Week 10-12
Modernism
What does The Wasteland mean (Lol)?
OK, well, let's unpack that:
1. How has it been interpreted? Use citations.
2. What are some of its key features?
3. In what ways has it been influential??
PoMo
7. What kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
What does The Wasteland mean (Lol)?
OK, well, let's unpack that:
1. How has it been interpreted? Use citations.
2. What are some of its key features?
3. In what ways has it been influential??
PoMo
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
2. On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
4. How was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
5. What were the links between black protest music and revolutionary political movements, such as the Black Panthers, in the 1960s and how did things play out then and into the 1970s?
6. Identity some linked themes in rap of the 1980s from the period of the previous questions.
5. What were the links between black protest music and revolutionary political movements, such as the Black Panthers, in the 1960s and how did things play out then and into the 1970s?
6. Identity some linked themes in rap of the 1980s from the period of the previous questions.
Modernism Answer:
ReplyDeleteTHE WASTE LAND:
1. How has it been interpreted? Use citations.
Because the nature of Eliot's poem is so complex and comments on many topics, there are many ways to interpret his famous poem. The most common interpretation is that Eliot is demonstrating the depression of the world at the time, The Waste Land "was written in the years between the two world wars, when a blight, a psychological drought, a veritable wasteland experience fell on western civilization." (Harding, 1981, p.124). To further implement the interpretation of a broken society and depression, Harding mentions that "financial collapse and worldwide depression were the bitter aftermath of the “war to end all wars.” (Harding, 1981, p.124). This poem was Eliot's response to the disastrous state that society was in at the time, there was social and cultural decline, which Eliot desired to comment on. Another interpretation of Eliot's poem is the idea of a Christian society, and Eliot's views toward Christianity in a society affected by the Waste Land. Eliot "questions the nature of our society's foundations; he believes that Western culture is moving dangerously closer to the liberal and secular and that shift could be disastrous" (Wallace, 1987, p.1). In his poem, Eliot is commenting upon the idea of a religious crisis, and his standpoint on this, believing that "the doctrine of Christianity should be the bones of society, and that all other parts of the organism should be built upon that skeleton" (Wallace, 1987, p.2). Religion plays a significant part in his poem, and Eliot's perspective on religion is evident throughout the poem; his perspective on the decline of religion (namely Christianity) and his perspective on the importance of religion is also present in the poem.
2. What are some of its key features?
T.S Eliot's The Wasteland has many common features and themes, namely the decline of Christianity, the decay of society, and the mundane nature of life, just to name a few.
The Wasteland is modern in the way it is fragmented in form; Eliot's poem is a very long poem, with five titled sections. It can be described as a free verse poem, and "embodies simultaneously several different planes of experience, for it suggests the likeness between various waste lands" (Hollister, 2015, p.2). The Waste Land centers around the physiological and cultural crisis that followed World War 1, and it is seemingly represented through the stylistic features of how the poem is written. The topics that are being talked about are the discombobulated nature of society, which brings forward his poem's key feature of contrasting, and making use "of ironic contrasts between the glorious past and the sordid present" (Hollister, 2015, p.4).
3. In what ways has it been influential??
The Waste Land has most famously been influential to the 1924 novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In The Great Gatsby, there are multiple themes surrounding the idea of a moral, cultural and societal wasteland, shown through 'The Valley of Ashes' in the text. The Valley of Ashes is a representation of American society at its worse, overcome by moral and societal decay. This setting in Fitzgerald's novel (and Baz Lurhmann's 2013 film adaption) is a visual and physical representation of the wasteland that Eliot is describing in his poem. Eliot's poem follows themes surrounding disillusionment, societal decay, and the loss of morals, which is seen heavily throughout Fitzgerald's text, and in Lurhmann's film adaption. The influence of Eliot's poem on infamous texts such as The Great Gatsby demonstrate just how important this issue was at the time, society saw a significant decline, and poets like Eliot felt the need to portray it in such a compelling way.
Hi Nadia,
DeleteI agree. A key feature of the poem is the fragmented style which does not commit to any defining poetic styles or structures which you have called free verse. Another key feature is the somber tone of the poem as a result of Eliot's experiences in the wake of WW1 which you have mentioned was "discombobulated". Another feature worth mentioning is the allusions which Eliot makes to the ancient, classic and modern writers which adds to this overarching theme of disconnection of the old with the new.
THE WASTE LAND References:
ReplyDelete- Hollister, M. (2015). Analysis "The Waste Land" (1922). Retrieved from http://www.amerlit.com/poems/POEMS Eliot, TS The Waste Land (1922) analysis by 25 critics.pdf
- Harding, M. E. (1981). The value and meaning of depression. Psychological Perspectives, 12(2), 113-135. doi:10.1080/00332928108408685
- Wallace, A. (1987). Waste Land or Promised Land: T.S. Eliot's The Idea of a Christian Society (Master's thesis, Western Kentucky University, 1987). Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Post Modernism Answer:
ReplyDeleteTHE BEATS
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
The "Beats" are a core group of authors (Herbert Huncke, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Jack Kerouac to name a few) that belonged to a literary movement that explored post-war and the issues regarding culture and politics that was a consequence of the war. The "Beats" coined their name not from a particular influence, but from a feeling; "It implies the feeling of having been used, or being raw" (Holmes, 1952, p.2). The Beat generation wrote in a time where post-war society was in a bad shape, and many in society deemed their society to be in turmoil. Holmes described the perspective of this generation as being "lost" (Holmes, 1952, p.2) which is where the Beat writers come in - they sought to comment upon a time of disillusionment which is seen through their written works. All of the Beat authors wanted to write about society, its future, and also their future. Common elements of their texts were based around religion, the rejection of materialism, the human condition, and defying conventional writing.
