The University of Oregon used to offer an English class called Johnson, Guthrie, Dylan. It was a three part study of Robert Johnson, Woodie Guthrie, and Bob Dylan. Dylan's career spans decades, and the songs he writes are derivative of a broad and changing experience. He allows himself to be influenced by various genres, perhaps even in an identifiable pattern. So he "borrows" from everybody, and still creates his own art. That gives everybody a chance to hate him and love him at different times. He must have had an early Irish phase where he wrote songs that mimicked The Bells of St Mary's and The Parting Glass. Maybe Blowin'in the Wind, was written in his pre-"edgy" stage. He later berated Donovan (They Call Me Mellow Yellow) presumably for not being edgy enough.

(despite the Guest label, I am the true leprechaun, I've just been gone so long my cookie crumbled)