Song/Poem Analysis

Introduction

Songs and poems are important pieces of art that are used to convey different messages within the society. Such genres of literature can convey a message of love, art, hate, jealousy, war, or politics. For instance, the poem “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning is representative of a piece of art that has presented different views on romantic relationships in society (Monteiro 234). The poem is illustrative of the abusive nature of relationships and how they are enjoyable when one is in love. Equally, the song “Obsession” by Animotion takes a similar stance in criticizing love affairs through the hit (YouTube). Animotion is a synthpop band that released many hit songs, having originated from Los Angeles, USA. Speakers in both pieces of art speak in one voice to depict various issues that encompass relationships within the society. The study aims at comparing and examining themes from both pieces of literature to establish similarities in relationships.

Comparison of the Speakers in the Poem and the Song

A comparison between the two pieces of literature is indicative of the similarity that the speakers have on relationships. An evident theme in both pieces of work is jealousy. In the poem, the speaker is overwhelmed by the emotions of jealousy in an affair with the late spouse. The speaker expresses the fact that he could not stand the kind of attention that his beautiful wife could draw because of her attractiveness (Monteiro 235). The late wife could respond to the attention with smiles, something that hurts the speaker in the poem. To him, the wife succumbed due to his jealousy. The poem is illustrative of a relationship where one is madly in love to the extent that they feel hurt whenever someone appreciates their attractiveness. In a similar voice, Animotion depicts love that is unconditional and hence the title “obsession.” The song is illustrative of a relationship where one goes to the extent of stalking the loved one for fear that they do not love them back (YouTube). The two are representative of what happens in real society concerning romantic relationships. Jealousy is common for people who are in love, as depicted in the poem and the song.

The poem “My Last Duchess” and the song “Obsession” have a similarity in common, for the speakers in the two pieces of literature have echoed love. In the song, the speaker concentrates on explaining the emotional feeling that one can have (Osterwalder 183). The term obsession is used to explain the level of emotional experience that the speaker was going through. However, the intended person for the love does not reciprocate the same according to the speaker. Equally, the song mentions of affection and obsession to do whatever it takes to have the intended person (YouTube). The theme of love is evident throughout the two pieces of love, as the speakers have declared their love openly. In the poem, the speaker reflects on the love that he had for the late wife. Unfortunately, he blames jealousy for the loss of the wife, something that is not true. A close comparison between the two indicates that both speakers are affectionate to their loved ones, which is a depiction of the theme of love in the pieces of literature (Monteiro 236). Love is a common factor in many relationships within the society, making the two pieces an important part of culture within society.

The two speakers depict a sign of betrayal in both the poem and the song ‘Obsession.’ For instance, the speaker in the song feels like there is no reciprocation of the true love that one is accorded (Kulczak and Lennertz Jetton 210). The fact that the speaker in the song sees danger in following someone who does not reciprocate feelings is indicative of the theme of betrayal. Relationships in the society should be based on love by both parties, a fact that is a problem in the two pieces of literature. The speakers are also concerned with the fact that in many relationships, one person drains the other, especially when one is one-sided. In the poem, the fact that jealousy could prompt the speaker to kill his wife is illustrative of betrayal of love. The song presents the betrayal issue by expressing how one can fail to reciprocate emotional feelings in an equal measure (Kulczak and Lennertz Jetton 210). To love and not be loved back indicates some degree of betrayal for the emotional feeling. The poem shows betrayal by indicating that love can make one to kill at some point. Such happenings are common and true about relationships within the society.

Art and culture is a similarity between the two speakers of the poem and the song. The speaker of the poem introduces the piece of art by mentioning a picture on the wall. The painting is a fiction to help many understand the role of art in the current relationships within the society. The use of such a skill in literature illustrates that relationships apply culture and art as a way of achieving sustainability (Osterwalder 183). For instance, one can have a painting of a loved one in the house that they can always look at whenever they miss their spouses. The Animotion band used different instruments to compose a song that became a hit back then. The fact that artists can apply different literary devices to deploy important information is depicted in the two pieces of art. The speaker of the poem loves art and shows great interest in using it as a way of storing important cultural information (Osterwalder 183). The song itself is a piece of art that shows how relationships within the society were shaped back then. Both speakers speak in one voice, which depicts the theme of art and culture within the relationships in society.

Conclusion

To sum it up, songs and poems can be used within the society to spread various messages, including love, hate, hunger, climate change, jealousy, and death. The study concentrates on two pieces of literature, a song, and a poem, highlighting similarities that are notable in the speakers’ voice. The song “Obsession” by Animotion and the poem “My Last Duchess” depict similarity in significant themes in the two pieces of literature. Common themes that are notable in romantic relations of the current world include love, jealousy, and betrayal, as depicted in the song and poem. Equally, art and culture have been presented as important aspects that provide support in various relationships. In essence, literature plays an integral part in enhancing relationships within the society for sustainability.

Works Cited

Kulczak, Deborah E., and Lora Lennertz Jetton. ““Lexicon of Love”: Genre Description of Popular Music Is Not as Simple as ABC.” Music Reference Services Quarterly 14.4 (2011): 210-238.

Monteiro, George. “Browning’s” My Last Duchess”.” Victorian Poetry 1.3 (1963): 234-237.

Osterwalder, Hans. “Poet and Persona in” My Last Duchess.” The Yearbook of Research in English and American Literature: REAL. 8 (1992): 183.

YouTube. Https://Www.Youtube.Com/Watch?V=Kzp8ebn-Ioo. 2020. Accessed 26 Mar 2020.