2. On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
Allen Ginsberg's 1955 poem Howl was part of the Beat generation, and is a poem spit into three parts. Ginsberg's poem received a large amount of criticism, as he wrote about explicit topics surrounding drugs, sex, homosexuality, and other topics. These particular topics were seen as being obscene and indecent, as these were topics that were not written about in the 50s. Ginsberg belonged to the Beat generation, and this generation challenged the norm of writing through commenting on society at the time, using structures and words that were sometimes frowned upon. Due to the nature of Ginsberg's poem, at first it was seized by the authorities. "The book came to the notice of the authorities and was seized by customs officials in San Francisco" (Spacey, 2019).
An obscenity trial was commenced in 1957 and came to the conclusion that the book was of "redeeming social importance" (Spacey, 2019) which allowed it to be sold. This initial backlash soon disappeared, and Ginsberg's poem was widely praised for breaking the social norms, and for commenting on aspects that challenged society's perspective at the time.
3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
The Beat generation's poetry had elements of 'streetwise counter culture' and that had an affect on the wider culture. Rap has a similar sense of rhythm and style to Beat poetry, and they both often speak on topics differing to the social norm, which often is confrontational and up for debate. Rap is a sort of poetry, often sped up and with instruments in the background, but still follows the same structure as Beat poetry, as many rap songs focus on topics that may protest society, and to challenge ideas.
According to The Fordham Ram, Kanye West featured on a show called Def Poetry Jam and performed his own poetic piece 'Self Conscious'. It was later discovered that his single "All Falls Down" includes the exact same lyrics (Rap is Poetry: Take it from Kanye West, 2017)
REFERENCES:
ReplyDelete- Spacey, A. (2019, January 26). Analysis of Poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg. Retrieved from https://owlcation.com/humanities/Analysis-of-Poem-Howl-by-Allen-Ginsberg
- Rap is Poetry: Take it From Kanye West. (2017, October 4). Retrieved from https://fordhamram.com/57326/culture/rap-poetry-take-kanye-west/
- Holmes, J. C. (1952). This Is The Beat Generation. The New York Times Magazine, (16). Retrieved from http://doc3.pbworks.com/f/John Clellon Holmes - This Is the Beat Generation.pdf
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteThe ‘Beats’ are known as a group of writers who sought to challenge mainstream politics and culture during the post World War II period. The common attributes of this group were a desire to challenge social consciousness and conventional writing, the use of hallucinogenic drugs and engagement with meditation and Eastern religion (A brief guide to the beat poets 2004). Di Prima (n.d.) adds to this the rejection of materialism, institutionalised American values and conformity. The name ‘Beats’ was first applied to the group by Jack Kerouac during a conversation in which he described his generation as the ‘beat generation’. Ginsberg (2017) explains this to mean being down and out – for example, ““Man, I’m beat . . .” meaning without money and without a place to stay” (para. 2).
References
A brief guide to the beat poets. (2004). Retrieved May 26, 2019, from https://poets.org/text/brief-guide-beat-poets
Di Prima, D. (n.d.). An introduction to the beat poets. Retrieved May 26, 2019, from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/collections/147552/an-introduction-to-the-beat-poets
Ginsberg, A. (2017). Allen Ginsberg’s definition of the beat generation. Retrieved May 26, 2019, from https://lithub.com/allen-ginsbergs-definition-of-the-beat-generation/
2. On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
Ginsberg’s Howl was accused of being obscene on the grounds that young people were becoming juvenile delinquents after being influenced by its sexual content and references to narcotics (Black, 2013). The charge was defended on the grounds that the United States constitution’s first amendment – the right to freedom of speech – included “all ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance” (Black, 2013, pg. 35). This inclusion had been determined in a previous trial and formed the basis of the judge’s decision.
References
Black, J. (2013). Ferlinghetti on Trial: The howl court case and juvenile delinquency. Boom: A Journal of California, 2(4), 27-43. doi: 10.1525/boom.2012.2.4.27
3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
ReplyDeleteThe origins and purposes of rap have similarities to those of beat poetry. As mentioned in question one, the artists known as the Beats used poetry to express their political and social reality and challenge social norms. In the same vein, rap began in the Bronx where young black people had become disillusioned with the church and lack of change that desegregation had produced. “Hip hop...chronicles a generation coming of age at a moment of extreme racial confusion … who have been grappling with what equality means during the worst economic conditions for the underclass since the Depression” (Waters, 2014, pg. 6). As with the Beats Generation, African American’s have used rap as a medium for having a voice and speaking up on behalf of their generation.
References
Waters, M. (2014). “Beats, rhymes, and life”: Hip hop’s unlikely movement. Media Development, 61(4), 5-8.
4. How was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
According to Schlansky (2009), a high school band in Colorado who planned to play Bob Dylan’s Masters of War for the school talent show was paid a visit by the secret service in 2004. Concerns had been publicly expressed over the song calling for the assassination of President Bush. At the time, the Bush administration had declared war with Iraq.
References
Schlansky, E. (2009, April 30). The 30 greatest Bob Dylan song: #8, “masters of war”. American Songwriter. Retrieved from https://americansongwriter.com/2009/04/the-30-greatest-bob-dylan-songs-8-masters-of-war/
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteThe beats generation was a group of mostly young men formed originally in the 1940s but took off into its own during the 1950s shortly after world war 2 (Josh Rahn 2011). Herbert Huncke, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Jack Kerouac were some of the members The young men were all from relatively wealthy backgrounds and were all college educated, the founders even met originally in columbia university (rahn 2011). The group used poetry art and literature to fight capitalism and the boring expected way of life. The founder, (rahn 2011) Kerouac who coined the term “Beat Generation,” and the name stuck. The name represents the use of beats in poetry which the founders used to share their ideas.
