Robin Hood Ballads

English Folklore

traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or other art

forms preserved among a people.

Folklore

(Folk – people, lore – traditional knowledge or belief)

A Ballad

A short story in the form of a poem usually set to

music.

(derived from an Old French word ballade – a dancing song)

A Ballad

Folk ballads flourished in England and Scotland in

the 15th century.

Folk Ballads

- Authors are unknown;- Originally meant to be

sung;-Were not written down

and passed from mouth to mouth.

Folk Ballads

- Focus on a single, dramatic event;

-Told through action and dialogue;

- Never told in the first person.

- Divided into quatrains (4-line stanzas);

- Second and fourth lines usually rhyme (abcb);

- Usually written in iambic pentameter.

Elements of a Ballad

A refrain - a phrase or verse that is repeated regularly in a poem,

especially at the end of each stanza

Elements of a Ballad

- Usually related to tragic evens, unhappy love

affairs, family feuds, popular outlaws (Robin Hood),

historical events, heroes.

Ballad Themes

Robin Hood Ballads

Robin Hood

William Langland’s “Piers Plowman”

(1377)

“I ken (=know) ‘rimes of Robin Hood”

(Sloth)

And he was clad in coat and hood of green.A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keenUnder his belt he bore right carefully(Well could he keep his tackle yeomanly:His arrows had no draggled feathers low),And in his hand he bore a mighty bow.A cropped head had he and a sun-browned face.Of woodcraft knew he all the useful ways.Upon his arm he bore a bracer gay,And at one side a sword and buckler, yea,And at the other side a dagger bright,Well sheathed and sharp as spear point in the light;On breast a Christopher of silver sheen.He bore a horn in baldric all of green;A forester he truly was, I guess.

Geoffrey Chaucer “The Canterbury Tales”

Robin Hood

- Robin as the Earl of

Huntington- Robert of

Locksley- Robin Hood of

Wakefield- Robin Hood of

York

Robin Hood

Robin Hood

and his Merry Men

Characters

Alan-a-Dale

Characters

Little John

Characters

Friar Tuck

Characters

Maid Marian

Characters

The Sherriff of Noringham

Characters

Richard I (The

Lionheart)

Characters

“Robbing the rich to give to the poor”

Francis J. Child

(1825-1896)

“The English and Scottish Popular Ballads” (1882)

“Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow”

1. Name the characters in the order of appearance.

2. Who are Robin Hood’s friends (enemies)?

3. What characteristics are attributed to Robin Hood?

4. Give the order of evens.5. Does this ballad have all the elements

of a traditional folk ballad? (Prove referring to the text)

Robin Hood in Popular Culture

1984 1991 2006 2010

“Robin of Sherwood”

1. Name the characters in the episode.2. Name the differences between the

ballad and the TV episode.