Date of Award

8-2024

Access Control

Open Access

Degree Name

English, M.A.

Department

English Department

Advisor

Dr. Barish Ali

Department Home page

https://english.buffalostate.edu

First Reader

Dr. Barish Ali

Second Reader

Dr. Jennifer Ryan-Bryant

Third Reader

Dr. David Ben-Merre

Abstract

Abstract of Thesis

The Confessional Side of Lennon: Comparing the Lyrics of John Lennon to the School of Confessional Poetry

It has been noted by avid listeners, critics, and scholars of Beatles material that John Lennon’s lyrical voice differed from his bandmates. Words such as “somber,” “autobiographical,” “introspective,” “angry,” “dark,” and so on, have all been used to describe his lyrical voice. However, their evaluation ends there without further investigation into his song lyrics’ uniqueness. My study aims to extend the research done on Lennon in order to define the unique voice he used throughout his songwriting career by arguing that his lyrical tendencies parallel the work of confessional writers from the school of confessional poetry. My study focuses on his family struggles, which he frequently references in his songs. Lennon had a challenging history with familial relationships, as he faced much turmoil throughout his personal life, leaving him anguished and searching for solutions. My thesis points to three different avenues Lennon uses to write about his struggles with family in his songwriting: 1) his troubled upbringing and childhood, when he got used to being abandoned; 2) his complicated relationship with his mother, Julia Lennon, with her death leaving him in a constant state of grief, with a significant void in his heart and convoluted feelings towards what their relationship was; and 3) his uninterested and unhappy first marriage to Cynthia Powell, where he always seemed to be looking for something else. By including familial details in his songs that often revolve around personal anguish, Lennon enters the realm of confessional poetry.

Download

Share

COinS