2. On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
Allen ginsberg was apart of the beat generation, a group of young people who challenged the norm with art and poetry (rahn 2011) and ginsberg's poem ‘howl’ was no less controversial. The poem has been criticized of being disgusting and obscene as he wrote about controversial topics such as sex, drugs and homosexuality, themes that were often not discussed in the 1950s. Because of the topics discussed in Ginsberg's poem it was taken by authorities "The book came to the notice of the authorities and was seized by customs officials in San Francisco" (Spacey, 2019). I trial was eventually held in ‘57 to release the poem and allow sale on the grounds of how socially important the poem was and how it fought against the norms of poetry at the time and it is still highly regarded for that reason.
3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
ReplyDeleteBeat poetry and rap are linked through the purposes of creating them, the beats formed to create art and share their political, ideological and social views on everything and to go against the grain of social norms aesthetic norms. Rap has been formed similarly, as most rappers want to share their strife and political points of view that are often against the grain and looked down upon from most of the society around them.
7. What kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
A rather recent protest song that came out in 2018, is the song by childish gambino ‘this is america’ the song protests against social american norms that should not be considered normality anywhere, the artist makes fun of the second amendment and its unnecessary danger, especially to black americans psed the danger most commonly by police officers. I believe yes there is definitely a spirit of protest especially on the dangerous things like global warming and the ever worsening, pollution. Within this month of may 2019 i have witnessed several protests, protests against pollution, single use plastic and most recently protests against the abortion ban that is spreading across america. However i also see how protesting has changed and become so common on the internet. People can say anything they want and spread awareness and boycotting online, more often than not on advertisements on facebook and instagram the comments are filled with angry people. The most relevant example of this is on any given nutella advertisement with 200 plus comments over 190 of them are angry people boycotting and protesting the use of palm oil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY&index=2&list=TLGGIgMVrNzehNgxNDA2MjAxOA
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteIn the first few lines of Howl 'I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix…’. Calareso (n.d.) describes these lines as “capturing the spirit of the movement: madness, the streets, drugs.”
A lot of ‘beat’ poetry follows similar themes, usually protesting capitalism and materialism; ‘When can I go into the supermarket and buy what I need with my good looks?’. (Ginsberg, 1956). As well as talking about confronting topics such as sex, drugs, and mental illness; ‘My psychoanalyst thinks I'm perfectly right.’ (Ginsberg, 1956). Birthed from a time where consumerism was being pushed in an optimistic post-war country, same sex marriage was illegal and being queer in general rendered you a social outcast. The beats were a counter-culture, forcing society to get upset and question itself in the process. The meaning of ‘beat’ has been redescribed multiple times, but in my research I’ve often seen it perceived to mean feeling ‘beat down’ by society. As many of the beat poets were gay or bisexual, this makes sense as to how frustrated they would have been feeling during these times.
Another common quality of beat poetry is that it's commonly written in a much less formal and traditional way. Compared to a more classical poet like T.S. Elliot, Ginsberg’s work appears more hectics and non conforming in its structure:
‘Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,
A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,
I had not thought death had undone so many.’ (Eliot, 1992).
Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unob tainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks! (Ginsberg, 1956).
I think this is another example of what sets beat poetry apart from other poetry, as even in its literary techniques it tears apart current standards, asking why it has to be that way. This more messy writing structure also portrays more emotion, particularly anger, which helps to aid the protest spirit of beat poetry.
2. On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
ReplyDeleteHowl was considered obscene at the time of its creation due to foul language and descriptions of hetrosexual and homosexual sex ‘who let themselves be fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy,’ (Ginsberg, 1956). Though not particularly shocking language now, this was quite severe language in the 50’s, during a time in which homosexuality was deemed as a sickness (Kaplan, 2010). As an unnamed writer in an Oregonian article (2012) states “We live in the world that "Howl" created”. In 1957 U.S. Customs seized 520 copies of the poem Howl for these reasons of ‘obscenity’, but a prosecution was declined. However, a bookstore owner, Lawrence Ferlinghetti was later arrested for publishing ‘obscene materials’ after his employee sold the book of poetry to an undercover police officer. (Kaplan, 2010).
Later at an obscenity trial, Judge Clayton Horn decided that the poems were protected due to freedom of speech and possessing social importance. The test of obscenity was "the material must have a tendency to deprave or corrupt readers by ... arousing lustful desire to the point that it presents a clear and present danger of inciting to antisocial or immoral action". Which Horn did not think it possessed. Horn’s final statement was; "I conclude the book Howl and Other Poems does have some redeeming importance, and I find the book is not obscene. The defendant is found not guilty." (Campbell, 2007).
3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
ReplyDeleteGinsberg describes rap almost like a fight; coming from an African tradition where exaggeration and insults are used to upset your ‘rival’, and “whoever gets mad losses the game.” (Ginsberg, 1995). Looking at rap through Ginsberg’s perspective I can see where he draws the parallels between Beat poetry and rap, as his poem Howl is full of confronting images and language that is designed to ruffle its readers feathers. In regards to rap; Ginsberg (1995) goes on to say that the whites in America have lost the game “because they got mad over pure words and thoughts”. After Ginsberg was put on trial for obscenity for his work, it's interesting to hear his perspective that such a reaction to rap is considered a loss, and I wonder if he feels similar to those same reactions to his own art, especially since his poetry and rap are both targets of censorship.
