It is undeniable that the online discourse surround Taylor Swift’s new album The Life of a Showgirl has not been entirely positive, but one thing that has got English literature students across the world in outrage is her blatant mischaracterisation of Shakespeare’s Ophelia. The opening song in the album, entitled ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ lays an upbeat, pop tune over what is essentially a highly reductive and frankly anti-feminist portrayal of one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters.
The main issue that most people hold with this song is the absolute lack of nuance when it comes to encapsulating Ophelia’s character. However, I would like to begin by stating the obvious. In this song, Swift sings about Ophelia as “the eldest daughter of a nobleman.” This is, to put it simply, incorrect. Ophelia was the younger sister of Laertes, and thus the youngest child of Polonius. It’s blatant misunderstandings like this that leave you questioning; has Taylor even read Hamlet? Or has she conveniently forgotten undeniably large details like this just to fit the aesthetic of her song?
English students across the globe are all collectively cringing at the metaphorical parallel Swift has drawn between Ophelia and a princess “sat alone in [a] tower.” She casts Ophelia into the role of a Disney-style damsel in distress who is saved from her tragic “fate” by the love of a man. But this portrayal misses the true nuance of Ophelia’s character. She is a woman whose life has been so heavily dictated by patriarchal control that death is her only escape and can arguably be viewed as her sole autonomous act. She is driven insane by her mistreatment and constant subjugation at the hands of men, so to imply that she could escape her death through the love of another man is highly reductive and, quite rightly, has many fans angry.
While some may argue that it’s not necessary to analyse the lyrics to this depth, Swift historically has been praised for her poetic lyricism, and it seems that she really missed the mark on this one. Considering that she calls herself “your favourite English teacher”, it would help if she seemed to actually understand the seminal texts she purports to have read. The tune may be catchy, but it is upsetting that Taylor Swift has turned a character with so much potential creative depth into a shell of her true self, and I know every English literature nerd’s heart shatters just a little when they hear this song.
Illustration via Flossie Haskins for The Student
