Why do traditional ballads usually avoid explaining a character’s motives?

Traditional ballads typically avoid explaining a character’s motives because they are designed to be compact, dramatic narratives that focus on a single, climactic situation. By beginning eruptively at the moment a story turns toward its catastrophe or resolution, the ballad prioritizes a bold, sensational effect over detailed exposition.1

This approach relies on a "purposeful starkness" where characterization is kept to a minimum. Instead of providing explicit background or psychological analysis, the ballad allows characters to reveal themselves solely through their actions and dialogue. This economy of narrative serves the ballad's primary goal: to maintain a high pitch of feeling and project a dramatic, emotional atmosphere without the distraction of complex explanations. Furthermore, because ballads are oral traditions, this brevity and focus on immediate, poignant events help ensure the story remains impactful and memorable for the audience.12