References:
ReplyDeleteCalareso, J. (n.d.) The Beat Generation: Characteristics of Beat Poetry.
Campbell, J. June 2, 2007). To save America.
Eliot, T.S. (1922). The Waste Land.
Ginsberg, A. (1956). Howl and Other Poems.
Ginsberg, A. (1995). On rap. US: Hibbet Radio.
Kaplan, F. (September 24, 2010). How “Howl” Changed the World.
The Oregonian. (March 17, 2012). After five decades, Ginsberg's 'Howl' still shocks and inspires.
7. What kinda protest song/rap/ other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
ReplyDeleteLongman Dictionary’s definition of the word ‘protest’ in this way; Noun: something that you do to show publicly that something is wrong and unfair. Verb; to come together to publicly express disapproval or opposition to something. (Longman dictionary, n.d.)
Many artists often leave a spirit of protest in their works to express their opinions or protest. Especially, in rap, a genre of music popular among young Americans in the early 1970s, it often includes lyrics of protest. The reason is related to the history of the United States, as rap began as socially marginalized young black people made their own feeling about social deprivation and resentment of racism into unique beats and lyrics. Therefore, rap is not just a musical genre, but a way of life for blacks and a role to represent the spirit of their protest.
In 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African American man, was shot to death by a white police officer in the city of Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was shot several times by the white polices even though he was unarmed. Since the incident, angry protests have erupted not only in Ferguson but throughout the U.S. as police have covered up the case and the court has accepted white police's claim self-defense. During this period, many artists left their work in mourning for Michael Brown's death. One of them is singer J. Cole, who has released a song/rap called Be Free to express the pain of Michael Brown's death. Based on the history of slavery in the United States, the song still lamentes the fact that blacks are not free from handcuffs. The chains in the lyrics of the song do not mean handcuffs simply, but an inequality of opportunity in American society, unjustified police and judicature systems and so on. In this song, therefore, he repeats this in the song for freedom from chains of black people. “All we wanna do is take the chains off, All we wanna do is break the chains off, All we wanna do is be free”.
A Singer D'Angelo also released a ‘Black Messiah’ album. The ‘Black Messiah’ goes beyond the religious dimension that can be simply recalled. In this album, he tells the story of people fighting for change in difficult situations such as the Ferguson shooting of 2014, the Egyptian revolution of 2011 and the occupy Wall Street. Also, he said that Black Messiah does not mean one person, but is related to all of us, and this is about the world and what we all aspire to. He hopes us all to be 'black saviors.' The ‘1000 Deaths song’ from the ‘Black Messiah’ album represents his heart in direct rap lyrics.
ReplyDelete“Black people need some peace, white people need some peace. And we are going to fight, we’re going to have to struggle, we’re going to have to struggle relentlessly to bring about some peace because the people that we’re asking for peace, they’re a branch of megalomaniac war-mongers, and they don’t even understand what peace means. We’ve got to fight them, we’ve got to struggle with them to make them understand what peace means”.
He also encourages the terrified hearts of the weak who have been oppressed by racial discrimination. “I won’t nut up when we up thick in the crunch, Because a coward dies a thousand times, But a soldier only dies just once, Once, once”.
Although the two songs I have chosen are protesting America's racist social problems (abuse of police power to suspect black people who are under-privileged as potential criminals. In my opinion, these songs are epic protests. The courageous voice of these people is still precious and important in our society. This is because the power of their voices to reach people all over the world through the media is very powerful.
As the days go by, there are more and more songs containing protest spirit with political and environmental characteristics as well as racial issues. I think this expression of opinion will have a good effect on not only society but also on individuals. The reason is that free to express one's opinion (especially in the spirit of protest) is a quite natural and healthy activity as long as humans have the power to think.
References
Protest. (n.d.) In Longman Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/protest
The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot
ReplyDeleteThe Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines wasteland in three ways, 1) a barren or uncultivated land, 2) an ugly, devasted or inhabitable space or area, 3) a way of life that is spiritually and emotionally restless and dreary (Wasteland, n.d.). This literal meaning applies directly to Thomas. S. Eliot's The Waste Land, where the wasteland is the depressive state and sense of disorder in the aftermath of World War I (The Waste Land, n.d.). Lewis (n.d.) also defines the title as the idea of a dry infertile world that distances itself from traditional authority and belief systems. Vijaya's (2010) critical analysis of the poem describes the title The Waste Land as "the chaotic life within the poem and that the enormous longing to escape into a world of propriety of stability, order and beauty that existed in the transcendent realm of the past."
Q1
Menand (1987) believes poem is Eliot’s view of the difficulties of the late 19th century ideas of style. He believes the poem is designed to challenge the “conceptual mechanics” of both the generally understood way of reading as well as the literary reading (Menand, 1987). However, Forster’s (1936) argues that The Waste Land has nothing to do with the tradition of the English literature, or its law or order, and rather just Eliot’s personal views on the universe like the independent and isolated views of Mary Shelley’s Modern Prometheus (pp. 92). The Wasteland has also been defined as a poem about culture in terms of its celebration and death, and the misery of being learned in a society where its roots have been forgotten (The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot, n.d.). Another way put by, Monay (2016) is that the poem is an outlet of Eliot’s anxieties of the loss of both cultural and moral identity in the wake of World War I, found in his constant references to modern and ancient writers throughout.
Q3.
Lewis (n.d.) quotes Ezra Pound in writing after the publishing of The Wasteland in 1922 that the poem was “a justification of the movement that was the modern experiment, since 1900”. The structure and meanings of The Wasteland are defining of the concept of modernism in the way it rejects the distinction between ancient and popular culture, and distancing from tradition.
