong rhythms, repetition of key phrases (refrain) and rhymes
 The first and third lines have 4 stresses, while the second and fourth have three
WHAT WERE THE
CHARACTER TRAITS
EVIDENT IN THE BALLAD?

 Youth - Besotted with the Maiden

 Maiden - Aloof with the Youth

 Mother - Forgiving Heart for the Youth

HOW DO WE “DISSECT” THE
BALLAD?
 Format: A ballad with lyrics traditionally follows a pattern of rhymed quatrains (ABCB). This
means that for every four-line grouping, either the first and third line will rhyme or the second
and fourth lines will rhyme.
 Theme: Mother’s unconditional love for her child
 Plot: Young man professes his devotion to a lady who asks for his mother’s heart. He readily
acquiesces and does the unspeakable deed. When he fell while hurrying on his way to the
apple of his eye, his mother asked him if he was hurt.
 Figure of speech: Hyperbole or exaggeration was utilized to emphasize the point of the writer.
BALLAD &
PODCAST
 Parallelism of podcast with the ballad:
Hosted by an individual who shares stories
 Difference: Digital form as compared to the
ballad
 Similar in establishment of connection with
one’s audience: Both podcasts and ballads
tell a personal story that brings people
together
 ACTIVITY:
IDENTIFY THE
VOCABULARY WORDS

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REFERENCE:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/music-101-what-is-a-ballad-learn-to-write-a-ballad-with-e
xamples#what-is-a-ballad