Question

The structure of “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall is described best as __________.

Answer 1

Well, depending on the answers you are given, it could either be a folk ballad or an elegiac broadside. It is based on the traditional English folk ballad, in that it tells a story, doesn't have many characters, has a moral of the story. And finally, an elegiac broadside is a mournful, plaintive ballad. 

Answer 2

The correct answer for above statement is:

b) elegiac broadside.

Step-by-step explanation:

Even though it seems too simple, the structure is obtained by ensuring the popular ballad aspects. In the beginning, it has a plot that relates a story which was written in a clear style that renders a reader conjecture the idea with satisfaction. Following point is that this ballad includes a question/answer format, which is the normal thing for such a model. And, to decide, the poetic structure is maintained by four-line stanzas with the second and fourth lines rhyming.