This short essay analyses the British artist David Bowie as a modern trickster. Throughout his career, Bowie has changed personas and played with sexual orientation. In general, he has deconstructed many stereotypes.
William Hynes argues, “the sheer richness of trickster phenomena can easily lead to conclude that the trickster is indefinable. In fact, to define is to draw borders around phenomena, and tricksters seem amazingly resistant to such capture; they are notorious border breakers” (Hynes 33). This description perfectly matches the gender-bender David Bowie who reinvented himself over and over, and who constantly changed his personas as soon as the critics thought they had gotten a hold of him and thus defining him as a trickster who plays with expectations is a worthwhile thought to follow.
Table of Contents
1. Tranquility can become disaster
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines David Bowie as a modern "trickster" figure, analyzing how his constant reinvention, stage personas, and challenge to societal norms embody the characteristics of liminality and transformation. It explores the interplay between his artistic performances, sexual ambiguity, and the personal struggles that influenced his creative output.
- Analysis of the "trickster" archetype in the context of popular culture.
- Examination of David Bowie's various stage personas and their psychological functions.
- Discussion of gender fluidity and the challenge to societal taboos in the 1970s.
- The role of musical innovation and the concept of the artist as an entertainer.
- Impact of personal struggles and drug addiction on artistic identity and self-perception.
Excerpt from the Book
Tranquility can become disaster
William Hynes argues, “the sheer richness of trickster phenomena can easily lead to conclude that the trickster is indefinable. In fact, to define is to draw borders around phenomena, and tricksters seem amazingly resistant to such capture; they are notorious border breakers” (Hynes 33). This description perfectly matches the gender-bender David Bowie who reinvented himself over and over, and who constantly changed his personas as soon as the critics thought they had gotten a hold of him.
First of all, David Bowie’s ambivalence is indisputable. He is an actor of life who played numerous roles, a virtuoso of transformation and pure artistic performance. He always dared to be consciously different, which “he discovered, was a form of stardom [and] his final school report, which described him as a “complete exhibitionist”, indicated that he was successful in his endeavors” (Paytress 5). In his more than 40-year career, he has constantly reinvented himself and has come up with stage personas such as Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke and Aladdin Sane. All these personas had first and foremost the purpose to create a second personality, which was supposed to help the artist overcome his stage fright.
Summary of Chapters
Tranquility can become disaster: This chapter introduces David Bowie through the theoretical lens of the trickster archetype, highlighting his lifelong practice of persona reinvention and his defiance of conventional social boundaries.
Keywords
David Bowie, Trickster, Ziggy Stardust, Transformation, Ambivalence, Liminality, Gender Roles, Glam Rock, Persona, Artistic Performance, Identity, Cultural Icon, Shape-shifter, Subversion, Popular Culture
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores David Bowie's career and artistic identity by applying the theoretical framework of the "trickster" figure, focusing on how he subverted social norms through performance.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The central themes include personal reinvention, the construction of stage personas, gender ambiguity, the intersection of art and personal life, and the sociological concept of liminality.
What is the core objective of the research?
The objective is to argue that David Bowie functions as a "zeitgeist-trickster," using his music and public image to blur societal divisions and challenge fixed categories.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The author uses a cultural and biographical analysis, drawing upon existing academic literature (such as Hynes' trickster theory) and music journalism to examine Bowie’s career path.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the psychological purpose of Bowie's personas, the provocation of audiences through sexual transgression, and the influence of his personal life, including substance abuse, on his music.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include David Bowie, trickster, persona, liminality, transformation, ambiguity, identity, and subversion.
How does the author interpret Bowie's stage fright?
The author suggests that the creation of various stage personas served as a coping mechanism for Bowie to overcome his significant anxiety regarding live performance.
Why does the text mention Major Tom?
Major Tom is discussed as an example of Bowie's playful, self-contradicting nature, where he later reinterpreted his own successful character as a drug-addicted figure in his lyrics.
What is the significance of the "trickster" archetype in Bowie's work?
The trickster archetype is used to describe Bowie’s resistance to being "defined" or "pigeonholed," emphasizing his role as an innovator who frequently crossed cultural and social boundaries.
- Quote paper
- Daniela Faerber (Author), 2010, Tranquility can become Disaster. David Bowie as a Modern Trickster, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/308365
