Taylor Swift - Evelyn Knerr
The two songs I am analyzing are “The Man” and “Mad Woman” by Taylor Swift.
Here are the lyrics and a video of Taylor Swift “The Man”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqAJLh9wuZ0
Here are the lyrics and a video of Taylor Swift “Mad Woman”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DP4q_1EgQQ
Question:
How does Taylor Swift use irony, tone shifts, and repetition in “Mad Woman” and “The Man” to challenge double standards about gender?
Answer:
In “The Man”, Taylor Swift uses irony to show how the exact same behavior is judged differently based on gender. She explains that when she is confident or successful, people criticize her. However, if she were a man she would be seen as a “fearless leader” or an “alpha type” (The Man). She talks about how there is an unfair double standard when it comes to success. She says that if she were to “flash her dollars” (The Man) she would be a “b*tch, not a baller” (The Man). If a man was doing the same thing, instead of that he would be praised and treated like a “boss”. She uses repetition by repeating the line “If I was a man, then I’d be the man” (The Man). This shows how she is tired of the unfair treatment and emphasizes if she was given the chance then she could be just as good. Taylor Swift says she is “so sick of running as fast as I can” (The Man). This is where she shows a bit of a tone shift to how tired and exhausting it is to always think if she were a man she’d get there faster.
In “Mad Woman”, Taylor Swift uses a more dark and intense tone to talk about the stereotypes of a “Mad Woman”. She uses imagery like “breathing flames” and “cannons firing” (Mad Woman) to show how angry she is by having to stay quiet. She also uses repetition to prove a point and show how gaslighting works. She says, “every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy” and “when you say I seem angry, I get more angry” (Mad Woman). Those lyrics show that the insults actually push her to react in a stronger way. Swift also uses irony in her music with the line “no one likes a mad woman” (Mad Woman) but then follows it with “you made her like that” (Mad Woman). This is basically blaming the person who caused her anger instead of the woman herself. She also points out a double standard in gender roles by saying “women like hunting witches, too” (Mad Woman). This lyric shows how some women attack other women who choose not to stay quiet or submissive to men.
Prompt 1: What words, phrases, use of language, images particularly struck you? Why?
Both songs use a lot of repetition to get their point across. When it comes to “The Man” Taylor Swift repeatedly says “If I was a man, then I’d be the man” (The Man). This lyric sticks out the most to me in the song because it is her talking about if she was given the same chance and the same playing field that she would be able to be just as good as any man. This sticks out to me because this is how it feels in a lot of working environments and sporting environments, so hearing it in a song makes the issue feel more seen. Next, “Mad Woman” uses a lot of repetition as well. In this song, Taylor Swift repeatedly states “No one likes a mad woman/You made her like that” (Mad Woman). This sticks out to me because it is touching on the fact that people get disturbed with women that are “crazy” but it's those people that are pushing those buttons on them.
Prompt 4: Consider your research so far, and write a brief paragraph explaining what cultural, political, historical, or personal circumstances you believe shape the songs, and explain how it helps you understand the songs better.
Taylor Swift’s music is shaped by her personal betrayals and also the historical play towards the women’s rights movement. Personally, these songs are a part of her fight to regain power and ownership of her music. She connects her personal struggles to bigger cultural problems like the unfair treatment between men and women. When a man succeeds, they are praised as an “alpha” or seen as being powerful. However, when a woman succeeds she is questioned about every move she made and not given the same credit. This helps me understand the song better because by using lyrics like “If I were a man, then I’d be the man” (The Man) she explains that if she were given the chance she’d reach the same opportunities as men. When it comes to a more historical context, “Mad Woman” talks about the stereotypes of the “mad woman”. She shows how women were labeled as “crazy” or “angry” which just dismissed their actual feelings and frustrations. Understanding the backgrounds of the songs and why they were written help so you can understand the lyrics more fully.
Works Cited
Swift, Taylor. “Mad Woman.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-mad-woman-lyrics
Swift, Taylor. “Taylor Swift - the Man (Official Video).” YouTube, 27 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqAJLh9wuZ0.
Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Genius, https://genius.com/Aloe-blacc-the-man-lyrics
TaylorSwiftVEVO. “Taylor Swift – Mad Woman (Official Lyric Video).” YouTube, 23 July 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DP4q_1EgQQ.
Hey Evelyn! Great songs chosen, I love Taylor Swift and the Lover and folklore albums are my fav! When you talk about the double standard of gender, these two songs really harp on that issue, with "The Man" being about how women's accomplishments and attitude are judged differently than men, or in "Mad Woman," which is about how women are made out to be crazy after reacting to situations that hurt them, when they were done dirty. I think a lyric you chose that sums both of those ideas up was, "no one likes a mad woman” (Mad Woman), which harps on the fact that women are continuously judged for their emotions, to the point where men can be as mad as they want, and no one really bats an eye. She says that in "The Man", "If I were rude, could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves?" (The Man) I really like this lyric in relation to your argument because it explicitly states how often men's attitudes, whether rude or kind, are just applauded. Differing from women who are harshly judged for every single emotion they show. I think you answered how she used literary devices, especially repetition well, because she was really trying to reinforce and nail down the message.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Swift, Taylor. “Mad Woman.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-mad-woman-lyrics
Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Genius, https://genius.com/Aloe-blacc-the-man-lyrics
Hi Evelyn! I really like your breakdown of “The Man” and “Mad Woman” and how you pointed out the irony, tone shifts, and repetition Taylor Swift uses. In “The Man,” I think the irony goes even deeper when she says, “I’d be just like Leo in Saint-Tropez” (The Man). It shows that men can enjoy the same privileges without being judged, while women are criticized for similar behavior. I also think the repetition of “If I was a man, then I’d be the man” really drives home how frustrating and unfair these double standards are (The Man). The line “so sick of running as fast as I can” shows just how exhausting it is to constantly prove herself, and I love how that tone shift makes the listener feel her fatigue (The Man).
ReplyDeleteIn “Mad Woman,” the dark, intense imagery like “breathing flames” and “cannons firing” really emphasizes her anger and shows that it’s a response to being silenced, not just irrational rage (Mad Woman). The repetition in “every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy” highlights how gaslighting actually fuels her anger and points out the double standard in how women’s emotions are judged (Mad Woman). I also think the line “no one likes a mad woman…you made her like that” is so powerful because it flips the blame onto the people causing the anger instead of the woman herself (Mad Woman). And the lyric “women like hunting witches, too” shows that sometimes women enforce these unfair rules on each other, which adds another layer to Swift’s commentary about society (Mad Woman). Both songs really use these techniques to show how unfair gender expectations are and how exhausting it can be to navigate them.
Works Cited
Swift, Taylor. “Mad Woman.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-mad-woman-lyrics
Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Genius, https://genius.com/Aloe-blacc-the-man-lyrics
Hey Evelynn! This was really well written to the point where I am not sure where I can give advice. I like you made her fatigue become felt by the audience through your response. You pointed out the irony and metaphors with it's examples really well. Maybe an example of some help would be to add some modern references or real events where women felt inferior to men. Moreover, maybe add some examples where women did really well as a woman. Overall, this was really well written and it was fun actually understanding the lyrics t songs I have heard on multiple occasions.
