Introducing three poetic ebooks about and for our trying toxic times (original) (raw)
Related papers
117-120 Bob Dylan’s Lyricism.pdf
Bob Dylan, a songwriter, poet and a 2017 Nobel laureate in literature is often portrayed as the guiding spirit of the sixties counterculture. Dylan’s politically committed songs in the 1960’s articulated a vision of society that was radically different from the existing political realities. The paper highlights the cultural resonance of Dylan’s radical lyricism amidst the countercultural era. It depicts the close affiliations that existed between Dylan’s songs and liberation movements of the times.
Poetry as ressource in tough times revisited Dec 2020
The core argument – or perhaps better, the informed intuition this essay is based on, claims that poetry can be and has always been a source of containment for the individual navigating erratic, unpredictable, scary and turbulent times. Poetic language provides a symbolic matrix, an enveloping tissue to deal with difficult experiences threatening situations confront us with. And poetry has the force to reframe and metabolize tough, toxic and even traumatizing experiences people are exposed to when dealing with the personal, social and cultural implications of new threats. Finally, I suggest that the creations of poets and a better understanding of their poetic creativity delivers the symbolic material out of which we as contemporary subjects can create and shape an inner companion, a supporting Alter Ego, a benign double.
Bob Dylan: Our Homer Lecture at the Humanties Research Center (HRC) UT Austin 2006
2006
The thesis of Palaima's presentation on March 1, 2006 is that, first of all, more than any other American popular artist during the last half century, Bob Dylan has the qualities of an oral poet; and second, that Dylan’s songs serve the same functions of social enculturation and witness to key realities of life that were the hallmark of ancient Greek oral poetry like Homer’s Iliad and Hesiod’s Works and Days.
Art, Representation and Make-Believe: The Philosophy of Kendall Walton
Philosophers ask just whose expression, if anyone’s, we hear in lyric poetry. Walton provides a novel possibility: it’s the reader who “uses” the poem (just as a speech giver uses a speech) and thereby makes its language expressive. But worries arise once we consider poems in particular social or political settings, those which require a strong self-other distinction, or those with expressions that should not be disassociated from the subjects whose experience they draw from. One way to meet this challenge is to consider many lyric poems as expressive of a plural subject, which frees us from looking for a particular individual whose voice we hear in the work, whether she be fictional or actual. Some lyrics give voice to a group whose experience is attended to in the work. This may be done through a posited fictional speaker, but we show the ontology of the speaker to be relatively unimportant. Attending to a group whose concerns are voiced allows us to explain how poems can manage to address our-worldly concerns even when they do not represent actual persons whose expressions we encounter in the poems.
Unlocking the Lyrics: Exploring the Themes of Mental Health in Selected Contemporary Song
Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2024
In light of current difficulties and the prevalence of mental health issues, music-a powerful medium for emotional expression and narrative-has historically addressed resilience, mental health, and personal challenges. This research explores the representation of mental health in selected contemporary music, recognizing the current societal emphasis on mental well-being. Despite numerous studies exploring the impact of music, there is a need for further research to analyze songs that specifically address personal struggles. Grounded in Narrative Psychology Theory, the study employs descriptive qualitative research to explore the nuances of mental health expressions in a purposively selected sample of 12 songs from diverse genres released within the last decade. Thematic analysis reveals prevalent themes related to personal struggles, mental health issues, and overcoming adversities, providing insights into how musicians navigate and articulate mental health experiences. Using pseudonyms ensures confidentiality in reporting findings in an interconnected narrative format. The study underscores the vital role of music as a medium for expressing and understanding mental health experiences, offering resonance to listeners, and contributing to the cultural discourse on mental well-being. Exploring diverse themes in contemporary songs enriches our understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of mental health in today's culture.