Weeks 10-12
Modernism:
What does 'The Wasteland' mean?
1) how has it been interpreted? (cite examples)
2)what are some of the key features
3) In what way has it been influential
Post-Modernism
1) What common qualities do 'the beats' share? Why 'beats'?
2) How is beat poetry linked to rap?
3) How was Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War' involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
4) On what grounds was 'Howl' accused of being obscene - grounds for the defense?
5) What kind of protest song/rap other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
What does 'The Wasteland' mean?
1) how has it been interpreted? (cite examples)
2)what are some of the key features
3) In what way has it been influential
Post-Modernism
1) What common qualities do 'the beats' share? Why 'beats'?
2) How is beat poetry linked to rap?
3) How was Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War' involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
4) On what grounds was 'Howl' accused of being obscene - grounds for the defense?
5) What kind of protest song/rap other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe Beats rejected materialism and most political issues. The group of writers and artists that started the beat movement tried to introduce their beliefs through art and literature to speak to the "soul" of those consuming their work.
ReplyDeleteDespite the constitution of the United States entitling all citizens to free speech, the work produced by the Beats was considered radical and some of the first instances where people were speaking out against the typical regime.This resulted in a lot of the beat work being taken off shelves in book stores and not even getting as far as having their work published. The writing was obscene, it was pushing boundaries of what was considered acceptable within society yet it was true to what they believed in and an insight into what people were thinking but too afraid to voice during this time period. Their writings spoke out against political issues, they were providing social commentary that was in contrast to what was being produced by the main stream media, speaking out against political figures and their policies.
Ginsberg’s Howl was accused of being obscene because during the time it was released the language used within had never been seen in the media before. Howl spoke of material that included drug use and abuse, sexual desires, homosexuality and heterosexuality, topics that were rarely spoken about in private, let alone in the public.
'Howl' despite being considered obscene and a representation of the corruption of morals has become one of the most significant poems for the Beat movement. The poem was supported by all within the group and was Ginsberg's way of claiming and using his right for freedom of speech.
Ginsberg’s ‘howl’ was accused by many for being obscene, it was following what the Beat movement had become notorious for - speaking out against what is going on in society yet ignored. “Howl is a rage against conformity, inhibition, censorship, puritanism, and everything else that restricts and limits the realisation of one's true self.” (Sederberg). One person who ruled that the poem was not obscene and in fact had "redeeming social importance" was Judge Clayton W. Horn in 1957. This was a success for the Beat movement as it was somebody acknowledging that regardless of the fact that it mentions drugs, sex and rock music it was an art form and a reflection of all aspects of life.
1. "Beat Generation". Wikipedia free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_Generation.
2. “Howl”. Wikipedia: free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howl#1957_obscenity_trial.
3. Ginsberg, A. (1995). On rap, US: Hibbet Radio.
4. 'Howl' in an Era that fears indecency. The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/books/04howl.html?_r=0
Pretty good post, but it is not clear which question you are answering.
ReplyDeleteHow is beat poetry linked to rap?
ReplyDeleteBeat poetry is a term which refers to particular post-World War II writers such as Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Ken Kesey and Jack Kerouac. Seemingly this term came about in New York in the conservative 1950s referring to people who were "beat-up" by or disillusioned with society at that time. The Beats enjoyed experimentation especially in regard to drugs, alcohol, and freedom in general. They questioned mainstream politics and culture. They were non-conformists and rebellions who were bucking society. They were often referred to as early hippies; a group of writers defying conventional writing.
Allen Ginsberg’s first book, Howl and Other Poems, is often considered representative of the Beat poets. It was extremely controversial for the time and gained Ginsberg charges of obscenity.
Rap music arose from street fighting in the 1970s and 1980s where rappers tried to outdo each other in rap poetry as an alternative to fighting. It is one of the biggest selling music genres today. Many rap artists see themselves as modern day poets.
Rapping consists of spoken word poetry performed in time to a background beat... that allows the speaker to express opinions or emotions. Older people are often averse to hearing rap, possibly because rappers are associated with ‘gangsters’, or street people living outside of the rules, and rap music often involves sex and violence.
