Taylor Swift at a graduation ceremony at New York University in the middle of Yankee Stadium in May of this year. Photo: AP
The University of Texas is studying the lyrics of the songs of Taylor Swift along with works of Shakespeare, among other names.
The University, as published CNNoffers a course called Taylor Swift’s songbook as part of its “liberal arts” program.
This is not new, since in the New York UniversitySwift ended up with the singer as a speaker during a kickoff ceremony.
A course on songs
The English teacher Elisabetta scale she said she chose Swift because the pop star “writes her own music and her lyrics can do it help illuminate similar techniques of the classical poetry“.
“This is a course on his songs like literary writing and the ways a famous award-winning writer uses the same literary devices and figures of traditional poetry in her work, “he said.” It’s not about celebrity or fame.
Students will study Swift’s songs alongside the writings of Western literary greats.
“They will be asked to analyze and contextualize common practices and problems over the centuries,” Scala said.
Scala describes herself as a “Swift fan” and tells CNN that his goal is to teach literary traditions through a contemporary lens.
“I want to take what Swift fans can already do to a sophisticated level, explain it to them a little with different vocabulary, and then show them how, in fact, Swift draws on richer literary traditions in his songwriting, both that-wise and subject-wise Also formally in terms of how it uses intelligent references, metaphors and manipulations of words, ”Scala said.
“I will show students that these interpretive operations and movements that are done when reading their songs are appropriate for all forms of writing.”
The teacher and fans have also created an Instagram for the classroom where she posts a curiosity about Swift, with questions for fans.
The lesson will focus mainly on the songs of the recent Swift albums, but students can come up with older songs for discussion. With most of the texts available in Apple Music or Spotifystudents don’t even have to buy their music for lessons.
From Rihanna to Taylor Swift
The course, as it progresses CNNwill also cover topics such as genre, authenticity, fan influence on artists and writers and how language history and linguistic traditions enrich the reading experience, Scala said.
“I think it is important connect the curriculum with the present, but I’m not willing to give up on the past. This is my way of reintroducing previous material with relevance. “
In 2015, this university did something similar titled “Beyoncé feminism, Rihanna feminism”to explore black feminism. Other colleges have also made headlines for pop star-focused courses, including a Sociology of Science course. University of South Carolina dedicated to the work of Lady Gaga.
What’s Coming to the University of Texas: A Lesson on the British Pop Singer Harry Styles.
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Source: Clarin