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DeleteReferences
DeleteChinitz, D. (1995). T. S. Eliot and the Cultural Divide. PMLA,110(2), 236-247. doi:10.2307/462913
Forster, E. M. (1936). Abinger Harvest [E-book]. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.260259
Lewis, P. (n.d.) The Waste Land. Retrieved from https://modernism.coursepress.yale.edu/the-waste-land/
Menand, L. (1987). Discovering Modernism: T.S. Eliot and His Context. Oxford University Press
Monay, D. (2016). Modernism and “The Waste Land". In The Humanities Index. Retrieved June 1, 2019, from https://humx.org/modernism-and-the-waste-land-36fae9390498
The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot. (n.d.) In Poem Analysis. Retrieved from https://poemanalysis.com/the-waste-land-by-t-s-eliot-poem-analysis/
The Wasteland. (n.d.) In Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/the-waste-land
Vijaya, K. R. (2010). A Critical Study of The Wasteland: Poetry as Metaphor. Language in India, 10(2), 21–109. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=59408459&site=eds-live
7. What kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
ReplyDeleteI want to answer this question from the perspective of Korean history and society.
Like anywhere in the world, songs always existed in the square, there were songs replacing the desire for democratization in front of Gwangju City Hall in May 1980 and in Seoul City Hall Plaza in June 1987. In 2004, Roh Moo-hyun, former president in impeachment and candlelight vigils against U.S. beef imports in 2008, City Hall Plaza was always filled with the song, . Unfortunately, however, there is no song yet that brings them together at the plaza in November 2016, which attracted more than 1 million people (The 2016 South Korean political scandal- Under Park Geun-hye Regime, doubts have been raised concerning Choi Soon-sil's involvement in state affairs who was hidden influential person, and it led to Park Geun-hye, former president's impeachment and restrictions). This may be due to their diverse generations, classes, regions, genders and tastes, which make it difficult to unite.
Still, songs urging the president to step down were quickly made, exposing their anger over the monopoly of government affairs by Choe Sun-sil. This can be attributed to advances in technology. Musicians can record as easily as possible without a recording studio, and they do not necessarily have to play all the instruments. Also, songs in the hip-hop genre were popular, especially because they can be released and spread through YouTube and other Internet platforms. This may be because hip-hop has a critical disposition, but because of its simplicity, it can produce songs with just a beat. But although it is meaningful that the song was made as soon as the incident broke out, the songs did not produce an explosive reaction as they did not have powerful music languages that captured their anger well, even though they reflected public sympathy. Musicians' participation in society has slowly increased compared to the past. Many musicians also sang in the streets even though their songs did not contain social critical messages. Love songs were also given unusual metaphors in places such as candlelight vigils and the disaster scene. Depending on where the song is sung in, it can get different meanings.
Through these changes, the songs and the music of resistance are everywhere now. In almost every genre, a song containing resistance messages has been made and is being made. The number of musicians, who participated in the Nov. 8, 2016, declaration of the state of affairs, surpassed 2,300, which is related to this. The willingness of many musicians to join the declaration, which has rarely been part of the festival, is a clear reduction in the burden of speaking and singing as a citizen and musician.
The map of the music of resistance has also changed. Until the early 2000s, the number and influence of folk songs that led the music of resistance decreased significantly. The decline was not due to the lack of musical perfection but to the failure to meet the characteristics of folk songs that have grown up based on organized campaign groups. This has nothing to do with the decline of campaign groups, including student councils and labor unions, and the failure to secure a venue to meet music fans regularly.
The people who replace the current folk songs are indie musicians. Indie Musicians, who work as individuals or musicians Unions, were free but alert to various social issues that happened under the Park Geun-hye Regime. After the Sewol ferry disaster, musicians Sai and Jung Min-ah offered to hold one-man protests or busking in Seoul in May 2014, and 86 musicians eventually sang here. Whenever disaster struck, musicians of the independent music production union sang and stayed up all night, and fought with their bodies against the demolition service. Also, they put the scene of field on their record.
The album, which was participated by musicians such as Kim Hae-won and Hwang puh-ha, widely known in indie scene, richly captures the hardships of those who have to be kicked out of the place of life, and the immorality of a system where social violence is rampant in its music language. The versatility of genres, including rock, blues, electronic and folk music, and even musical perfection were enough to show that the role played mostly by folk music in the past is now being transferred to Indies. For example, Kim Hae-won's and Kim Mok-in's clearly show the difference between language and style, confirming how much the music of resistance in our time is becoming various. The times change even the music.
ReplyDeleteReference
How to live a confused era musician. (2016, November 07). Weekly Dong-A, p. 78. Retrieved from https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ko&u=http://weekly.donga.com/3/all/11/776165/1&prev=search
2016 South Korean political scandal. (2019, May 22). In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 1, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Korean_political_scandal
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteAllen Ginsburg defines the “Beats” in his book “The Best Minds of My Generation: A Literary History of the Beats” as follows:
“The fourth meaning that accumulated was “Beat Generation literary movement.” That was a group of friends who had worked together on poetry, prose, cultural conscience from the mid-1940s until the term became popular nationally in the late 50s.” (1)
The “Beats” shared many common qualities, which Ginsberg also outlines in his book. In short, the “Beats” promoted sexual liberation, the use of certain drugs (especially psychedelics, pain killers and marijuana), respect for the Earth and indigenous peoples, and opposed a military-industrial machine, and censorship of the word. They were also keenly interested in the development of Jazz and Rhythm and Blues. The “Beats” were so named the “Beats” after a conversation between John Clellon Holmes and Jack Kerouac during which Kerouac used the term “Beat Generation” to characterize the underground movement in New York.
