Throughout

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels '' Ivanhoe'', '' Rob Roy ...

's literary career, he imitated and translated poems from German sources. The resulting collection was gradually expanded over successive editions of Scott's poetry until it included seven items, which are introduced below. Each ballad is a narrative poem retelling a popular German

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: including poignantly

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

tic and

tragic Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy i ...

themes.

William and Helen

William – long thought dead – unexpectedly returns at midnight from the crusades to marry his betrothed. Helen – relieved at his return – joyfully agrees, after initial misgivings: follows him on horseback on a wild gallop through the night. Approaching the church in which they will celebrate their wedding: it is clear to Helen that all is not what it seems. But, with their mutual love strong enough to transcend death itself – what can possibly go wrong?Scott, Sir Walter. Scott's Poetical Works. London: Oxford University Press, 1917.

The Wild Huntsman

Sometimes referred to under its alternative title ''The Chase'', this ballad describes the testing and judgment upon a profligate, noble-born keeper of the royal forest. The nobleman cruelly uses and mistreats his fellow-men: and is avidly addicted to the pleasures of hunting. One day God's messengers come to test him: executing sentence immediately in just proportion to the huntsman's responses.

The Fire King

Count Albert never returns from crusade: having been imprisoned by Saracens. Rosalie, his betrothed, swears to leave at once for Lebanon to find him. Rosalie succeeds – but alas, all is changed between them forever: and their parting is death itself.

Frederick and Alice

Frederick breaks troth and abandons the beautiful Alice: sending her mad with grief. But Alice contrives to meet her faithless lover once more: beyond the grave.

The Battle of Sempach

This ballad translates an original written to celebrate the Swiss victory during the Battle of Sempach: by which the Swiss cantons established their independence.

The Noble Moringer

This ballad describes the ordeal of the Baron of

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: who departs upon a pilgrimage which lasts seven years. While sleeping, the Baron is shown in a vision that his faithful wife believes that he is dead, and is preparing to remarry. Interceding with Saint Thomas, he is transported back to Switzerland; where he reveals himself to his wife (after the manner of a modern Ulysses) and both are joyfully reunited.

The Erl-King

The Erl-King (or Oak-King) sings for the soul of a human boy: who cringes for dear life within the arms of his father riding home through the dreary wood. But do spirits really have power to charm away the lives of the living?

References

External links

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* {{Walter Scott 19th-century poems Ballads Poetry by Walter Scott Translations into English 19th-century British literature 19th-century German literature