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 kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
ReplyDeletePink – Dear Mr President (2006)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eDJ3cuXKV4
A song written and performed by singer Pink criticising the then president of the United States of America, George W Bush. In the song she attacks Bush on the way he is running the country making references to the war Iraq, The no child left behind act, his disapproval of equal rights for homosexuals and also his lack of understanding and empathy for poor and middle class citizens. Pink also attacks Bush directly mentioning his unruly college life in which he used drugs. Before one of her performances she claimed it to be “one of the most important songs she has ever written”.
Kony 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc
A viral video created by invisible children inc demanding the capture of Joseph Kony the leader of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Kony is wanted for numerous crimes including abduction and forced enlistment in his army, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He currently stands number one on International Criminal Court (ICC) wanted list. The video was released on March 2012 and gained over a 100 million views within six days. The video showed the crimes he committed and urged Americans and the rest of the world to make Kony so famous (infamous?) that his capture would be become a priority all over the world. The video gained much support including celebrity support from well-known celebrities such as Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber.
The spirit of protest has definitely waned. While protesting once meant making picket signs and standing outside an evil cooperation while singing songs has become very much passive protesting through social media. Many peoples support for a cause only goes so far as “liking” a page on Facebook. While there are many causes with attempt to use social media (Kony 2012) they simple stop becoming popular (stop “trending”) and are simply forgotten about. Kony 2012 wanted him to become captured within 2012 and although this failed no one knows about or cares anymore. The spirit of protest is for the most part dead.
References:
Harding, l. (2012). Kony 2012 in review. J human rights practice 4(3). 461-462. doi: 10.1093/jhuman/hus026
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Dear Mr President. Retrieved June 1, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Mr._President
Another example is Macklemore's song "Same love" which tackles the issue of same-sex marriage. In an interview for the Independent On Sunday, the rapper claimed that "I wanna challenge society (...) by expressing and talking about concepts that no-one else will, that people are afraid to address." The topic of gay marriage has been buzzing all over the country earlier this year right until the day the same-sex marriage bill passed in parliament. People were either for or radically against the project becoming a reality. Few rappers if any before have willingly supported the gay community in their work and Macklemore's move marked "a breakthrough in mainstream hip-hop music".
DeleteReferences:
Digitalspy. (n.d.). Same Love: It's Personal. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a481751/macklemore-talks-about-his-gay-anthem-same-love-its-personal.html
Looking at the song I find it interesting that he would put himself in the position as one who would be homosexual. We get to see how a person may have to suffer.
Delete"When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay"
He goes on to describe the hardships faced by those who are homosexual such as coming out and hate from others.
Its a strong message as he puts himself in the shoes of them. Even if it would mean people thinking he was himself homosexual.
Digitalspy. (n.d.). Same Love: It's Personal. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a481751/macklemore-talks-about-his-gay-anthem-same-love-its-personal.html
Modernism - 1. How has it been interpreted? Use citations?
ReplyDeleteThe Waste Land is published in 1992 by T. S. Eliot. It has five parts : “The Burial of the Dead”, “A Game of Chess”, “The Fire Sermon”, “Death by Water” and “What the Thunder Said” (Wikipedia, 2013).
According to Simpson (2007), “The Waste Land is an allusive and complex poem”. Simpson (2007) also mentions that ‘The Waste Land’ may be interpreted on three levels which are “the person, the society, and the human race”. Firstly, the interpretation about person means that something to seek from Eliot’s emotions in the poem. Secondly, from the social viewpoint, critics explore “the meaning of the poem” in connection with the society that the poem was written. Lastly, the human level is the expansion of the social level that include “all human societies : past, present, and future” (Simpson, 2007).
References
Simpson, A, G. (2007). Analysis of T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://voices.yahoo.com/analysis-ts-eliots-waste-land-594548.html?cat=38
Wikipedia. (2013). The Waste Land. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waste_Land
Modernism - 2. What are some of its key features?
ReplyDeleteT. S. Eliot's The Waste Land is divided into later modernist works. It was characterized as “self-aware, introspective, and often explored the darker aspects of human nature” (Wikipedia, 2013).
According to Wikipedia (2013), The Waste Land is a modernist poem that has 434 lines and it is published in 1922. It is counted as the “one of the most important poems of the 20th century”. The Waste Land also has some features that are “satire and prophecy” and “changes of speaker, location and time”.