The most obvious links between beat poetry and rap is the artists’ need to communicate a message. Of course the content may be extremely diverse and different, but the need to convey an emotional response is the same. More often than not, the desire is evoked by their view of society and the world around them and wanting to voice their point of view. The difference between these two artistic forms is that rap is words put to music while poetry is not. Poetry generally has rhyme or rhythm while rap music has beats and groove.
http://www.ehow.com/info_8508048_similarities-differences-between-poetry-rap.html#ixzz339aTowhv
: http://www.ehow.com/info_8508048_similarities-differences-between-poetry-rap.html#ixzz339aF5abF
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapping
http://www.ehow.com/info_8508048_similarities-differences-between-poetry-rap.html#ixzz33590OaH8
http://michaelhapenglish.blogspot.co.nz/2009/06/rap-vs-slam-poetry.html
How was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
ReplyDeleteThe famous ballad of Dylan’s “Masters of War” is a striking out protest, which focussed on the nation’s most important issue. He reveals a strong moral judgement, and was not afraid to speak out against injustice, against governments who orchestrate war.
“Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think it could?
I think you will fine
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul”
Michael R Burke writes “Masters of War says the men who start wars ‘ain’t worth the blood that runs through their veins” and that “even Jesus would never forgive what you do.”
Back in the 1960s many artists protested against the Vietnam war by releasing songs – the Rolling Stones sang “Street Fighting Men”, John Lennon sang “Give Peace a Chance” and Bob Dylan wrote many songs of this nature, dealing with sophisticated social and political themes, but his most popular by far is “Masters of War, 1963.” There are very few songs these days at the top of the charts that speak about such important issues. These songs were written in the 60s but are still very much relevant today.
The final line of Masters of War “I hope that you die” has not only become a famous line that has kept the song alive, but many believe Dylan went too far in his radical freedom of speech. His music most certainly became a platform for radical injustice. He was clearly criticising government choices at the time, and in later years President Bush began to be seen as a ‘Master of War.’ In the mid-term elections during the Bush administration, Bush had declared his plan to invade Iraq. Dylan performed his famous song at the Madison Square Gardens in protest to this declaration. “The only way to defeat a bully is to stand up to him.” Dylan at the time was the most outspoken critic (in terms of voicing his opinions through his music), of the war in Iraq and the Bush administration.
In the 1990s Dylan led the way for others such as Neil Young, Patti Smith, Tom Waites and Bruce Springsteen to rebuke against George Bush and the war in Iraq.
Marcus (2006) postulates that lack of subtlety was the point. “No one wrote protest songs – or as many as Bob Dylan. His songs were like poetry.”
http://www.thehypertexts.com
/Songs%20and%20Poems%20that%20Changed%20the%20World.htm
http://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/marcus_w06.html
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0321-02.htm
3) How was Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War' involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
DeleteIn September 2000, the PNAC issued a report entitled Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategies, Forces, and Resources For A New Century, proceeding "from the belief that America should seek to preserve and extend its position of global leadership by maintaining the preeminence of U.S. military forces." The group stated that when diplomacy or sanctions fail, the United States must be prepared to take military action. The PNAC argued that the Cold War deployment of forces was obsolete. Defense spending and force deployment must reflect the post–Cold War duties that US forces are obligated to perform. Constabulary duties such as peacekeeping in the Balkans and the enforcement of the No Fly Zones in Iraq put a strain upon, and reduced the readiness of, US forces. The PNAC recommended the forward redeployment of US forces at new strategically placed permanent military bases in Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia. Permanent bases would ease the strain on US forces, allowing readiness to be maintained and the carrier fleet to be reduced. Furthermore, PNAC advocated that the US-globalized military should be enlarged, equipped and restructured for the "constabulary" roles associated with shaping the security in critical regions of the world.
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Bush declared a global War on Terrorism and, in October 2001, ordered an invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban, destroy Al-Qaeda, and to capture Osama bin Laden. In March 2003, Bush received a mandate from the U.S. Congress to lead an invasion of Iraq, asserting that Iraq was in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1441.
The guiding political philosophy of the Bush Administration has been termed neoconservative. The specific elements of neoconservative leadership have been itemized in policy papers by leading members of the Project for a New American Century, and is represented in the editorial perspective of the political journal the Weekly Standard. Administration officials chosen from the membership of the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) began with the selection of the candidate for vice president, Dick Cheney. Others included Richard Armitage, Zalmay Khalilzad, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Richard Perle, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Paul Wolfowitz.
