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In his seventh novel The Ground Beneath Her Feet (hereafter GF), Rushdie tells the love story of the 20th century pop icons Vina Aspara and Ormus Cama. However, GF is not exclusively about love since the novel also combines a lot of historical and mythological aspects with the mainstream pop culture of the 20th century. In fact, the field of pop music seems to be central next to the novel’s love theme because throughout the whole book, extracts of original and remodelled song lyrics are incorporated into the texture of GF, and these song lyrics are – amongst many other things - used to reflect the love between the novel’s protagonists.
Furthermore, the subject of music is also realised by the adoption of another strategy. Although the novel is said to be fictional, GF “tries to blur the edges between the fictional world and the real world” [Rushdie, interview with Vijaya Nagarajan 1999]. Therefore, Rushdie applied the technique of the alienation effect, which aims to make the familiar seem strange. This technique was predominantly realised by embedding mythological aspects in the story of GF and changing historical events which actually happened. Consequently, Rushdie created a “parallel version of the world”, which is slightly different from reality. The most influential aspect which makes the familiar life of the novel’s pop stars seem strange is its comparison with the Orpheus myth. Moreover, the Orpheus myth dignifies music as it basically declares that ‘one can kill the singer, but not the song.’
Since the subject of music seems to be of crucial importance in GF, and Salman Rushdie regards pop music as the “first cultural phenomenon of extraordinary force” [Rushdie, interview with Vijaya Nagarajan 1999], this paper aims to explore which different functions music fulfils in Rushdie’s novel. Therefore, this paper will first give a brief and general overview about the theoretical background of intermediality and the interrelation between literature and music. Afterwards, it will try to uncover in which ways music is related to GF by pointing out the different purposes music fulfils in terms of the novel’s mythological aspect, the topic of globalisation and the love theme. Finally, this paper will work out in how far GF draws parallels to the life and music of famous pop icons like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan, but the paper’s main interest is clearly dedicated to Ormus Cama’s resemblances to Bob Dylan.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Theoretical background information
- Intermediality
- Interrelation between literature and music
- The functions of music in The Ground Beneath Her Feet
- Relationship between myth and music
- Interrelation between the topic of globalisation and music
- Interrelation between love and music
- Resemblances between Ormus Cama and Bob Dylan
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to explore the diverse functions music fulfills in Salman Rushdie’s novel, The Ground Beneath Her Feet (GF). It examines the interplay of music with various aspects of the novel, including its mythological underpinnings, the theme of globalization, and the central love story. The paper also delves into the parallels drawn between the novel's protagonists and real-life pop icons, particularly Ormus Cama’s resemblance to Bob Dylan.
- Intermediality and the role of music in literature
- The significance of the Orpheus myth in shaping the narrative and character development in GF
- The connection between pop music and globalization, focusing on its impact on cultural exchange and its portrayal in GF
- The interplay between love and music as themes intertwined in the novel’s narrative
- The parallels drawn between Ormus Cama and Bob Dylan and their impact on the novel's themes
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides an overview of Salman Rushdie’s stature as a prominent author and introduces the central love story of Vina Aspara and Ormus Cama in GF. It highlights the importance of music in the novel, as well as the use of song lyrics and the blurring of boundaries between fiction and reality through the technique of the alienation effect.
The chapter on theoretical background information discusses intermediality, a trend of media convergence, and its significance in literary studies. It focuses on the interrelation between literature and music, highlighting the modes of ‘telling’ and ‘showing’ through which music is presented in literature.
The chapter exploring the functions of music in GF begins by examining the crucial role of myths, particularly the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. It analyzes the connections between the protagonists' names, the novel's title, and the Orpheus myth, underscoring the significance of music's indestructibility as a recurring theme.
The chapter discussing the relationship between globalization and music in GF sheds light on the global impact of pop music and its significance as a cultural phenomenon. It examines Rushdie’s personal experiences with pop music during his childhood and its cross-cultural appeal.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and concepts explored in this paper include intermediality, music in literature, the Orpheus myth, pop music, globalization, love, and the influence of iconic figures like Bob Dylan on the novel’s narrative and characters.
- Quote paper
- Master of Education Thomas Schachtebeck (Author), 2007, Intermediality in "The Ground Beneath Her Feet", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/165058