Lewis (2007) mentions that “The Waste Land was quickly recognized as a major statement of modernist poetics, both for its broad symbolic significance and for Eliot’s masterful use of formal techniques that earlier modernists had only begun to attempt”.
References
Lewis, P. (2007). The Waste Land. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://modernism.research.yale.edu/wiki/index.php/The_Waste_Land
Wikipedia. (2013). Modernist literature. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernist_literature
Wikipedia. (2013). The Waste Land. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waste_Land
Post Modernism - 1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rahn (2011), The Beat generation occurred in the 1950s in America. It was not a huge movement but its influence was perceptible and obvious. The Second World War ended at that time and the postwar economic boom dominated.
Major writers of the beat generation are Ginsberg, Allen (1926-1997), Kerouac, Jack (1922-1969), Burroughs, William S. (1914-1997), Corso, Gregory (1930-2001), Ferlinghetti, Lawrence (1919-), Cassady, Neal (1926-1968), Solomon, Carl (1928-1993), Holmes, John Clellon (1926-1988), Johnson, Joyce (1935-), Kesey, Ken (1935-2001), Brautigan, Richard (1935-1984) and Snyder, Gary (1930-). The beat generation saw “runaway capitalism as destructive to the human spirit and antithetical to social equality” (Rahn, 2011). The beat generation wrote a literature in the manner of an easy and straightforward method than before. Jazz that is underground music reminds people of the beat writers.
According to Rahn (2011), “Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg formed the core of this initial group” and “Lucien Carr, John Clellon Holmes, and Neal Cassidy” were also original members of the beat generation. One of the members of the beat, Kerouac coined “Beat generation” and the name has stuck.
“They lived the ‘beat’, referring to music, because of their age and inclination to get more involved in a distinct group separate from the rest of society. The term beatnik was embraced by them almost immediately, just as the hip generation that followed became ‘hippy’” (namronsoar.com, n.d.).
References
namronsoar.com. (n.d.). The Institute of Non-Theoretical Science. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://www.namronsoar.com/inst-a-h/hippyplain.html
Parkins, K. (2005). Beat Generation. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://www.heureka.clara.net/art/beat-generation.htm
Rahn, J. (2011). The Beat Generation. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://www.online-literature.com/periods/beat.php
Post Modernism - 2. On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what grounds was it defended?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Rahn (2011), Allen Ginsberg’s Howl was written in 1956. It was the turning point in literature of beat generation. It is a story drug-addicts, prostitutes, and swindlers and many slangs are used in Howl. It was shocking at that time, so Howl caused “an obscenity trial which challenged the definition of pornography in America” (Rhan, 2011).
Lawrence Ferlinghetti who is colleague of Ginsberg published Howl in England and it caused problem when Howl came into America. Two sides arose. One side fought for the freedom of speech of America with the beat generation, and the other was the authorities and censors. They used “this specific event to show that there actually existed limits for what a man could do; this far, no further!” (Jönsson, n.d.).
References
Jönsson, L. (n.d.). Howl. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://www.sonoloco.com/txt/howl/howlenglish.html
Rahn, J. (2011). The Beat Generation. Retrieved from June 11, 2013, from http://www.online-literature.com/periods/beat.php
Post Modernism - 3. In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Donohue (n.d.), there are some similarities between poetry and rap. Similarities are rhythm, rhyme and message. Firstly, rhythm exists in both poetry and rap. In poetry, rhythm is a “combination of words” (Donohue, n.d.). Secondly, rhyme is present in rap and poetry. In poetry, some words at the end of lines will rhyme and rap will also rhyme. At last, Message is the similarity between poetry and rap. Donohue (n.d.) says that “With poets and rappers, one of the biggest similarities is their desire to convey a message”.
Ginsberg’s works is included as an example. Ginsberg’s Howl speaks about taboos in the 1950s such as drug use and homosexuality that was sensitive subject at that time. According to Vickers (2005), “With its emphasis on beat, language, life, and the theatrical nature of the spoken word, the Beats, including Ginsberg, are cited as predecessors for modern-day rap”. After Ginsberg died in 1997, “The Ballad of the Skeletons” turned into music and music video. It was introduced as a rap music.
