Lord Randal 

Analysis

By examining the following literary elements we can determine the genre of a text:

- structure or layout

- rhyme scheme

- division into sections (summary)

- setting in time

- setting in place

- characters

- features of the text

- genre

1 "O where ha you been, Lord Randal, my son!

2 And where ha you been, my handsome young man!"

3 "I ha been at the greenwood; mother, mak my bed soon,

4 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."


5 "An wha met ye there, Lord Randal, my son?

6 An wha met you there, my handsome young man?"

7 "O I met wi my true-love; mother, mak my bed soon,

8 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."


9 "And what did she give you, Lord Randal, my son?

10 And what did she give you, my handsome young man?"

11 "Eels fried in a pan; mother, mak my bed soon,

12 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."


13 "And who gat your leavins, Lord Randal, my son?

14 And who gat your leavins, my handsome young man?"

15 "My hawks and my hounds; mother, mak my bed soon,

16 For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down."


17 "And what becam of them, Lord Randal, my son?

18 And what becam of them, my handsome young man?"

19 "They stretched their legs out and died; mother, mak my bed soon,

20 For I'm wearied wi huntin, and fain wad lie down."


WORDLIST

greenwood: woodland with greenery: bosco verde

I'm wearied: >to weary [sb] : (tire): sfinire, stancare

fain wad lie down fain: archaic, poetic (gladly): con piacere

                 wad = would

                 lie down: (recline, prostrate self): distendersi, stendersi

ye=you

true-love: (sweetheart, person one loves): amore

eels: (animal, fish): anguilla

fried: (cooking): fritto

pan: (frying pan): padella

gat=got

leavins=leavings: avanzi, rimasugli

becam of>to become of[sb] [sth]: (happen to [sb], [sth]): accadere, succedere a, esserne di

poisoned: (given poison): avvelenato

sick at the heart=sick at heart: voltastomaco, cuore dolente

d'ye=do you

milk kye: mucca da latte

21 "O I fear you are poisoned, Lord Randal, my son!

22 I fear you are poisoned, my handsome young man!"

23 "O yes, I am poisoned; mother, mak my bed soon,

24 For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down."


25 "What d'ye leave to your mother, Lord Randal, my son?

26 What d'ye leave to your mother, my handsome young man?"

27 "Four and twenty milk kye; mother, mak my bed soon,

28 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"


29 "What d'ye leave to your sister, Lord Randal, my son?

30 What d'ye leave to your sister, my handsome young man?"

31 "My gold and my silver; ; mother, mak my bed soon,

32 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"


33 "What d'ye leave to your brother, Lord Randal, my son?

34 What d'ye leave to your brother, my handsome young man?"

35 "My houses and my lands; mother, mak my bed soon,

36 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"


37 "What d'ye leave to your true-love, Lord Randal my son?

38 What d'ye leave to your true-love, my handsome young man?

39 "I leave her hell and fire; mother, mak my bed soon,

40 For I'm sick at heart, and I fain wad lie down"



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LnT Read another medieval ballad: Edward Edward. The text and a wordlist are provided for free.