Tuesday, January 29, 2013
"Ellenore's" Impact As a Ballad
"Ellenore" by William Taylor originally by Gottfried August Burger had an immense effect and strong influence on the English ballad writing revival. It was so popular that it has been translated into many different languages including russian, italian, norwegian and french since its original publishing in german in 1774. Its gothic imagery such "And hollow howling hung in air, And shrikes from vaults arose, then knew the mayd she might no more, Her living eyes unclose", has influenced many other authors like Edgar Allen Poe. Its influence on Romantic literature can still be seen in todays gothic and horror genres like Sleepy Hollow.
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I agree that the imagery depicted in Ellenore becomes almost a staple of its time and a formula for others to follow. The idea that the ballad begins with the death of a loved one readies the audience for the gloomy depiction of lovers. The most intriguing part of the ballad is the gothic elements. The religious connotations within the ballad bring its gothic layers even more to the surface to be examined. Heaven and hell become a part of the ballad to enforce the painful aspect of losing William and to draw the audience to a place of despair to increase the tension and melancholic atmosphere of the piece.
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