LITFEST
- ejorigin
- Apr 4, 2024
- 7 min read
Written and Designed by: Ashley Teo (23-U1), Elina Ong (23-E3), Hannah Lai (23-E1), Hannah Phua (23-O4), Hannalyn (23-E3), Lee Chin Yi (23-E4), Shervonn Tan (23-E6), Tan Zhi Shan (23-I1), Ting Yan Tong (23-I1)
Introduction
After kicking off the month with the brilliant performances by our J2 Literature students in Litfest, what better way is there to say goodbye to the five texts that have carried all Eunoia Literature students through in the past few years than through a playlist? Well, ¿?sickbeats?¿ presents to you a playlist of songs to say adieu to our Literature texts!
PRIDE & PREJUDICE
Upon one’s first listen, MARINA’s contemporary Teen Idle sounds polarising when compared to our literature text, Pride and Prejudice, which mainly focuses on the historical Regency Era. However, upon reflecting on E4/I2’s complex portrayal of Lydia Bennet, we can compellingly see how she, like most modern teenage girls, is battling the fists of societal pressures. Being taught to sacrifice her youth for wealth, Lydia mindlessly marries the corrupt Wickham. In E4/I2’s rendition, this action garners disdain from her family members, which Lydia counters by flaunting her married status and eventually breaking down. Similarly, the lyrics from Teen Idle aptly describe the terrific sacrifices a girl makes in hopes of ‘fitting in’. The lyrics include “Adolescence didn’t make sense // A little loss of innocence // The ugly years of being a fool // Ain’t youth meant to be beautiful”. This distinctively conveys the vivid pain of succumbing to unrealistic norms, and still not finding relief. In an interesting yet fitting way, Lydia Bennet mirrors the common girl experiencing the never-ending chase for societal belonging.
23-I1’s play Buzz Off! showcases how timelessPride & Prejudice is as a romance novel, able to be set in both historical and modern times. The similarities transcend the lyricism of Timeless as well, with the rhythm and tempo accelerating in the chorus, creating an unstable rhythm with ups and downs that parallel those of the romances in Pride & Prejudice. Furthermore, even though Taylor Swift’s Timeless is such a romantic, happy-ending song, seemingly inapplicable to the main characters of Pride and Prejudice it is representative of the romantic relationship portrayed between Jane and Bingley. “In a crowded room a few short years ago // And sometimes there’s no proof, you just know” accurately describes Jane and Bingley who had no prior interactions but still felt attraction towards each other. Therefore, Timeless is truly a perfect song to depict some of Pride and Prejudice’s most rooted-for relationships.
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado and Timbaland encapsulates the brief affair between Martha and Nick in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? perfectly. The iconic line “Promiscuous girl, you’re teasin’ me” is reminiscent of the infidelity Martha and Nick committed; which Martha initiated by teasing Nick. Martha’s unchaste actions can be attributed to her desperation for her husband, George’s attention. She weaponises sex as a way to undermine the role of her husband and get him to pay attention to her. The final lyrics of “Promiscuous boy, we’re one in the same // So we don’t gotta play games no more.” can be compared to Martha and George. In the end, the couple finally stop playing their ruthless games, and the game ends on a hopeful note— Martha shares a moment of vulnerability with George, and he then comforts Martha by singing softly to her and putting his hand on her shoulder.
With the lyrics “We fight, we break up // We kiss, we make up”, Katy Perry aptly captures the tumultuous relationship dynamic between Martha and George, in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which 23-E6 very aptly portrayed. Despite Martha’s and George’s abuse towards each other, the couple continually reconciles, showcasing their toxic yet magnetic bond. With its fast-paced beat throughout, the song parallels the relationship between George and Martha, oscillating between moments of slight affection and turning completely 180 degrees into violence filled with screaming and targeted attacks towards each other. While Perry's song whimsically delves into the rollercoaster of emotions within a romantic relationship, with its infectious chorus capturing the unpredictability of love, the play delves into the complexities of marriage, exposing the layers of deception and disillusionment that often lurk beneath the surface. However, despite their divergent tones, both works offer profound insights into the intricacies of human connections and the struggles of vulnerability in intimate relationships.
THE CARETAKER
The mention of brothers in relation to The Caretaker can only refer to two of the three main characters featured in Harold Pinter’s play – Aston and Mick. The song Brother by Kodaline speaks of the loyalty between two brothers that prevails in spite of all else, with passionate lyrics such as “If I was dying on my knees // You would be the one to rescue me”, and the lyric which is sung as a consistent assurance throughout the song, “I’ve got you, brother”. Similarly to the song, Mick and Aston share a brotherly bond that, while not overly displayed when they are with each other, is showcased by their solidarity towards each other and the way they defend each other. The relationship between the two brothers is a testament to their loyalty towards each other, and the song’s heartfelt melody and tune capture the deep, intense emotions conveyed subtly throughout the play as well.
