Some literary genres have similar qualities, but at the same time each of them retains its originality. This is very confusing for people who are not experts in this industry, so we decided to shed light on one of the sensational questions about how the ballad differs from the poem.
Introduction
Before we highlight the similarities and differences between these two genres, let's review their history. The fact is that both the poem and the ballad originated in the Middle Ages, at a time when all types of creativity were closely intertwined. In this case, a poem and music were formed as a whole. Indeed, at first, no one knew what a ballad and poem was. Differences could lie in the features of the text (rhyme or lack thereof) and in the genre of the work. People did not name such compositions in any way; they simply invented them and performed them, often without even writing them on paper. With the advent of the Renaissance, literature and music began to separate from each other, and genres began to appear in each of these industries. Then a trivial question arose about how the ballad differs from the poem.
Ballad
This term today refers to both literature and music. The ballad can be found in the book and read without hearing a single note. And it can be found in music archives and performed on one of the instruments. To give an accurate interpretation of this term, you should refer to the dictionaries:
- Ballad is a lyro-epic genre that was formed on the territory of the British Isles during the period from the XIV to XVI centuries.
- In medieval France, the word "ballad" appeared in the 13th century. These were some textual-musical or simply poetic forms, which were the personification of provenance poetry.
- The final interpretation of the term "ballad" was formed in the XIX century in Europe. It was defined as a musical and poetic genre telling one story after another.
Turning to the origins
Before we determine the main difference between a ballad and a poem, it is worthwhile to carefully study the history of at least one of them. So, as mentioned above, the birthplace of the ballad is France, the Provence region. In the Middle Ages, the genre was characterized by a poetic and musical form with an epic coloring. The French performed ballads with one voice and the soloist accompanied himself. When the Norman conquerors found themselves on the territory of England, creativity also migrated there. The epic character of the ballad has been preserved, but new features have appeared. Such works could describe biographies (Robin Hood) and even military campaigns. In the end, the whole world learned about the ballad, including Russia. Composers began to write appropriate music, and writers - epic stories.
Poem
This genre can rightly be called poetic. Initially, poems were written exclusively in verse, while they could be romantic or satirical, epic or critical. During the Enlightenment, people knew exactly how the ballad differs from the poem; moreover, each of these genres was performed for a certain audience. Aristocrats preferred cutesy and restrained poems written by famous and honorable authors. They could be read or dried in theaters. The ballad was the property of the less affluent. They often glorified heavy serfdom or memories of past feats of heroes of their ancestors.
To summarize
So, how is the ballad different from the poem:
- The ballad is a small musical and literary work. The author (if any) mainly conveys to the reader his thoughts and feelings about what is happening. Often, ballads are identified as folkloric creations.
- But the poem is a large literary form, which is written by a specific author. It always clearly reveals the characters and places of action. The poem primarily addresses global issues, and the experiences of the author and heroes are in the background.