Catullus and Lady Gaga, surprisingly, have much in common. For starters, both are bisexuals (see Catullus 99 for proof). Also, Catullus is never afraid to say what he feels, as is Lady Gaga, even if it may offend others. Both also have very intense feelings, as are expressed in their art. Both are also artists in the care they take in constructing their poetry/songs. Both are also seen as unconventional, Catullus being especially down-to-earth and real, especially in comparison to much more "proper" poets like Horace. Lady Gaga is unconventional in that she is a very unique performer and she dresses with a one-of-a-kind fashion. Catullus is one of the few that would include a dare in his poetry like "You think that I would not dare to force you 200 sitters/Together to perform oral sex on me?/Consider this: I'll scrawl dirty pictures all over/The front of your tavern." (Catullus 37) Lady Gaga, on the other hand, has a hit song about loving Judas Iscariot, one of the men responsible for Jesus' death. This could obviously upset some people.
Catullus didn't have the overwhelming media machine behind him like Lady Gaga currently does. Media does so much for Lady Gaga to get her message out and Catullus didn't have this power. At the time, Catullus was also not writing for his career; he was not writing to impress anyone. His poetry was only written for his immediate group of friends, and therefore, among only those who saw the poetry, he was non-controversial.
Catullus didn't have the overwhelming media machine behind him like Lady Gaga currently does. Media does so much for Lady Gaga to get her message out and Catullus didn't have this power. At the time, Catullus was also not writing for his career; he was not writing to impress anyone. His poetry was only written for his immediate group of friends, and therefore, among only those who saw the poetry, he was non-controversial.
Hmm. Doesn't this imply that anyone "unconventional" is like anyone else "unconventional"? If you are going to make this argument, give some evidence from their texts to back it up.
ReplyDeleteIt might be interesting to look at what the critics have to say about Catullus' poems and Lady Gaga's lyrics. Are the criticism about the quality of the writing or do criticisms tend to attack the writer?
ReplyDeleteI'm also curious about the literary devices both use. You mention that "Both are artists in the care they take in constructing their [writing]." Can you tell me more? Does Catullus observe any traditional poetry conventions when it comes to structure? Meter? Allusions? Is it merely his tendency to write about sensitive topics that separates him from "proper" poets?
I notice you mentioned the Judas Iscariot allusion in one of Lady Gaga's songs. What about Catullus? How does he make use of legends, politics, or familiar stories in his poetry?
It also makes me question: what is art and what is the role of an artist? Is art meant to uplift? Inspire? Challenge? Provoke? Is "good" art only what makes most people comfortable while "bad" art exploits or celebrates our baser nature? Do artists create for themselves, for an audience, or both--and does it matter if an artist is compelled to be shocking in order to gain notoriety or wealth? Do artists have a responsibility to conform? Just because a person rebels, does that make them an artist? Who sets the standards for what is and what is not art?
You have a wonderful opportunity to explore ideas like this as you work on your book. I'm delighted to follow your progress. @jleung10