Ballade of Wordly Wealth Essay

 Ballade of Wordly Wealth essay

In the poem ““Ballade of Wordly Wealth,” the author, Andrew Lang describes the truth about money and what it meant to people in the 1800s and 1900s. He uses repetition to clearly explain his ideas. Lang believes that money could either be good or it could be evil, I guess it all depends in how you use it and appreciate it. It may cause goodness or it just might cause sin. The people in his poem are merchants, soldiers, captains, priests, and so on. His main idea is money and how people only do things for money and turn greedy with it. For example, a priest should teach for people’s salvation, not just because he wants the money, that’s just an abomination. I believe that’s hypocrisy. Soldiers should be fighting for their country not for pay but for their countries protection. Although some may have been fighting for freedom, Lang beleves it was for money and the advantages. And for merchants; well I have no opinion for them. The time Lang wrote his poem was about 1844-1912. I’m guessing this occurred his town. When I read Lang’s poem, I imagined people lusting after money and just having no care. People buying the most expensive things just for appearance. Words that came to mind were greedy, stubborn, selfish, and hypocrites. Sadly, the world is still like that today, maybe even worse. There’s people that hate their jobs but still stay with them because of the money they get. The most corrupt is our government today. They waist our tax dollars in their expensive cars and mansions. They put their interest before the peoples just because money. Even though money may be good, it can be just as bad.  

There are a few rhetorical patterns in Lang’s poem such as “taketh” and “maketh,” “to throw,” “can strow,” and “fro,” “without a blow” and “ebb and flow.” In his poem, Lang keeps using repetition when he writes “These alone can ne’er bestow Youth, and health, and Paradise.” By this, I suppose he means this is what the people expect to get with the money they have. There is also end rhyme used. “Money maketh sin as snow,” skip line, “These alone can ne’er bestow.” “Like the Good, and Truth like lies,” skip line, “Youth, and health, and Paradise.” I’ thinking this poem is a haiku, a form of Japanese poetry which contains 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line and 5 syllables in the third line, this is usually the theme of nature. The poem is closest to be compared to a haiku rather than a sonnet or a sestina. Lang uses rhetoric language in his poem. He uses words that help create the tone, mood, and emotion.