From The Guardian:
Cambridge University finalists have been asked to demonstrate their three years of intensive study at a world-class institution in an exam question that compared the poetry of Sir Walter Raleigh with the lyrics of the pop singer Amy Winehouse.
The final-year paper in "practical criticism", sat by English students at the university, asked for a comparison between Raleigh's poetry and a choice of songs by Winehouse, Bob Dylan and Billie Holiday. The university defended the move, saying it proved their academics lived "in the modern world".
The text of the paper, taken last Thursday, read: "The OED [Oxford English Dictionary] defines 'lyric' as 'Of or pertaining to the lyre; adapted to the lyre, meant to be sung'. It also quotes Ruskin's maxim 'lyric poetry is the expression by the poet of his own feelings'. Compare poem (a) on the separate sheet [a lyric by Raleigh, written 1592] with one or two of the song-lyrics (b)-(d), with reference to these diverse senses of 'lyric'."
The three songs were Fine and Mellow by Billie Holiday, Boots of Spanish Leather by Bob Dylan, and Love is a Losing Game by Amy Winehouse.
2 comments:
Compare and contrast the following:
Thou Power! who hast ruled me through Infancy's days,
Young offspring of Fancy, 'tis time we should part;
Then rise on the gale this the last of my lays,
The coldest effusion which springs from my heart.
AND
They’re tryin to make me go to rehab.
I said no, no, no.
In the literal sense of 'compare and contrast' I would find that the two types of lyrics, on comparison, are VERY contrasted!
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