SIR PATRICK SPENCE TO BE A BALLAD OR TO BE A FOLK BALLAD In this essay it will be proved that the ballad Sir Patrick Spence is a folk ballad. This will be done by giving the distinctive marks of a folk ballad as listed by M.H. Abrams in his A Glossary of Literary Terms. After giving the marks they will be pointed out in Sir Patrick Spence. A folk ballad is a song …showed first 75 words of 551 total…

…showed last 75 words of 551 total…every second and fourth line should rhyme. One thing Sir Patrick Spence doesn’t follow, is the formula often followed by folk ballads, since all three elements are missing or used only once, it can be said that it does not play a significant role in this ballad, but it is no set rule that every ballad should follow the formula. The question is answered: Sir Patrick Spence is indeed a folk ballad. Word count: 468