And as Mary said the song “is a striking out protest against the Vietnam War in the 1960s... He reveals a strong moral judgement, and was not afraid to speak out against injustice, against governments who orchestrate war.” This thus resonated with people’s concern and protests with the Invasion of Iraq and Bush’s administration as the song protested against Nixon’s administration.
In the album notes to The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Nat Hentoff wrote that Dylan startled himself with this song, and quotes Dylan saying: "I've never written anything like that before. I don't sing songs which hope people will die, but I couldn't help it with this one. The song is a sort of striking out... a feeling of what can you do?"
DeleteAccording to Todd Harvey, in this song Dylan "allows the listener no opportunity to see the issue from the masters' eyes. 'I' and 'you' are clearly established and 'you' are clearly wrong. The repetitive text and accompaniment's droning single harmony work in tandem to drive home relentlessly the singer's perspective." Harvey notes that Dylan transforms "Nottamun Town", which has absurdly nonsensical words (a naked drummer accompanies a royal procession "with his heels in his bosom") into a confrontational political song; Dylan's writing entered a new phase—harsh, and fitting with the times.
On January 17, 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave his farewell address from the Oval Office. In this speech, he warned that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex." In an interview, published in USA Today on September 10, 2001 Dylan linked his song to Eisenhower's speech, saying:
"'Masters of War'... is supposed to be a pacifistic song against war. It's not an anti-war song. It's speaking against what Eisenhower was calling a military-industrial complex as he was making his exit from the presidency. That spirit was in the air, and I picked it up."
During the Iraq War protests, commentators noted that protesters were resurrecting songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" rather than creating new ones.
See this version of the song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwuWL7uUFl0
Bob Dylan is a legend in his own right, and can be considered by millions of fans as one of, if not the, best singer/song-writer of all time. Dylan's work heavily focuses on protesting issues in society, especially during outspoken times throughout the 1960's, so it hardly came as a surprise that Bob Dylan released 'Masters of War' in 1963, a song about seeking peace in a revengeful manner. What did come as a shock to listeners, however, was the fact that Dylan, a supposedly peaceful man, actively wished war-starters and political criminals dead.
Delete'Masters of War' became more and more popular once the Bush administration took over the United States of America and started multiple wars, namely against Iraq. In 2004, the Secret Service was sent to Boulder High School in Colorado after a mother of one of the students complained that a group of students had sung Dylan's 'Masters of War' and changed some of the lyrics to "George Bush, I hope you die and I hope you die soon. I'll stand over your grave" at the school talent show. The Secret Service had to investigate whether or not these students posed any threat to the now-disgraced American president.
During the 1991 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, actor, Jack Nicholson, presented Bob Dylan the Lifetime Achievement Award. Fellow rock legend, Bruce Springsteen, was scheduled to perform at the event, but had to drop out. Bob Dylan then offered to sing for the star-studded crowd just before receiving the award. Dylan appropriately chose to sing 'Masters of War' during a time when the Gulf war was occurring and the United States of America was to get involved between Kuwait and Iraq. It is highly suspected that bosses at the Grammy Awards discouraged Dylan's choice of song, warning him not to sing it in fear of getting complaints from the public and Dylan possibly being seen as 'anti-American'.
Many said that his performance was a disaster, as he chose to mumble the song, rather than sing it, with Dylan himself stating that he "had a cold" when asked about his performance. However, true to his outspoken lifestyle, it is highly speculated that, although he was warned not to 'sing' his song, he rebelled against Grammy Awards bosses and chose to still 'play' it, fully aware that audiences would instantly recognize his then-thirty year old hit. Bob Dylan likely wanted to send a message that he did not support the Bush administration's involvement in the Gulf war and he did so in the only way that would get wide-spread attention and be shown on international television screens.
To conclude, Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War' was a song that represented the voice of many, particularly during the Gulf war, as it was not Dylan himself, but his fans that reignited the controversial song's fame.
5) What kind of protest song/rap other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
DeleteWhile the number of songs written as a form of protest has certainly decreased in both, quality and quantity, there have still been stand-out hits within the last decade.
American rock band, Greenday, released multiple hits expressing their opinions on recent political issues, including 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' and 'The Saints are Coming' with Irish band, U2.