3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
“Beat poetry” promoted several controversial ideologies, like drug use and sexual liberation. Beat poetry was used to express the trials faced by the authors and many people like them, this could be very confrontational, especially as beat poets did not believe in “censorship of the word”. Allen Ginsburg’s “Howl” a prime example having been taken to court over its “obscene” content. The poem, like many others from the beat poetry movement, talks about drug use a lot. “who chained themselves to subways for the endless ride from Battery to holy Bronx on benzedrine until the noise of wheels and children brought them down shuddering mouth-wracked and battered bleak of brain all drained of brilliance in the drear light of Zoo,” “who let themselves be fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy,”(2) This is very similar to the obscenity you see and hear in rap. Case and point: Kanye West, New Slaves
“F*** you and your Hampton house
I’ll f*** your Hampton spouse
Came on her Hampton blouse
And in her Hampton mouth”
Both used a similar rhythmic style of formatting and structuring their texts, using rhyme schemes and a steady drum roll type beat in the poems orality as well. They are easy to set to a beat and treat like a song or be used as a poem on its own.
7. What kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
A lot of protest media has come out in the last 10 years. The internet has enabled that content to be spread internationally with ease. Recently, Childish Gambino released a song called “This is America” which has got a very graphic video with people getting shot in the head and a church choir getting shot up to reflect the state of gun violence in The USA. The video and lyrics contain a lot of political motifs and statements. Donald Glover (AKA Childish Gambino) also has a TV show that he writes and stars in, which has a heavy focus on racism in The USA. There has been a rise in media like TED talks, which can often have political or social motivations and influences. Slam poetry has also gotten a lot more popular and accessible in the last decade, which is also often politically motivated. I think that this is closely linked to the use of social media and the internet becoming such an integral part of our lives. “...because we live in an internet-infused world where people want to connect with one another,” we crave a sincerity-driven connection with rap artists.” (3) The desire – and ability now that we have the internet - to connect more with artists of all kinds has led to a push for more honest, transparent representation of the artists in their work.
(1) https://lithub.com/allen-ginsbergs-definition-of-the-beat-generation/ Ginsburg, A 1977
(2) https://poets.org/poem/howl-parts-i-ii Ginsburg, A 1955
(3) https://harvardpolitics.com/covers/evolution-rap/
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ReplyDelete3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
ReplyDeletePost WW2, people in America were tired of the routines of home life and felt 'beaten down' by the traditional lifestyle. Those same people were part of the literary movement, the Beat Generation, and did not believe in straight jobs, and instead sold drugs and committed crimes (Ap Comp. n.d.) Illicit activity to get by is a common theme explored since the birth of rap music, using rhymes as a storytelling device. Explores concepts such as the portrayal of the human condition, psychedelic drugs, and sexual liberation. Similarly, rap music is known to have heavy drug references and condone the use of psychedelics, alcohol, marijuana, etc. Members of the Beat generation were heavily influenced by Jazz, which was primarily invented by the African American people, much like rap. Beat poetry can be considered the grandfather of slam and performance poetry, and shares similarities with rap music in that they both make use of word flow and storytelling. However, in rap, the focus is on rhythm, rhyme and musicality, while in beat poetry there are virtually no rules beyond word flow and storytelling. In 'Howl' by Allen Ginsberg quotes - ' I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,' (Ginsberg, A. 1956). Although this is one of the most famous beat poems and it was written in the 50s, its story shares many similarities with themes seen in some of the most classic conscious-rap albums today.
1. Ginsberg, A. (1956). Howl and Other Poems. San Francisco: City Lights Books.
2. AP Comp. (n.d.) What is the Beat Generation. Retrieved from:
https://sites.google.com/site/ahsapcompthebeatgeneration/home/what-is-the-beat-generation
1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteBeat Poetry or The Beat Generation was a literary movement introduced by Jack Kerouac’s during the 1940’s in both New York and on the west coast, although San Francisco became the core of the movement in the mid 50’s. After the effects of World War II, poets and writers such as Allen Ginsberg, John Clellon Holmes, William Burroughs along with other members of Jack’s social circle, questioned conventional politics and culture. There main goal was to change societal consciousness as well as challenge and rebel against predictable and standardised form of writing. The Beat Generation’s name was coined by the initial associate, Jack Kerouac, to describe the position of himself and his circle during the post-war years, which could be described as one without money, job, or a place to live.
Poets.org. (2004) A Brief Guide to the Beat Poets. Retrieved from:
https://poets.org/text/brief-guide-beat-poets
What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteIn the 1940s-1950s The Beat Poets started to emerge. They were so called because the term “beat” was something that “evokes weariness, down-and-outness, the beat under a piece of music, and beatific spirituality” and this is how they saw their work. (The Poetry Foundation, 2019). These where poets who shunned the squares and the life of society in everyday mainstream America to exist on the fringes. Settling in San Francisco, Bay Area by the 50s (The Poetry Foundation, 2019). As well as similar inspirations in the forms of jazz musicians artists and poets, they had common intentions which unified them. They sort to liberate poetry and bring it back to the common man, rather than the academic elite. They also advocated for personal liberation and enlightenment which may come to a person in the form of stimulants, music or disciplines of spirituality such as Zen Buddhism (Britannica, 2019). The work itself was also something that connected them, while trying to move from the stuffy academic world the Beats focused on producing work which was genuine, strong, uncomplicated, unfiltered even. It was often a stream of idea that which came in the moment (Rahn, 2011). Or as Ginsberg put it “First thought, best thought” (The Poetry Foundation, 2019).