ReplyDeleteHi Evelyn! You did a great job! I think that I could help you add to your post based on my reading the lyrics. I think that you could enhance your examples used in both songs to provide plenty of evidence that helps to answer the question. For example, in the first line of her song, Swift begins by using irony to help grip her audience into the meaning behind her song. Saying, "Does a scorpion sting when fighting back?" (Swift). By her using this irony in the first few verses of her song, she is able to grab the audience's attention to the absurdity of double standards. I think that she also uses this in her song, "The Man," she says, "and its all good if your bad" (Swift). Through this she is referring to how woman get treated differently than men do if they make mistakes. Through another use of irony she conveys the message of absurdity around double standards.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Swift, Taylor. “Mad Woman.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-mad-woman-lyrics
Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Genius, https://genius.com/Aloe-blacc-the-man-lyrics
Taylor Swift uses irony in “The Man” to show societies standards and judgement of behavior based off gender and in this case, woman vs man. An example of this in the beginning is “They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to And that would be okay For me to do,” (The Man). This shows the contradictory views on men and women sleeping around without being in a committed relationship. Taylor repeats the line, “Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man,” throughout the song to question how much more successful she would be and how much quicker she would get there if she was a man and not a woman. She also touches on this in the lines, “They’d say I justled Put in the work They wouldn’t shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve,” when referring to workplaces and who gets respect more easily (The Man). Taylor Swift’s tone in “The Man” changes to show exhaustion and frustration over how her success in life would be different if she was a man. Similarly, in “Mad Woman” Taylor Swift uses irony in the opening lines, “Does a scorpion sting when fighting back?” and answers herself with, “They strike to kill, and you know I will,” (Mad Woman). In this she is saying that criticism, hate, and anger, will only fuel her and motivate her to fight back stronger. Mean words are not going to tear her down, they will make her fight harder. This song is centered on the treatment women receive when they speak out or do not follow the female gender standard by men and other women. This is supported by the repetition she uses in her pre-chorus, “Every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy What about that? And when you say I seem angry, I get more angry,” along with the lyric, “women like hunting witches, too” (Mad Woman). Her pre-chorus in “Mad Woman” also shows the darker more emotional tone throughout the song, conveying the deep emotions she is referring to. Both “The Man” and “Mad Woman” use similar formats with their use of irony, tone shifts, and repetition to challenge double standards about gender but “The Man” takes a more critical look on society while “Mad Woman” feels more personal and tailored to specific individuals.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Swift, Taylor. “Taylor Swift – mad woman (Official Lyric Video).” YouTube, 24 July, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DP4q_1EgQQ&list=RD6DP4q_1EgQQ&start_radio=1
Swift, Taylor. “Taylor Swift - the Man (Official Video).” YouTube, 27 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqAJLh9wuZ0.
Hey Evelyn! This is a great analysis on Taylor Swift. I normally don't listen to her music but this convinced me to start. It's a sad reality where double standards ruin how women live. I notice in The Man it reads "I'm so sick of running as fast as I can" and women complaining about the unfair treatment would cause them to be called emotional. If a man were to do the same, he would be seen as assertive and taking initiative for the problems he faces. Since this behavior is repeated, eventually it may turn into anger and Swift says "No one likes a mad woman, you made her like that" (Mad Woman). This kind of reaction only comes when the response is repeated in different ways and woman are looked down upon for expressing normal human emotions. There should never be a different response for the same action being shown. Women are strong individuals who are capable of everything they put their mind to. The world pushing how women feel to the side is why these songs are great examples of how to bring awareness.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Swift, Taylor. “Mad Woman.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-mad-woman-lyrics
Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Genius, https://genius.com/Aloe-blacc-the-man-lyrics
Hi Evelyn! I am a big Taylor Swift fan and have been for some time now. My personal favorite albums are “The Tortured Poets Department” and “Folklore”. I think that both songs, “Mad Woman” and “The Man”, are incredibly powerful in displaying the realities that women face as well as the double standards held against women. “Mad Woman” describes a woman's experience when they react and how people degrade and shame them for it. Taylor Swift states, “They say, "Move on", but you know, I won't” (Swift). This line embodies the anger of being told an emotion is an overreaction. She also uses irony when saying the line, “What a shame she went mad” (Swift). This line is pure irony because it excludes the reason as to why she went mad, as if saying that the reason is a mystery. “The Man” by Taylor Swift shows the patriarchal double standard set upon women. Swift states, “They’d say I hustled, put in the work” (Swift). The line is not only specific to Taylor swift but to every woman in a career climbing field. Where men are undoubted in their success and career milestones, women are questioned or their work is credited to someone or something else. One line that she says in “The Man” I feel also ties back to “Mad Woman”. The line is “So it's okay that I'm mad” (Swift). Where men’s feelings are understood and sympathized with, women are seen as overreacting or seen as a “Mad Woman”.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Swift, Taylor. “Mad Woman.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-mad-woman-lyrics
Swift, Taylor. “The Man.” Genius, https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-the-man-lyrics