Bonny Barbara Allan
Bonny Barbara Allan
Bonny Barbara Allan
By: Anonymous
I. Characterization:
Bonny Barbara Allan – Very indecisive, and very petty about trivial matters. Seems to be a bit selfish in
regards to her feelings, instead of others.
II. Setting:
Where: Scotland
III. Theme:
The Themes are Death, Love & Passion, and Unrequited Love & Guilt.
Guilt refers to the guilt Barbara feel when Sir John died.
Love & Passion refers to the strong affection they feel for each other and their romantic feeling.
1. Introduction
It is said that it was the time of autumn where the green leaves are falling and Sir John Graeme
fell in love with Barbara Allan.
2. Rising Action
Sir John sends a servant to fetch Barbara. The servants ask her to hurry and go to Sir John but
Barbara does not hurry.
3. Climax
When she has arrived to Sir John’s house she saw him in his bed dying. He tells her that the
cause of his illness is his spurned love for her but Barbara treated him coldly. While he is dying
Barbara told him the reason why she acted coldly to him which is He slighted or treated with
indifference and disdain, Barbara felt hurt by that. Sir John did not deny the accusation that
Barbara made.
4. Falling Action
Soon she left his house while walking she heard the bell rang indicating that Sir John has died.
She felt regret for what she has done to cause the death of her true love. As soon as she go to her
home she yelled "O mother, mother, make my bed! O make it soft and narrow! Since my love
died for me today, I'll die for him tomorrow.”
5. Resolution
So they died and their grave was near each other and above their graves To Sir John’s love a red,
red rose grew while to Barbara Allan a brier grew.
I think the moral lesson to this ballad is to not let other people feel little and to talk things out.
Communication is always the key to a healthy relationship.
A Spurned Love.
3. Why was Barbara Allan holding back her love for Sir John?
5. If you were Barbara Allan, are you going to tell your feelings to Sir John? Why or why not?
Yes because he deserve to know my feelings, if I keep it to myself then I will just regret it if I
didn’t told him.