Andrea Lohf

Publication Date

2017

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Newman, Amy

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of English

LCSH

American literature; Music; Communication

Abstract

What is missing in feminist studies, literary studies, and studies of popular music is a comparison of lyrics with the verses of a feminist poet like Marge Piercy. Piercy is a feminist voice from the beginning of the Second Wave of the Movement, and in her continued dedication to its cause, she remains in touch with the same values that are alive and well in the lyrics of Meghan Trainor, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift. Reading these musicians' lyrics alongside Piercy's verse, I provide greater context to enjoy and understand the gravity of both Piercy's ideas and the ideas of these women that critics have discounted, misconstrued, or ignored largely due to their "lowbrow" genre of pop music. I also continue feminist critical theory's tradition of resurrecting marginalized voices and asking what it means to be a feminist throughout the decades. Ultimately, I found that both generations exhibit feminist activism in ways that challenge patriarchal hegemony and promote intersectionality, confirming my assertion that the perceived division purported by the media is, indeed, unfounded.

Comments

Advisors: Amy Newman.||Committee members: Diana Swanson; Mark Van Wienen.||Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

v, 98 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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