Ballad form
A poetic form characterised by quatrains with alternate rhyme (ABAB or ABCB), often in simple language with repetitive refrains, traditionally telling narratives or folk stories.
Real World
Taylor Swift's 'The Last Great American Dynasty' revives ballad form to retell the scandalous story of Rebekah Harkness — showing how the form still serves dramatic folk-style storytelling today.
Exam Focus
Link the ballad's simple, musical structure to its effect on the reader — how does regularity or refrain reinforce the narrative's emotional punch?
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