Discuss theme below how it has affected popular music from the 1950s through the 1990s. You will need to provide multiple examples related to the theme from each decade.
Critical Listening – Focus on stylistic elements of popular music genres and how these musical elements have evolved over time. How have musical genres borrowed different elements from each other? How have song forms, instrumentation, melodies/rhythms, timbre, and the lyrical content of popular music evolved throughout our course? You should cite and compare multiple audio examples from each unit to address this topic.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Evolution of Rebellion and Social Change in Popular Music from the 1950s to the 1990s
Introduction
The theme of rebellion and social change has been a driving force in popular music from the 1950s through the 1990s, shaping the stylistic elements and lyrical content of various genres. This essay explores how this theme has influenced popular music over five decades, focusing on critical listening to analyze the evolution of musical elements and their impact on different genres.
1950s: Rock ‘n’ Roll Revolution
In the 1950s, rock ‘n’ roll emerged as a rebellious genre that challenged societal norms and embraced themes of youth culture and freedom. Songs like Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” incorporated energetic rhythms, blues influences, and electrifying guitar solos that defined the sound of rebellion in this era.
1960s: Protest Songs and Folk Revival
The 1960s saw a rise in protest songs and folk music that reflected the social movements of the time. Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and Joan Baez’s “We Shall Overcome” became anthems for civil rights and anti-war activism, utilizing acoustic instrumentation, poetic lyrics, and powerful vocal delivery to convey messages of change and resistance.
1970s: Punk Rock and Counterculture
Punk rock emerged in the 1970s as a raw and unapologetic expression of rebellion against mainstream society. Bands like The Sex Pistols with “Anarchy in the U.K.” and The Clash with “London Calling” embraced aggressive guitar riffs, fast tempos, and confrontational lyrics that challenged authority and social norms.
1980s: Hip Hop Culture and Political Commentary
The 1980s saw the rise of hip hop culture, with artists like Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy using rap music as a platform for social commentary and political activism. Songs like “The Message” and “Fight the Power” addressed issues of urban decay, racial inequality, and systemic injustice, blending rhythmic beats, sampled instrumentation, and poignant lyrics to convey messages of empowerment and resistance.
1990s: Grunge Movement and Generation X
The 1990s witnessed the grunge movement, characterized by bands like Nirvana with “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Pearl Jam with “Jeremy,” which captured the disillusionment and angst of Generation X. Grunge music fused elements of punk, metal, and alternative rock to create a raw and introspective sound that resonated with themes of alienation, apathy, and social critique.
Conclusion
Throughout the decades from the 1950s to the 1990s, popular music has served as a powerful medium for rebellion, social change, and cultural revolution. By critically listening to the stylistic elements of different genres and analyzing how these musical elements have evolved over time, we can trace the trajectory of popular music as a reflection of shifting societal values, political movements, and generational attitudes. From rock ‘n’ roll to hip hop to grunge, each era has left its mark on popular music, shaping the soundscape of rebellion and social change for generations to come.