Although Greenday's lead singer originally wrote 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' after his father died when he was a young boy, the song hit close to home for many Americans after the September 11 terrorist attacks and was used in protests against terrorism and even against the war against Iraq.
Indie rocker, Conor Oberst (of the band Bright Eyes), released a song titled 'When The President Talks to God', referring to former American president George Bush Jr. In the song, Oberst takes advantage of the fact that Bush had stated that God 'talks' to him, and poses questions that are intended to make listeners think deeply about their president's decisions.
Oberst points out the carelessness of the president's duties as others are killed with their blood on his hands,
'When the president talks to God
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess god just calls a spade a spade
When the president talks to God'
Despite the theme of the song stating 'when' the president talks to God, Oberst then makes a statement that debunks Bush's 'God talks to me' theory towards the end of the song,
'When the president talks to God
Does he ever think that maybe he's not?
That that voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit
When the president talks to God?'
Ending the song, Oberst repeats 'I doubt it' while almost screaming the words to show the anger in his voice.
Pop-rock singer, P!nk, also released a political song protesting George Bush Jr.'s decision to invade the Middle East. Throughout her acoustic song, 'Dear Mr. President', P!nk dramatically suggests the president speak to her on a personal level in all honesty.
'Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell'
P!nk questions the president's character as a child and implies that he was, and still is, a 'lonely boy', almost as a reason for the outcome of his destructive mind.
'How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?'
P!nk lastly backtracks from her first verse, insisting that Bush would never take a walk with her because he sees himself as 'better' than her, simply due to his president's standard. The last verse also indicates that he wouldn't take a walk with the singer because he would not be honest about any of his wrong-doings that she had initially stated he should tell the truth about.
Songs today largely seem to avoid politics out of fear that the singer/s would be branded 'anti-American'. This was evident when Country group, The Dixie Chicks, stated that they did not believe in George Bush's invasion over the Middle East. The three women were then told to 'Shut up and sing', to which they protested and soon released a documentary of the same phrase which showed the popular band's frustrations and disappointments of the American public's response towards their opinions.
Almost forgot the references!
DeleteMaass, A. (2004). Is Bush Afraid of a Bob Dylan Song?, SocialistWorker. Retrieved from http://socialistworker.org/2004-2/521/521_02_DylanSong.shtml
Marcus, G. (2006). Stories of a Bad Song. Threepenny. Retrieved from http://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/marcus_w06.html
Goldberg, M. (2014). Bob Dylan Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award.
Daysofthecrazy. Retrieved from http://www.daysofthecrazy-wild.com/video-bob-dylan-accepts-lifetime-achievement-award-plays-masters-of-war-at-grammy-awards-feb-20-1991/
Shams has a really good point regarding the secret service being sent into Boulder High School – it really reinforces the influence and the impact that the lyrics of Masters of War has had on society in general.
DeleteIt was also very interesting to read about Bob Dylan’s delivery at the Grammy Awards and how he was discouraged by the powers at be to perform his controversial piece. It took courage to rebel as he did at such an enormous public event. His likely message around his lack of support for the Bush administration’s involvement in the Gulf War was achieved on a huge scale internationally.
This paper has really opened my eyes to the lyrics that have been presented, and to what I may have overlooked without considering the meaning behind them. For example, as Shams has pointed out – the Indie band ‘Bright Eyes’ wrote “When the President talks to God” and reveals the negligence and recklessness in President Bush’s decisions.
There have been many artists, such as Pink, The Dixie Chicks, Green Day and numerous others who through their craft have managed to express themselves about the incompetency and defectiveness of the political leaders and their decisions that have had resulted in disaster, so much of which was targeted toward President Bush.
What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteThe “Beats Movement” was a social and literary movement originating in the 1950s.
Jack Kerouac first introduced the name “Beat” and its meaning was ‘weary.’ There have been various definitions of the word, but the common theme is‘tiredness with society.’
The commonalities of the “Beats” included alienation from the conventional, non-conformist ideas around Government and politics. They were generally anti-capitalists, anti-materialism and anti-consumerism. They started the beat movement by introducing their ideas and principles through art and writing. This was the beginning of people having the freedom to speak out in America, and even though the US Constitution encouraged freedom of speech for Americans, much of the Beat work was restricted in book stores and some was prohibited to be published.
