In 'The Demon Lover' we hear-tell of a woman (a wife and a mother no less) whose former lover returns to claim her. The conflict concerns a woman who is tempted to forsake husband, child and home, to run away with a man she is infatuated with.
At first she vows to stand by her family but, upon hearing of her former lover's riches she decides to leave her husband and two young children to run off with him. This is a choice she will regret when she discovers that her lover is not quite what he seems - he is the devil in another guise. This disloyal woman pays dearly for her greed.
It was written in the17th century. The scene is set in the sea and concludes in death. The main theme of the poem is Human greed because in the ballad the Demon is tempting the woman. The things she said “and what have you to keep me with.” In addition old language is used e.g. the word “thee” mentioned in the ballad. The poem points accidental mistakes leads to death for example the demon kills the lady in the end.
Almost every verse they have rhyme and a beat to the poem.
The rhythm in the Demon Lover is on an even number of lines, 1 and 2. This could be because all Ballads are meant to be sung and this might be the way they are written like the rule of a ballad. And you can tell that the ballad is meant to be a sung from the way the first paragraph is written. “Where have you been my long lost love these seven long years and more.”
The ballad has four lines in each stanza. Also the language is simpler and easier to understand.
Your English Teacher
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