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| Sunday, 10 July 2005 |
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A/L English Literature Made Easy - Modern Poets
Ballads The Demon Lover The Demon Lover is a ballad. The word ballad is derived from 'ballare'. Most ballads narrate stories; usually love stories, youth and sometimes bravery. Ballads were written to be sung and there are no authors.
Hence, there can be slight variations. Characterization is minimal and description brief and conventional. Lord Randal is a popular ballad that consists of all qualities of a good ballad. The Demon Lover is a love story about a young man who had a lover and after he had been away for seven years, comes back to see his lover but she had got married and having two kids. The man recalled, to the memories of their love affair, their affection and pleaded her to come with him leaving her husband and the two children. I wad' never hae' trodden on Irish ground If it had not been for love o' thee The woman being anxious asked him what he would give her if she was to leave her husband and her two children. He promised to give her seven ships already at sea and the one that brought him to her, where he had twenty-four mariners and music. The turpitude of the man and the woman is clearly depicted in the scene in which she kissed her two children goodbye. She has taken up her two little babes Kissed them both cheek and chin Fair ye weel my ain two babes, For I'll never see you again. After she had boarded the ship she noticed the absence of mariners, sails were made of taffata and the masts were of gold. When the ship had sailed about three leagues the appearance of the man became so ugly and his eyes looked fierce. The woman noticed that he was cloven-footed-the symbol of a demon - she cried bitterly. The man promised to show lilies growing on the banks of Italy. When she saw some hills with the sun's rays on them she wanted to know what they were. He told her that they were hills of heaven and that she would never go there. Then, she spotted some mountains covered with frost and snow. He assured her that they were the mountains of hell where both of them would go. Then he struck the top mast with his hand and the foremast with his knee, Thus he broke the ship into two and sank it to the bottom of the sea. There's no impunity for the woman. The Demon Lover has all the qualities of a good ballad. The language is simple and in a conversational tone; as is usually found in the construction of a ballad. The question and answer pattern prevails throughout inviting the attention of the listeners. Demon Lover, is a love story highlighting the frailties of a woman, who inspite of being married and having two babes, getting succumbed to greediness for wealth, her former lover owned. The poet shows clearly how extreme desire for wealth win over motherly affection and ultimately end up in misery. The rural folk admired and appreciated such incidents and the poet had catered for the mass when you sow with the wind you reap the whirl wind. The fate of the woman is clearly shown, the fauxpas that could not be justified. The poet's simplicity of diction, conversational tone and the usual old time magic delighted the majority of people, especially the rural folk. The love image and the tragic end punishment for the sins are highlighted in an effortless manner. The stanzas contain four lines iambic tetrameter. The story is appealing and the verses could be sung. The auditory images are exquisitely brought out. He turned him right and round about And the tear blinded his ee, I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground If it had not been for love o' thee. This third stanza with its cinematic effect is beautifully set to rhythm; portraying the image of the mystic lover. The eighth stanza reveals the love of a mother to her children and the ninth stanza emphasises the greediness of the same mother for wealth and how motherly love gets tarnished by extreme avarice. Stanza (8) She has taken up her two little babes Kissed them baith cheek and chin Fair ye weel my ain two babes For I'll never see you again Stanza (9) She set her foot upon the ship No mariners could she behold .... The fifteen stanzas relate the full story of the Demon Lover, set to rhythm. The narration of the story, the primitive setting, simple diction, relevant wording sensational set up and the rhyme pattern add much glamour making the ballad Demon Lover and its theme relevant even for today. Mrs. C. Ekanayake, Rtd. Specialist Teacher Eng. Lit., St. Anne's College, Kurunegala. |
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Ballads were composed and sung sometimes to the rhythm of a dance and
they are usually in the form of four line stanzas of iambic tetrameter (4
feet) and have the charm of the simplicity of the narrative style. Most
ballads are full of "pathos, magical events" and tragic incidents, love
stories written in simple diction, and usually transmitted. 