“They sought to liberate poetry from academic precocity and bring it ‘back to the street.’” The writers were encouraged to express their thoughts without planning or structure to communicate the immediacy of what was taking place. This often led to work that was indecipherable and obscure.
The poem Howl by Ginsberg, 1956 is a good example of this chaos.
“and who were given instead the concrete void of insulin
Metrazol electricity hydrotherapy psychotherapy
occupational therapy pingpong & amnesia.”
The language is radical to say the least; sprinkled with obscenities; Allen Ginsberg’s America (1956) is no exception. “America when will we end the human war? Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb.”
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/57467/Beat-movement
What does 'The Wasteland' mean?
ReplyDelete1) how has it been interpreted? (cite examples)
2)what are some of the key features
3) In what way has it been influential
No two critics agree completely on the meaning of the infamous poem “The Wasteland.” It is about “what was wrong with society” in the early 20th century; lack of faith and spiritual belief, lack of communication and loss of civilization, a cultureless society and corruption of sex. Europe is presented in a state of devastation and bleakness after the war, “Life lost its value after the war.”
The title “Wasteland” suggests Eliot’s mind-set toward his modern-day society, as he draws on the idea of an arid and barren wasteland as a metaphor for a Europe devastated by war and desperate for spiritual replenishment.
The theme of moral erosion is prevalent throughout the poem, the idea being that contemporary Europe is obsessed with materialism, trends, and instant gratification, and lacks the faith that once was the pinnacle of its culture.
“The Wasteland” is difficult to read and constantly moves between different speakers and scenes without warning. It is obscure and complex to say the least and is intended to be understood by very few. “The poem is an elitist document.”
The modernist poets aimed to motivate readers to become aware of realities. In order to take the blinkers off peoples’ eyes and wake them up to what was going on in the world, they illustrate the harshness of war and the harmfulness of technology. Because they wanted to avoid making judgements they used imagery to convey their ideas.
Eliot uses images of tradition and ceremony, religious texts and pagan rituals. These impressions are like a polarity to modern life reflecting a barren world with spiritual death. In “The Burial of the Dead” which is the opening part, he writes about April as being “the cruellest month”. In the northern hemisphere April is springtime which symbolises the rebirth of life and nature. “Europe has been reduced to a waste land on which nothing has grown” and “What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow/Out of this strong rubbish?” Eliot uses other languages such as French, German and Latin to imply the themes of futility, bleakness and infertility are universal.
Eliot describes a succession of unsuccessful encounters and meaningless relationships between a variety of men and women. These characters are extremely ordinary, shallow, impotent and vain. “The world is filled with ‘a heap of broken images’ where ‘the dead tree gives no shelter’.”
“The Wasteland” has become recognised as the most prominent poem of the 20th century and much literature around this time has references to it, and continues to be influential up to the present time. It is possibly the most applauded, most significant and most valued piece of modern literature in the English language. T S Eliot himself is also held as the most influential poet who transformed the nature of literature and poetry in the modern world.
http://www.enotes.com/topics/waste-land
http://bilkentelit.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/influence-of-waste-land-on-poetry-of.html
https://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101228113800AA0kQ3E
What does 'The Wasteland' mean? What are some of the key features?
DeleteThe poem's structure is divided into five sections. The first section, titled The Burial of the Dead introduces the diverse themes of disillusionment and despair. The second, titled A Game of Chess employs vignettes of several characters—alternating narrations—that address those themes experientially. The Fire Sermon, the third section, offers a philosophical meditation in relation to the imagery of death and views of self-denial in juxtaposition influenced by “Augustine of Hippo” and eastern religions. After a fourth section that includes a brief lyrical petition, the culminating fifth section, What the Thunder Said concludes with an image of judgment.
The poem is preceded by a Latin and Greek epigraph from “The Satyricon of Petronius.” In English, it reads: "I saw with my own eyes the Sibyl of Cumae hanging in a jar, and when the boys said to her, Sibyl, what do you want? She replied I want to die."