References
Donohue, C. (n.d.). Similarities and differences between poetry & rap. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://www.ehow.com/info_8508048_similarities-differences-between-poetry-rap.html
Vickers, C. (2005). Allen Ginsberg: Poet Whose Work Led to Rap Music. Retrieved June 11, 2013, from http://voices.yahoo.com/allen-ginsberg-poet-whose-work-led-rap-music-2212.html
Lots of good points. I think Beat poetry and rap are linked in the way they have both suffered as genres.
DeleteBeat poetry and rap have both been looked down upon as they often deal with sensitive subjects e.g sex
They have both also been censored in different ways. Been banned in certain areas and having some lyrics removed on air.
References
Ginsberg, A. (1995). On
rap. US: Hibbet Radio.
Ginsberg, A. (1956). Howl
and Other Poems. San
Francisco: City Lights
Books
Post Modernism - 5. What kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Wikipedia (2013), a protest song is kind of song about a social movement for change. Those protest songs are connected to current social events. Its genre is various : “folk”, “classical”, or “commercial”. The protest songs also have many assorted themes : “abolition movement, women's suffrage, the labor movement, civil rights, the anti-war movement, the feminist movement, animal rights movement, vegetarianism and veganism, and environmentalism” (Wikipedia, 2013).
I found some cite that have protest songs :
1. 50 greatest protest songs : http://musictodiefor.wordpress.com/50-greatest-protest-songs/
2. Top 30 protest songs : http://rateyourmusic.com/list/SadEyedLady/top_30_protest_songs
3. Protest Songs : http://www.songfacts.com/category-protest_songs.php
4. http://showbams.com/2012/11/09/10-most-important-political-protest-songs-of-the-last-50-years/
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Protest_songs
Reference
Wikipedia. (2013). Protest song. Retrieved June 11, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest_song
What does The Wasteland mean?
ReplyDelete1. According to Menand (1987) The Wasteland is "a poem that includes an interpretation" that is impossible to explain if the reader does not know what it meant to the author. The Wasteland is presented as "a contemporary reading of the Western tradition" (Menand, 1987, p. 19). The author of The Wasteland having cited other works of his field, borrowing into the characters of those, have made "The poem (...) an imitation of this vision of degeneration" (Menand, 1987, p.20).
2. The key features of the text is that it is a "text followed by an explanation" with a "reproduction of pattern (...) reinterpreted" which means that "none of its stylistic feature is continuous" (Menand, 1987, p.20).
3. Menand (1987) defines the poem as a "poem designed to make trouble for the conceptual mechanics not just of ordinary reading (...) but of literary reading". The author of the poem read it as "a coherent expression of the spiritual condition of the social group in which it was produced" (Menand, 1987, p.19).
PoMo
ReplyDelete3. According to Ginserberg (1995) beat and rap originate from an African tradition executed during wars between warriors. Also both rap and beat use "hyperbole and exaggeration" and both form of literature can be used as a tool of protest. The early version of rap was called 'griot' and was forbidden in America and in early days rap and beat poems were "getting a lot of censorship issues" (Ginserberg, 1995, p.13).
References
Ginserberg, A. (1995). On rap. US: Hibbet Radio.
I think beat could have been an early form of rap.From how you mentioned beat used "hyperbole and exaggeration" which is still very much seen in rap today.
DeleteMany rappers tend to rap about how much money they have or how many sexual partners they have. Which is often exaggerated.
oops
DeleteReferences
Ginserberg, A. (1995). On rap. US: Hibbet Radio.
4. How was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
ReplyDeleteDuring the campaign administration of Bush campaign the two presidential candidates; George W Bush and Al Gore discussed their favourite rock bands. Bush favoured the Everly brothers while Gore favoured the Bob Dylan (O’Conner, 2000).
Al Gore has mentioned being drawn to the Bob Dylan anti-song “Masters of War” and memorised the song before enlisting in the army and being deployed to Vietnam.
While Al Gore lost to rival George Bush the label of master of war had seemed to stick to George W Bush who was famous for the war in Iraq.
George W Bush has become known as the master of war. Even though he is never really directly called the name it is included in articles written about him. An example of this can be seen in the article written by the socialist worker website (2004) about over spending on the Iraq war. The article labelled “Masters of war and poverty” seems to be a reference to the Bob Dylan song.
The lyrics of the song seem to relate strongly to the bush campaign and also to him as a person.
“Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks”
The over spending on the war on terror seems to relate strongly to these lyrics. The Bush administration has spent billions of dollars on the war on which many feel should have been more wisely spent especially with America debt crises.
“You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe”
This feels very eerie as it was a common question asked to Bush. While Bush would assure people that the war on terror would be won many believed that it couldn’t which led to bush spending a lot of time trying to convince America that it could in fact be done.
References:
Dylan, B. (1963). Masters of War. In The freewheeling Bob Dylan. US: Special Rider Music.
Socialist Worker. (n.d). Masters of war and poverty. Retrieved 10 June from
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art/6683/Masters+of+war+and+poverty
O’Conner, C. (2000). Gore, Dylan, Bush, Everly Brothers Converge On Campaign Trail. Retrieved 10 June from http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/620860/gore-bush-dylan-everly-brothers-converge.jhtml
Modernism
ReplyDelete1.How has it been interpreted? Use citations
“T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" has been called "one of the most important poems of the 20th Century".” (shmoop, 2013) Eliot’s ‘The waste land’ have many implicated sentences because this is poem, so poem has a implicated meaning. For example, According to Sickels & Eleanmor (1984), In line 25-26 has this sentence. ‘There is shadow under this red rock’. Red rock is symbol for the church. According to Wikipedia (2013), when Eliot wrote ‘The waste land’, this time is post war. So many people depend on church. Another example is water. shmoop (2013) said that “where there "is no water but only rock / Rock and no water and the sandy road" (331-332). It's here that water becomes a symbol of the fertility that the waste land no longer has, and without this fertility, there can be no hope for anything new or beautiful to grow.”After people can know about generation of Eliot, and according to Sabbar & Ibrahim, (2011) until nowadays this poem is important point of European modernism. Also, Wikipedia (2013) mentions that “it has become a touchstone of modern literature”.
References
- Sabbar, S.S. & Ibrahim, A. S. (2011) Waiting in T. S. Eliot’s ‘The waste land’. Studies in Literature and Language, 3(2), 92-103. Doi : 10.3968/j.sll.1923156320110302.448
- Sickels & Eleanor M (1948). Eliot, the waste land. The Explicator Vol,7. Retrieved from http://pao.chadwyck.co.uk.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/articles/displayItem.do?QueryType=articles&QueryIndex=journal&ResultsID=13EA68EB163183AB7B&ItemNumber=60&BackTo=journalid&BackToParam=QueryType=journals|ItemID=1084|issue=7 (1948/1949)&journalID=1084
- T. S. Eliot (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot#The_Waste_Land
– The waste land (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waste_Land
- Water Imagery (2013). In shmoop. Retrieved from http://www.shmoop.com/the-waste-land/water-imagery.html
2. What are some of its key features?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Wikipedia (2013), T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land’ is one of the important modernist poems. This poem has stinging satire and prophecy, and included 5 things: The Burial of the Dead, A Game of Chess, The Fire Sermon, Death by Water and What the Thunder Said. The most famous phrases are ‘April is the cruellest month’.
“the term Modernism encompasses the activities and output of those who felt the "traditional" forms of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, social organization and daily life were becoming outdated in the new economic, social, and political conditions of an emerging fully industrialized world.”(Wikipedia, 2013). Above these thing, metaphors, references, and allusions are included in Modernism poem.(Wikipedia, 2013) Krockel (2011) mentions that ‘The Waste Land ’ expressed by people’s emotional eruption that modernized western culture, and also articulates his disconnected personality and Europe’s disconnected culture or mood because of the war.
Shmoop (2013) mentions that the reason that why people feel hard when they read Eliot’s poem ‘The Waste Land’ is modernism poem. This poem influenced modernism and until nowadays.
References
- Krockel, C. (2011). War trauma and English modernism. Retrieved from http://reader.eblib.com.au.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/(S(wq2ga5v0sk4wgxsnzuhddto3))/Reader.aspx?p=729825&o=222&u=25B0688%2fZ29RJifV%2fFQcNg%3d%3d&t=1371193366&h=D8A314061F2D48E36406E15F01CA000909D7FA8F&s=9051587&ut=715&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n#
- Modernism (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernist#Modernism:_1930.E2.80.931945
- The waste land (2013). In shmoop. Retrieved from http://www.shmoop.com/the-waste-land/
- The waste land (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waste_Land
PoMo post modernism.
