One can take into consideration the famous song, “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga that can be related to the essence of the course of study. This song sung by the famous singer leaves a lasting impression with the lyrics and the video that can very well be understood as a powerful expression of female sexuality and desires. If one analyzes the content of this song with relation to the societal ideology of patriarchy, it can be found to be a subversion of the imposed passivity on the women folks. The song is an energetic expression of the desires and aspirations of the female protagonist. Lady Gaga’s song is a subversion of the patriarchal parameters of correct femininity much like the literary portrayal of Edna in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.
It can be comprehended that this song has a thematic consistency with the famous novel, The Awakening, penned by the stalwart author, Kate Chopin. The novel by Chopin portrays the subversion of the female protagonist, Edna, against the societal norms that are guided by the patriarchal parameters and ideology. While in the story Edna showed the courage to leave her children and husband to fulfill her sexual desires being emancipated from the constrictions of the society, the song by Lady Gaga focuses on the sexuality and desire of the protagonist. The song talks about romancing with the partner oblivious of all the restrictions of the society or public eye. Indeed, the lyrics of the song come across to be vehement expression of feminist perspective that sees the man as equal. The song tells, “I want your ugly / I want your disease / I want your everything / As long as it's free.” (Lady Gaga 1)
The singer is direct in her expression of emancipation oblivious of any societal judgments that can tag her as a female showing sexual impropriety. Just as Edna did not care about the societal view of things and moved out of the house to stay on her own, here Lady Gaga expresses that she is free and just wants to love the other person. She is longing to satiate her desires to have sexual pleasure and be emancipated from the pressures of patriarchy. It needs to be noted that the tone of the song in context is quite subversive and it can be seen to be a free expression of emotions and aspirations sans any fear of being judged or castigated. Lady Gaga, thus, comes across to be the epitomic figure of female emancipation just as Edna is portrayed in the novel by Kate Chopin. Kate Chopin has shown that Edna finally becomes free by swimming in the sea, while in this song, the energetic dance can be understood to be the mode of freedom from all the impositions on the females. The other dancers in the video establish the fact that the idea that is communicated in this song represents the collective emotions of the females as they join the protagonist in the vehement expression of love and desire.
It would be correct to conclude by saying that Lady Gaga’s song is the modern day expression of the awakening of the repressed desires of the female. While Chopin shows how Edna is the epitomic figure of female emancipation back in those times in the face of the societal pressure and familial commitments, Lady Gaga is the modern day lady who has the courage and the grit to speak up her mind and express the deepest emotions and needs. The song thus echoes the famous novel’s thematic content and leaves the audience wondering about the feisty nature of women that only gets suppressed and subjugated otherwise by the immense effect of the social institutions, parameters of morality and propriety.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Dover Thrift. ISBN: 9780486277868
Lady Gaga. “Lady Gaga - Bad Romance.” Online video clip. Youtube, 23 Nov. 2009.
Web. 16 April 2016.