The Poetry Foundation. (2019). An Introduction to the Beat Poets. Retrieved from, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/collections/147552/an-introduction-to-the-beat-poets
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019). Beat movement: American literary and social movement. Retrieved from, https://www.britannica.com/art/Beat-movement
Rahn. J. (2011). The Beat Generation. Retrieved from, https://www.online-literature.com/periods/beat.php
On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
ReplyDelete1950s America saw the boom of the economy after the second world war. Consumerism, materialism and capitalism where the driving force of society which was based upon highly conservative values. The Beat Poets were among those questioning the uses of such systems and the intentions behind them. They rebelled against the pious values held by the older generations, which sort to censor their expressions of not only sexuality but of all tabooed subjects (Rahn,2011). Subjects that Ginsberg elaborated on in Howl (1956) He addresses the scene of the underbelly of American culture, the kind the establishment had been trying to silence. Foul language, slang, criminality, sex and drug use were all discussed as well as the rage against an oppressive system (Rahn,2011). In 1957 a year after publication Ferlinghetti and his partner Murao, where arrested detained and them prosecuted for “violating obscenity laws by publishing Howl” (Black, 2012).
The poem criticised by the prosecution of encouraging juvenile delinquency. However Judge Horn ordered that Howl be tested under “Roth v. United States. This would mean that constitutional protection would be granted to any and “all ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance.” (Black, 2012). On October 3rd 1957 Judge Horn found there to indeed be redeeming social importance and fully upheld Ferlinghetti’s rights in publishing Howl, Acquitting City Lights. Under the first amendment Horn noted that those authors who drafted the first amendment ““knew that novel and conventional ideas might disturb the complacent, but they chose to encourage a freedom, which they believed essential if vigorous enlightenment was ever to triumph over slothful ignorance.”” (Black, 2012)
References
Black. J. E. (2012) Ferlinghetti on Trial: The howl court case and juvenile delinquency. Retrieved from, https://boom.ucpress.edu/content/ucpboom/2/4/27.full.pdf
Ginsberg, A. (1956). Howl and Other Poems. Retrieved from, file:///C:/Users/Me%20obvs/Downloads/Desire_Critical%20Reader_2019.pdf
Rahn. J. (2011). The Beat Generation. Retrieved from, https://www.online-literature.com/periods/beat.php
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ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHow was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
On March 20th 2003 the Bush administration ordered the invasion of Iraq which lead to a 9-year war ending in December 2011 under the Obama administration. It became apparent through different investigations that lies were told to the American and British public in order to gain popularity for the war, this popularity quickly disappeared as the death toll increased (Britannica, 2019). Bob Dylan wrote many of the protest greatest songs that were sung throughout the early 60s, for a multitude of courses. However, he would later distance himself from them, only really coming back to Masters of War in the 80s. (Marcus, 2006). In the lead up to the Iraq war in 2002 after Bush had used the war as a ploy to win the midterm elections Dylan sang Masters of War at Madison Square Garden. In 2003 multiple covers of the song where realised as the war ensued. In November 2004 Dylan again sung the song, this time on election night in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The song was then picked up by school children at Boulder High School, Boulder Colorado. A group called, Coalition of the Willing made up of seven students sung it for their school talent show with the lead singer, Allyse Wojtanek, shredding her voice on the final line. (Marcus, 2006). Marcus writes of the performance “For the moment, for the students, the war was theirs, perhaps waiting for them six months or a year down the line, and the song was theirs, waiting for them for more than forty years.” (Marcus, 2006).
References
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019). Iraq War: 2003–2011. Retrieved from, https://www.britannica.com/event/Iraq-War
Marcus. G. (2006). Stories of a Bad Song. Retrieved from, https://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/marcus_w06.html
What were the links between black protest music and revolutionary political movements, such as the Black Panthers, in the 1960s and how did things play out then and into the 1970s?
ReplyDeleteNina Simone was one of the most prominent supporters of the Black Power Movement, standing alongside Malcolm X, Langston Hughes and James Baldwin. (Sargent, 2015). She became incensed by the killings of innocent black people. In 1964 she released Mississippi Goddamn, as a response to the bomb in Birmingham which killed four young girls at 16th Street Baptist Church, as well as the murder of Medgar Evers. (Sargent, 2015). The song was also a criticism of the slow approach the government took with civil rights leaders. She stated outright that she was not a nonviolent protester saying, "I thought we should get our rights by any means necessary." (Sargent, 2015). Simone continued to create music that not only communicated the anguish she felt for her community but also the love and pride she had for them. "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black" was a song she wrote for Lorraine Hansberry, a writer and playwright, after seeing a photograph of her. The lyrics were considered among her most spellbinding, and the song itself became one of the most iconic anthems of the movement for black pride (Garza, 2015). “’I could sing to help my people and that became the mainstay of my life,’ says Simone.” (Sargent, 2015). James Brown released “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)” in 1968 during the growing rise of black nationalist movements, with the assassinations of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, and Kennedy. African American People had begun to lose faith in the government to protect their rights and civil liberties. (Music of the Black Power Movement, n.d.) The song became an anthem for the Black Power Movement (Marcus, 2006). It was also among the most direct and powerful declarations of self love and love for African American culture and people. (Music of the Black Power Movement, n.d.) Marvin Gaye released “What’s Goin’ On?” in 1971 a few years later. By now riots where braking out across America. Gaye pushed back against his record label to make music which grappled with the social issues at the time. The riots, war protests and the treatment of veterans upon their return, gave Gaye the motivation to channel his protest into his music raising awareness for social justice among the African American community. (Music of the Black Power Movement, n.d.).
