4.4 What do Shakespeare and Taylor Swift Have in Common?
What’s a 400-year-old poem got to do with a 2012 breakup song? Well, more than you might think … This week I critically analyse and compare Shakespeare’s Sonnet 35 and Taylor Swift’s I Knew You Were Trouble. I discuss iambic pentameter, double standards, and the importance of analysing our pop culture. I hope you enjoy!
Listen to the episode here
Download a full transcription of the episode here
Our book club pick for February is Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson. This is a YA contemporary novel about fame and power, with a slice of murder mystery on the side. Make sure you check out the content warnings for this book here. I’ll be discussing this on the 28th of February, and I hope you read along with me!
If you liked this episode, you might like these ones, too:
Texts:
Quotes (in order of reference):
“And I realise / The blame is on me …” – Taylor Swift, I Knew You Were Trouble – Big Machine Records, YouTube, 2012
“All men make faults, and even I in this …” – Sir Patrick Stewart reading Sonnet 35, William Shakespeare – YouTube, 2020
“[A] great rock & roll song …” – Chris Wilman, Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’: Track-By-Track – The Hollywood Reporter, October 23, 2012
“I think part of me knew the second I saw him …” – Taylor Swift, ibid.
“And it’s a song that’s one of my favourites on the album …” – Taylor Swift on Good Morning America – ABC News YouTube Channel, October 9, 2012
“This is kind of the only song I’ve ever written about …” – Taylor Swift on Today Network – Hit Network YouTube Channel, March 14, 2013
“In the last couple of years the media have …” – Taylor Swift at The Grammy Museum – YouTube, January 8, 2016
“You’re gonna have people who are gonna say …” – Taylor Swift on 2Day FM Sydney – 2DayFmSydney YouTube Channel, October 20, 2014
My Instagram, Twitter, Blog, Goodreads and StoryGraph
The Community Library’s Instagram
Cover artwork is by Ashley Ronning
Ashley’s Instagram, website, and printing studio website