Following the epigraph is a dedication (added in a 1925 republication) that reads "For Ezra Pound: il miglior fabbro". Here Eliot is both quoting line 117 of Canto XXVI of Dante's “Purgatorio”, the second cantica of “The Divine Comedy”, where Dante defines the troubadour Arnaut Daniel as "the best smith of the mother tongue", and also Pound's title of chapter 2 of his “The Spirit of Romance” (1910) where he translated the phrase as "the better craftsman". This dedication was originally written in ink by Eliot in the 1922 Boni & Liveright edition of the poem presented to Pound; it was subsequently included in future editions.
Several pages of notes, purporting to explain his metaphors, references, and allusions, follow the text of the poem. Some of these notes are helpful in interpreting the poem, but some are arguably even more puzzling, and many of the most opaque passages are left unannotated. The notes were added after Eliot's publisher requested something longer to justify printing “The Waste Land” in a separate book. Thirty years after publishing the poem with these notes, Eliot expressed his regret at "having sent so many enquirers off on a wild goose chase after Tarot cards and the Holy Grail".
The structure of the poem is also meant to loosely follow the vegetation myth and Holy Grail folklore surrounding the Fisher King story as outlined by Jessie Weston in her book “From Ritual to Romance” (1920). Weston's book was so central to the structure of the poem that it was the first text that Eliot cited in his "Notes on the Waste Land".
The style of the work in part grows out of Eliot's interest in exploring the possibilities of dramatic monologue. This interest dates back at least as far as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. "The Waste Land" is not a single monologue like "Prufrock". Instead, it is made up of a wide variety of voices (sometimes in monologue, dialogue, or with more than two characters speaking).
DeleteThe style of the poem overall is marked by the hundreds of allusions and quotations from other texts (classic and obscure; "high-brow" and "low-brow") that Eliot peppered throughout the poem. In addition to the many "high-brow" references and/or quotes from poets like Baudelaire, Shakespeare, Ovid, and Homer, Eliot also included a couple of references to "low-brow" genres. A good example of this is Eliot's quote from the 1912 popular song "The Shakespearian Rag" by lyricists Herman Ruby and Gene Buck. There were also a number of lowbrow references in the opening section of Eliot's original manuscript (when the poem was entitled "He Do The Police in Different Voices"), but they were removed from the final draft after Eliot cut this original opening section.
"The Waste Land" is notable for its seemingly disjointed structure, indicative of the Modernist style of James Joyce's “Ulysses” (which Eliot cited as an influence and which he read the same year that he was writing "The Waste Land"). In the Modernist style, Eliot jumps from one voice or image to another without clearly delineating these shifts for the reader. He also includes phrases from multiple foreign languages (Latin, Greek, Italian, German, French and Sanskrit), indicative of Pound's influence. There is some question as to whether Eliot originally intended “The Waste Land” to be a collection of individual poems (additional poems were supplied to Pound for his comments on including them) or to be considered one poem with five sections.
Eliot also makes extensive use of Scriptural writings including the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the Hindu Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, and the Buddha's “Fire Sermon”, and of cultural and anthropological studies such as Sir James Frazer's “The Golden Bough” and Jessie Weston's “From Ritual to Romance” (particularly its study of the Wasteland motif in Celtic mythology). Eliot wrote in the original head note that "Not only the title, but the plan and a good deal of the incidental symbolism of the poem were suggested by Miss Jessie L Weston" The symbols Eliot employs, in addition to the Waste Land, include the Fisher King, the Tarot Deck, the Chapel perilous, and the Grail Quest.
2) How is beat poetry linked to rap?
ReplyDeleteI think that beat poetry is linked to rap through artists such as Bob Dylan and Eminem.
Beat poetry refers to the “dead beat” or “beat up” writers post- WWII, such as Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gary Snyder, and William Burroughs, who were disillusioned with society, who believed in personal freedom. Beat poetry stems from the dissatisfaction of the conservative society of the 1950’s.
Bob Dylan’s song, Masters of War (MoW), is a protest against the Cold War arms build-up of the early 1960’s. In an interview, published in USA Today on September 10, 2001, he was quoted as saying, "'Masters of War'... is supposed to be a pacifistic song against war. It's not an anti-war song. It's speaking against what Eisenhower was calling a military-industrial complex as he was making his exit from the presidency. That spirit was in the air, and I picked it up." In the album notes to ‘The Freewheelin’’, which MoW was featured on, he says “I’ve never written anything like that before. I don't sing songs which hope people will die, but I couldn't help it with this one. The song is a sort of striking out... a feeling of what can you do?" This links back to the birth of beat poetry, through the motivation behind the writing (dissatisfaction with society or part of society).