References
Marcus. G. (2006). Stories of a Bad Song. Retrieved from, https://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/marcus_w06.html
Sargent. A. (2015). The Revolutionary Legacy of Nina Simone Remains as Relevant Today as Ever. Retrieved from, https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/jma5my/the-revolutionary-legacy-of-nina-simone-565
The Power of Black Self-Love: Music of the Black Power Movement. (n.d.) Retrieved from, https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/powerofblackselflove/shameya/music-of-the-black-power-movement/
Garza. E. (2015). To Be Young, Gifted and Black: The Civil Rights Legacy of Nina Simone. Retrieved from, https://blantonmuseum.org/2015/02/to-be-young-gifted-and-black-the-civil-rights-legacy-of-nina-simone-2/
What kind of protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
ReplyDeleteI do believe there is a sense or spirit of protest being explored by Millennial and GenZ artist within the creative industries. I’m not sure if its coming out so much with modern pop music, but certainly within the rap and hip-hop genres and in the indie/folk/blues kind of music. I feel as though modern mass-produced pop music today has lost a lot of its integrity toward its audience, or at the very least the need to communicate any form of message that means something. This lack of protest music on the top 40 lists in particular shouldn’t be disheartening though, there is still plenty happening. Childish Gambino released a seminal piece of film and music called This is America (2018) It’s a work of genius which, frankly, could be studied over days in order to find all of the references. I honestly believe that it will be studied in classrooms one day. It openly deals with many social problems facing America right now, from gun violence, social commentary, mass shootings and police brutality against the African American community. It highlights these issues through epic pieces of choreography and cinematography. (Donald Glover, 2018). In a podcast Mavis Staples talked about how important the music she was singing in the 60s is even today and about how there are those in the younger generations still playing their part in history. “Yes, that's true. And I tell you, I watch the news sometimes and I think I'm back in the '60s. It's all happening all over again. This kid Chance The Rapper, he's very good at explaining what's happening in the world today.” (All Things Considered, 2016). Another artist who is singing about social issues is Hozier. He released Nina Cried Power on an EP with the same name and on his new album Wasteland, Baby!. The song features Mavis herself, and pays credit to the legacy left behind by the singers of the early 20th century and the protest movements like her. Nina Simone being the Nina in question with the ‘Cried Power’ being a reference to a lyric line in the song Sinnerman. Nina Cried Power list an accolade of artists who helped shape the past, and documented the world they lived in (Hozier, 2018 Sep 27) (Hozier, 2018 Sep 28) (Hozier, 2018 Sep 29). The Music video itself also show activists working out of Ireland at the moment, bathed in footage of protests which had been before as a nod to the activism taking place back at home. (Hozier, 2018 Oct 1).
References
Donald Glover. (2018, May 5). Childish Gambino - This Is America (Official Video). [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY&list=PLoHQ5hwLfaYl_3ihiTYE2Q2iRoREKi7py&index=6&t=0s
Hozier. (2018, Oct 1). Hozier - Nina Cried Power feat. Mavis Staples. [Video file]. Retrieved form https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2YgDua2gpk
Hozier. (2018, Sep 27). Hozier - Hozier On Nina Cried Power Pt. 1. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCeYFcaOLqY
Hozier. (2018, Sep 28). Hozier - Hozier On Nina Cried Power Pt. 2. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKvzn-ZVIVY
Hozier. (2018, Sep 29). Hozier - Hozier On Nina Cried Power Pt. 3. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Bmxq7fjmw
All Things Considered (National Public Radio). (2016, December 10). For Mavis Staples, The Music Of The Civil Rights Era Couldn't Be More Relevant Today. [Audio podcast]. Retrieve from https://www.npr.org/2016/12/10/505021392/for-mavis-staples-the-music-of-the-civil-rights-era-couldnt-be-more-relevant-tod
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ReplyDeleteWhat does The Wasteland mean:
ReplyDeleteHow has it been interpreted?
Eliot's famous poem comments on many different topics and, because of the piece's complexity, can and has been interpreted in various ways. The most common interpretation surrounds the idea of depression, many critics believe that Eliot wrote The Wasteland to display his shame and regret when it came to commenting on the state of the world, what it's become after the war and the depressive feelings he lived with, this is shown by how Eliot "creates a confrontation of the past with the present, a juxtaposition that points out just how badly things have decayed" (Christopher, 2015, p.1). Another common interpretation of Eliot's poem, being somewhat similar to the previous example, speculates as to why Eliot is depressed with the world. This interpretation focuses on the ethics of Christianity and how at the time the poem was written (and even more so now) society has strayed from the words of the bible and the day-to-day lives of most people are 'blasphemous', this interpretation paints Eliot as one who believes that "western culture is moving dangerously closer to the liberal and secular and that shift could be disastrous" (Wallace, 1987, p.1). It's this focus on religious dogma encompasses the piece, Eliot's belief that "the doctrine of Christianity should be the bones of society, and that all other parts of the organism should be built upon that skeleton" (Wallace, 1987, p.2) reflects his perspective on Christianity's doctrine and it's decline. In the modern and undoubtedly post-modern eras with the decreasing focus on Christianity, Eliot's depression and dim world view would have only grown.
What are some of its key features?
ReplyDeleteA few of The Wasteland's key features and primary themes explore the depressing subject of the decline of Christianity's influence on society, it does this by focusing on mundane day-to-day scenarios and how society's collapse is seemingly imminent due to it's decreasing focus on Christian-centric ideals. Eliot uses "ironic contrasts between the glorious past and the sordid present" (Hollister, 2015, p.4), to emphasise society's recent recessive behaviour.