ReplyDelete1. What common qualities do the "Beats" share? Why were they so-named?
Rahn (2011) mentions that ‘Beat generation’ was born in America in 1950.After Second World War, America forced unification and uniformity to their nation. American did not like unification and uniformity, so many people against with America government. So people who against with government enjoyed life of before Industrial revolution, and they think truth of between people is very important. Also they enjoyed country music like jazz, because jazz is symbol of freedom. So we call that people ‘beat generation.’ Also Rahn (2011) points out that Beat generation influenced literature and culture. Some of people used romanticism’s feature when they write literature. Especially, Shelley and Willam Blake’s novel influenced ‘Beat generation’ to develop aesthetic things. There are some of examples of Author of ‘Beat generation’. “Ginsberg, Allen (1926-1997), Kerouac, Jack (1922-1969), Burroughs, William S. (1914-1997), Corso, Gregory (1930-2001), Ferlinghetti, Lawrence (1919-), Cassady, Neal (1926-1968),” and so on. (Rahn, 2011). According to Wikipedia (2013), the term of ‘Beat generation ’ is introduced by Jack Kerouad. He wrote novel and poem, and he developed ‘Beat generation’. When he wrote literature, he used all of subject, and he did not limited to government’s feature. According to Wikipedia (2013), Jack Kerouad think ‘beat’ means up and not tired. And also he developed image of ‘beat’ to “beat to his socks”
References
- Beat generation (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_Generation
- Jack Kerouad (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kerouac
- Rahn, J. (2011). The Beat Generation. Retrieved from http://www.online-literature.com/periods/beat.php
4. How was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush administration?
ReplyDelete‘Master of War’ is the somg of Bob Dylan in 1963. When he wrote this song, that generation was including war. So this song has “Protest against the Cold War” (Wikipedia, 2013). Eric (2013) mentions that this song criticizes American leaders and officials of government. Hardwick (2013) points out that this song has meaning. For example, ‘you’ is government. “You that build all the guns … You that hide behind walls, You that hide behind desks”. Like this, listener can understand what that meaning is. So when Dylan sing, he repeat in term of ‘you’. It can see Dylan attack the government continually by his song. Moreover in “You play with my world, Like it’s your little toy”, you is also government. For that reason, government did not like Bob Dylan. At that time, president of America is Bush.
Here is link if ‘Master of War’
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ElaYPo8B90
References
- Eric (n.d.). In songfacts. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=7112
- Hardwick, Y. (2013). In English2ab. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://english2ab.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/masters-of-war-analysis/
- Master of war (2013). In Wikipecia. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_War
5. What kinda protest song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of protest anymore
ReplyDeleteNowadays, many protest song, rap exist. When people listen, they like, and it is popular in nowadays’ media. There are many famous singers. “Though Dylan and other iconic folk and rock artists of the '60s, such as The Beatles and Joan Baez, popularly protested in support of the social-change-to-come of the decade, protest songs are in no way limited to a single topic and era.”(Certin, 2013). Also Wikipedia (2013) said that nowadays, America is democracy, so citizen can convey their own though.
This is some example of protest song or media.
1. 21 century breakdown – Green day. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4ZKlT1EvCA
- Against American government. Especially, president Nixon. Accordind to Wikipedia (2013), “The title track's opening lyric ‘Born into Nixon, I was raised in hell’” so that reason, we can see that is protesting music with government.
2. Capitol Hill: A Modern, American Protest Song for the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1G0TJZjNRc
3. 21st Century Muslim Protests. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfGtWaCFDzA
- “After the tragic day of 911, the Islamic States of the world celebrated. George W. Bush had a tough job, didn't make it easy with Liberals, far left Democrats, Conspiracy theories abounding by idiots like Alex Jones and the Ron Paul cult”(kretincooper, 2012).
-Reference
- 21st Century Breakdown (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st_Century_Breakdown#Themes_and_composition
- Cetin, M. (2013). Protest Song Power: Music That Made a Difference. Retrieved from June 6, 2013, from http://mashable.com/2013/06/11/protest-songs/
- Flesch, R. (n.d.). How to write plain English. Retrieved April 12, 2009, from
http://www.mang.canterbury.ac.nz/writing_guide/writing/flesch.shtml