Eminem studied other kinds of music when he was first starting out. In the book ‘How To Rap’, Guerilla Black notes: “Eminem listened to everything and that’s what made him one of the greats.” His lyrics, if anyone has listened to them, are often about his rough personal life, and his unhappy view of his social circle. Again, this links back to beat poetry because of the motivation behind the lyrics, the dissatisfaction of society.
5) What kind of protest song/rap other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
ReplyDeleteOne song that I am certain is a protest song of the last decade is Green Day’s ‘Know Your Enemy’. It was released on April 16, 2009. Billboard described the song as “politically charged”, due to lyrics such as “Revolt against the honor to obey” and “Overthrow the effigy/The vast majority/We're burning down the foreman of control”. The song wasn’t quite well received, with critics claiming it was nothing new, just “standard issue Green Day”. I definitely agree with the part about it being “standard issue”, as more than one Green Day song has a sort of social commentary behind it (kind of like beat poetry).
‘21 Guns’, another popular Green Day song (released in 2009), addresses the topic of patriotism. Chris Fallon, from AbsolutePunk, comments that it is “presenting an anti-war ballad that is both monumentally enduring and also sophisticated protest.” Colian Moriarty, from IGN, wrote that the track “is a multi-faceted song with a pretty poignant message to boot.”
Another Green Day song that just makes the cut of protest song from the last decade is ‘American Idiot’. It was released in 2004. The whole album is predominantly a social commentary of life in America. ‘American Idiot’ is about the cluelessness of America as a generalised whole. ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’ was a direct response to 9/11. However, most of the album is a response to certain aspects of American society.
So yes, there is a spirit of protest alive in music, thanks in large to the punk rock band called Green Day.
Modernism
ReplyDeleteWhat does 'The Wasteland' mean?
1) How has it been interpreted? (cite examples)
2) What are some of the key features
3) In what way has it been influential
From what I have gathered, no group of people seem to agree on what the actual meaning of the poem “The Wasteland” means. The basic ideas put forth in this poem are; what is wrong with society in the early 20th century, the lack of communication, faith and spiritual belief, societies without culture and the corruption of sex among other topics. The European continent is shown in a form of slight desolation and ruin caused by the war. We see that the world is not as it once was. The title itself shows that the author (Eliot) had his own views towards the future and what modern day society might look like. He gathers his ideas based on what he has seen which is devastation and what he thinks we all need is more of a spiritual essence in people’s lives.
A major theme that is present in the poem is moral dissolution or erosion as the thought of Europe putting a lot of effort on the ideas of materialism and modern ideas is brought to light. These ideas show that the human race has lost faith and has become obsessed with insignificant areas as opposed to important values in life. When I was reading the poem, I found it slightly hard to grasp due to the amount of characters or minds we read from. I would say that it is quite mature and I would relate that to my difficulty in understanding some aspects. Modernist’s main goal was to make their readers aware of the false realities that they were living and how they can overcome what they have become trapped in. The intensity of war and technology and war in these poems is emphasized to reinforce these ideas of not being ‘alive.
The author uses imagery involving traditions and rituals to show the ideas of modern life vs. death and what comes with the loss of life. In the opening, which is called “The Burial of the Dead” the author describes April as being the worst month. “Europe has been reduced to a waste land on which nothing has grown.” Eliot is also shown to be bilingual as French, German and Latin are used to all emphasize different points such as uselessness and bareness. Other topics touched on are failed relationships due to their boring and shallow natures.
This poem has gained infamy as one of the most noted poems of the 20th century. It has been referenced plenty of times and continues to be one of the most influential poems of its time. The author is also regarded as one if not the, most creative authors of his time as well as holding influence over lots of people.
http://bilkentelit.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/influence-of-waste-land-on-poetry-of.html
https://nz.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101228113800AA0kQ3E
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ReplyDeleteHow is beat poetry linked to rap?