Miley Cyrus’s single from 2023 carries a melancholic tune as she reminisces about her past when she was “crazy” and “fun”. It draws similar lines to Aston, whose past we caught a glimpse of during his monologue that explored the times before he was sent into an asylum for electro-shock therapy. In Aston’s monologue, there is a distinct sense of longing and desolation that is portrayed by his distinct recollections and his haunted tone. A lot of The Caretaker revolves around Aston, whose past holds a significant role in shaping his character and his relationships not just with his brother, but also with Davies. The thought-provoking and baring lyrics of Used To Be Young speak to how Aston sunk into the memories of his past and his lead-up to how he came to where he is in the present, presenting a sense of exposure and rawness.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
As a “Non-Lit Kid” watching U1’s and E1’s renditions of Measure For Measure, the upright Angelo’s corruption rang a bell. A bell from Disney’s version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The song Hellfire follows the main villain, Claude Frollo, as he succumbs to his temptations. Similar to Angelo, both men see themselves as purveyors of justice. As they are met with feelings of lust, they are puzzled by them, and attempt to deny these desires, hoping to continue holding themselves up on the moral high ground. Of course, they are not exactly the same. One of the biggest differences between them is that Angelo eventually admits to his wrongdoings, unlike Frollo, who remains adamant in his righteousness to the end and is thus punished in a sea of fire. The sinister tone of the song mirrors Angelo’s internal conflict and him succumbing to his desires. Furthermore, the mesmerising visuals, the classical references in the music and the attention to detail in the animation of “Hellfire” leave viewers with new discoveries and interpretations on every rewatch. With an appeal so similar to that found in literature, is it not eagerly awaiting a listen?
Measure for Measure by Shakespeare is a play centring around secret identities and a great deal of manipulation, intertwined with dark themes such as lust, and the many deceptions that one can put on while hiding their true intentions. The primary antagonist, Angelo, who is hypocritical, and the Duke, who manipulates others to comply to his will by making them be seen as the only possible way, all showcase very shameless and morally corrupt behaviours. The song Shameless by Camila Cabello is a pop rock song with an equally dark edge that is emotionally charged by one’s personal desires, unabashedly and fearlessly, without any hopes for the moral high ground. Immerse yourself in the twisted yearnings from the perspective of Angelo and the Duke with Camila Cabello’s honest and raw rendition of the song.
ARIEL
Ariel by Sylvia Plath drowns the reader in the anxiety of losing control, with the use of enjambment building the tension as the narrator seemingly rushes through her words, her mind racing too quickly to eloquently put into words. Contrastingly, Hozier’s Sedate creates the same with the rapid rhythm in the chorus, creating a sensation of suffocation and anxiety. Both pieces touching on the topics of death, they are similar in their use of dark imagery, with Plath’s “Berries cast dark // Hooks— // Black sweet blood mouthfuls, // Shadows. // Something else” using the idea of blackberry juice as thick blood oozing from her surroundings. Hozier creates a similar image but with vices as the key visual instead, “You and I, nursing on a poison that never stung // Our teeth and lungs are lined with the scum of it // Some whiff of this, death and guts”. Both pieces touch on dark topics, and the narrators struggle with attempting to get themselves out of the dark place in their minds, but the feeling of helplessness and not being able to control their situation overwhelms them.
Labour by Paris Paloma and The Applicant by Sylvia Plath, though separated by different mediums and eras, intersect through their critique of the perennial issue of societal expectations, gender roles and the emotional toll it takes on women. The Applicant satirises the transactional nature of marriage and the objectification and commodification of women, questioning the roles they have been pigeonholed into within societal constructs as a result of expectations. It uses the metaphor of a job interview to highlight the absurdity and dehumanisation inherent in such expectations. Similarly, Labour speaks on the emotional and physical burdens women bear in relationships placed on them by society. The lyrics “therapist, mother, maid // Nymph then a virgin, nurse then a servant” enumerate stereotypical caregiving roles women are often expected to fill without acknowledgement or appreciation, emphasising the devaluation of women’s labour and identity. By employing the narrative of a personal relationship, it underscores the everyday realities of these imbalances that women face and the detrimental effects of it, as seen in The Applicant.
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