Patriarchal Resistance in Taylor Swift’s All Too Well (10 Minute Version): Semantic Analysis with Feminism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26877/allure.v6i2.672Keywords:
feminism, patriarchy, semantics, song lyrics, Taylor SwiftAbstract
This study aims to analyze the representation of patriarchy and forms of feminist resistance in the lyrics of Taylor Swift's song All Too Well (10 Minute Version) through a semantic approach and feminist theory. This song was chosen because it contains a complex personal narrative about a romantic relationship fraught with power imbalances, emotional manipulation, and patriarchal domination. This study uses a qualitative method with close reading techniques of song lyrics as the main data. Data analysis was conducted using a semantic approach and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model to reveal the meaning of words that represent women's experiences in unequal relationships. The results show that the lyrics represent patriarchal practices through ambiguous language, fake anti-patriarchal symbols, objectification of women, and forms of gaslighting and emotional manipulation. On the other hand, the song also portrays feminist resistance through the affirmation of memory, claims to personal experience, rejection of patriarchally constructed images of women, and attempts to reclaim identity. Thus, All Too Well (10 Minute Version) functions not only as a heartbreak song, but also as a feminist narrative that challenges patriarchal values in romantic relationships. This study is expected to contribute to feminist linguistic studies and enrich the understanding of the representation of women in popular music.
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