ReplyDeleteWhen describing Beat poetry, it generally is related to a few post world war 2 writers such as Ken Kesey and Jack Kerouac. The name originated in New York in the 1950’s and described people who were disappointed or let down by life during those times. ‘Beats’ as they were called, enjoyed recreational drugs, alcohol and preached about freedom or lack of. Topics that were common among beats were the government and culture and they unanimously enjoyed questioning the world around them. Some may have called them the original hippies as they attempted to live free, happy and easy. One such beat writer, Allen Ginsberg, wrote a very famous book called “Howl and Other Poems.” At the time, the subject matter was of very sensitive and delicate and lead to him being charged with obscenity.
In the opposite direction, rap originated as a unique form of street fighting during the 1970s and 80s. This was considered a more civil approach as opposed to brawling, which meant physical harm. Rap artists such as Eminem, Jay-Z and 50 cent consider themselves as modern day poets as they draw inspiration from their surroundings and personal life. Rapping as an art form is performed with a beat which is a background tune, or set of noises that one can sing or rap to. Rappers tend to want to get across a point or want to let their viewers know about life, opinions and emotions.
When relating the two music genres, the most obvious connection is the idea of ‘spitting’ forth words of wisdom or as I said above, getting across a point to people around the world. Although the subjects are totally different and thoroughly diverse, we see that the emotion and background is key in both of these genres. If we were to dissect the two, I am sure we could find a link that could connect the two in more than one way. When looking at differences, beat may be seen as a more calm tune, whereas rap can be of a more harsh and direct nature.
What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteJack Kerouac was the first person to name “beat” and he called it this due to its basic meaning of tired or drained. The “beats movement” which was the groups of people and taking part in the idea, emerged in the 1950’s. As previously discussed, common qualities that beats share include, being unconventional and carrying out “unique” ideas, as well as disagreeing with conformist ideas regarding the government. As Mary said, “beats” were generally anti to most ideas that the government put forth as well as the politics of the era. To get their voices and opinions, the beats started utilizing the written word, which eventually lead to art being used as a tool. The beats did get their ideas printed and then into stores, however a lot of the content and subject matter was censored as it was deemed improper and slightly lewd. The beats later on used the idea of saying exactly what was on ones mind as it showed the urgency of their ideas.
More complex ideas that united the group of people were respect for land and indigenous peoples and creatures as well as a return to an appreciation of idiosyncrasy as against state regimentation. These ideas are on a much higher level and in a more specific direction, which meant that the ‘beats’ had definite long-term goals in mind. The language used was never politically correct and was full of swear words and radical ideas that were not very well received by the greater public.
The term beat poetry refers to particular post world war 2 writers such as Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Ken Kesey and Jack Kerouac. This term was established by New York in the conservative 1950s referring to “beat up” individuals or those disillusioned by society. The beats enjoyed the different experimentations such as drugs, alcohol and freedom in general. Often they questioned politics and culture, that rebelled against society. Often, people regarded them as the early hippies of the time.
ReplyDeleteGinsberg’s extremely controversial book that gained him charges of obscenity, Howl is often considered representative of the Beat poets. The 1970’s and 80’s saw a rise in rap music as an alternative to fighting, rappers tried to outdo each other through rap poetry
Rapping consist of spoken word poetry that is performed with a background beat, which allows speakers to express their inner most opinions or feelings. However, the older generation associate rapping with “gangsters” or people living outside the lines of rules and regulations as some of its lyrical themes are associated with sex and violence.
The obvious link beat poetry and rap has is the need for a message to be conveyed. Content of the subject may be extremely diverse and different but the emotional response poets and rappers have are the same. Poetry is generally a rhyme while rap is stuck to a beat or groove.
What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteJack Kerouac was the first person to be named “beat” as it due to the basic meaning of being tired or drained. The “beats movement” emerged in the 1950’s that consisted of groups of people taking part in the idea that had such common qualities like being unconventional and carrying out “unique” ideas, as well as disregarding conformist ideas on the government. Beats were very much against or anti towards the idea that the government put forth. Their voices and opinions were heard by utilizing the written word that eventually lead to art being used as a tool. A majority of the material printed was often times censored as it was deemed improper and slightly lewd.
The more complex idea that united the group of people was the sheer respect they had for the land and people as well as the creatures. These ideas are on a much higher level and in a more specified direction, which meant the beats had long – term goals in mind. Much of the language was never politically acceptable as it was full of swear words and radical ideas that were not well received by the general public.