Books to Listen, Songs to Read is a project organized by the 8th period of Letras, from the Faculdade de Filosofia Santa Doroteia, Nova Friburgo. It was planned as an activity of English Language Teaching Practice, with the professor Felipe Ferreira.
The main objective of this study is to show how you can use the literature in the English class making a link with some great music. In this way you’re going to provide an interesting and enjoyable moment of learning.
This blog was created as a resource from the links between books and songs, discussed by the students in the classroom.You'll find here lots of information about nice books that were very important in English and American literature and a list with great music that can be used during the class to introduce a history or to end the discussion of a book.
Beowulf is the conventional title of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature. n the poem, Beowulf, a hero of the Geats in Scandinavia, comes to the help of Hroðgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall (in Heorot) has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland in Sweden and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is fatally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants bury him in a tumulus, a burial mound, in Geatland.
The Link with the song:
This song is related to the main character Beowulf who fights until his death in order to defend his crown. In the second and third stanza, it shows some aspects of the literature work like a feeling of courage, the desire of fighting and the feeling of companionship to win. A visible difference between the song and the text is the end of the fighter; in the first work, he survived and in the last one, he died fighting.
Activity in class:
The students have to relate the work read to the song, indicating the common aspects and the difference.
About the poem: The Wife's Lament or The Wife's Complaint is an Old English poem of 53 lines found in the Exeter Book and generally treated as an elegy in the manner of the German frauenlied, or woman's song. The poem has been relatively well-preserved and requires few if any emendations to enable an initial reading. Thematically, the poem is primarily concerned with the evocation of the grief of the female speaker and with the representation of her state of despair. The tribulations she suffers leading to her state of lamentation, however, are cryptically described and have been subject to a wide array of interpretations. The Link with the Song: This song narrates the story of a legionnaire
stuck in a war in the desert, and the way he wishes to be with her wife – whom
he has been apart from for 1 year. It can be related with the poem “The Wife’s
Lament” as a response to the woman who wait for her husband to come back home. Activity in Class: The students can make their own letters as they are living far away from someone they love. It's important to show them the poetic style of the song and the poem and ask them to follow it.
“The Legionnaire’s Lament Song”, by The Decemberists
From the album Castaways and Cutous (2002)
Written by Colin Meloy
I'm a
Legionnaire
Camel in disrepair
Hoping for a frigidaire
To come passing by
I am on reprieve
Lacking my joie de vivre
Missing my gay Paree
In this desert dry
And I wrote my girl
Told her I would not return
I've terribly taken a turn
For the worst now, I fear
It's been a year or more
Since they shipped me to this foreign shore
Fighting in a foreign war
So far away from my home
If only some rain would fall
On the houses and the boulevards
And the sidewalk bagatelles
It's like a dream
With the roar of cars
And the lolling of the cafe bars
The sweetly sleeping, sweeping of the Seine
Lord I don't know if I'll ever be back again
Medicating in the sun
Pinch doses of laudanum
Longing for the old fecundity
Of my homeland
Curses to this mirage!
A bottle of ancient Shiraz
Asmattering of distant applause
Is ringing in my poor ears
On the old left bank
My baby in a charabanc
Riding up the width and length
Ofthe Champs-Elysee
If only some rain would fall
On the houses and the boulevards
And the sidewalk bagatelles
It's like a dream
With the roar of cars
And the lolling of the cafe bars
The sweetly sleeping, sweeping of the Seine
Lord I don't know if I'll ever be back again
If only some rain would fall
On the houses and the boulevards
And the sidewalk bagatelles
It's like a dream
With the roar of cars
And the lolling of the café bars
The sweetly sleeping, sweeping of the Seine
Lord I don't know if I'll ever be back again
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians
Link with the Song:
The song talks about a conqueror king that
used to rule till the moment of his death. The song connects with the legend of
King Arthur who was a mighty warrior that had a powerful kingdom and a great
army.
Activity in class:
The students will have the task to make a research about important conquerors in history like Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander the Great. After the research is done they will bring to class interesting points about these important figures in our history.
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Writer(s) Guy
Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin
Producer Markus
Dravs, Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins, Rik Simpson
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales (mostly written in verse although some are in prose) are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.
The Link with the Song: Lucky is a song that you can observe a dialogue between a man, who is far away, and a woman that is waiting for him. The distance doesn’t matter for them because they are in love and waiting for the moment that they’ll be together again. The Franklin’s Tale of Canterbury Tale is a history about a woman called Dorigen, who awaits the return of her husband, and a man named Arveragus, who has gone to England to win honor in feats of arms. She worries that the ship bringing her husband home will wreck itself on the coastal rocks, and she promises Aurelius, a young man who falls in love with her, that she will give her body to him if he clears the rocks from the coast. Aurelius hires a student learned in magic to create the illusion that the rocks have disappeared. Arveragus returns home and, in this moment, what is more important, the love or the promise?
Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
from the album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. (2009)
Writers: Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Timothy Fagan
About the Book: Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. The Link with the Song:
The song “Love Story” by Taylor Swift is related to Romeo and Juliet. It is a tragedy written early in the career of William Shakespeare about two young lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families.
In the own lyrics, it is possible to see references to the tragedy and we can use the song in the class to bring the story of Romeo and Juliet to something more contemporary. Activity in class: - present William Shakespeare; - the students read an adapted version of Romeo and Juliet; - present Taylor Swift song, which narrates the tragedy story but it doesn't reveal the end. The students imagine an ending to the story, using their own criativity; - exposition of the endings created by the students.
About the Book: Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. The Link with the Song:
“The song talks about taking a chance and falling in love with someone even thought
everyone tells you not to. The 'bleeding love' is about how this love is
hurting you, but you keep loving the person. The song directly connects with
the story of Romeo and Juliet, in the plot the Montagues and Capulets are sworn
enemies which becomes an obstacle to the two lovers. Activity in class: The students will use the internet to locate a familiar quotation from Romeo and Juliet and they will interpret that quotation by making a friendship card.
Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love
Writer(s) Jesse
McCartney, Ryan Tedder
Producer Ryan Tedder
Recorded 2007
Closed off from love
I didn't need the pain
Once or twice was enough
And it was all in vain
Time starts to pass
Before you know it you're frozen
But something happened
For the very first time with you
My heart melts into the ground
Found something true
And everyone's looking round
Thinking I'm going crazy
But I don't care what they say
I'm in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don't know the truth
My heart's crippled by the vein
That I keep on closing
You cut me open and I
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open
Trying hard not to hear
But they talk so loud
Their piercing sounds fill my ears
Try to fill me with doubt
Yet I know that the goal
Is to keep me from falling
But nothing's greater than the rush that comes with your embrace
In William Shakespeare'sRomeo and Juliet, a long feud between the Montague and Capulet families disrupts the city of Verona and causes tragic results for Romeo and Juliet. Revenge, love, and a secret marriage force the young star-crossed lovers to grow up quickly — and fate causes them to commit suicide in despair. Contrast and conflict are running themes throughout Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet — one of the Bard's most popular romantic tragedies.
The link with the song:
This song is relates to the couple Romeo and Juliet. We can imagine Lionel Richie and Diana Ross as being moderns Romeo and Juliet, declaring their love to each other. It is a very popular and romantic song, which can be related to the William Shakespeare's work, because of the strong feeling that unites the main characters in the book and in the song.
Activity in class:
The teacher can introduce the book to the students, telling them the story, using adapted versions of the work and showing the movie. Then, the teacher would ask the students to compare the love between Romeo and Juliet to the love between the characters of the song, and how one can be related to the other. If some of the students are conversant to computer's movies edition softwares, they can produce a videoclip of the song using images of Romeo and Juliet's movies produced along the years.
Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
Written by: Lionel Richie
Year: 1981
My love, here's only you in my life The only thing that's right
My first love, You're every breath that I take You're every step I make
And I I want to share All my love with you No one else will do...
And your eyes They tell me how much you care Ooh yes, you will always be My endless love
Two hearts, Two hearts that beat as one Our lives have just begun
Forever I'll hold you close in my arms I can't resist your charms
And love Oh, love I'll be a fool For you, I'm sure You know I don't mind Oh, you know I don't mind
'Cause you, You mean the world to me, Oh I know I know I've found in you My endless love
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by Mary Shelley about a creature produced by an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one.Frankenstein is infused with some elements of the Gothic novel and the Romantic movement and is also considered to be one of the earliest examples of science fiction.
The Link with the Song:
It looks that as in Michael Jackson’s song "Thriller", Frankenstein’s tells us about terror. That is, both the song and the book are making allusions to “monster, dark, light, freeze” and so on. But, also, they bring some real aspects about people living which they do not get to face day by day, like: darkness, ugly, afraid, tomb, killer… These kinds of feelings should be overcome by themselves, so that, each person be happier.
Class Activity:
QUIZ
1) What kind of relation has between the lyrics of the song thriller from Michael Jackson and the literature about Frankenstein?
○ It was scared
○ It was Love
○ It was suspense
○ It was curiosity
○ Any words above
2) Both the book and the song are considered literature?
○ Only the song
○ Only the book
○ All
○ Nothing
3) If you had to do an activity about Halloween, the Michael’s thriller and the Frankenstein’s book fit in it?
○ Yes
○ No
○ Maybe
4) Light is used as a metaphor on the Frankenstein’s book and Jackson’s song lyrics. What it represent?
○ Death
○ Life
○ Hope
5) The word “freeze” is also a metaphor or physic state on the Michael’s song and the Frankenstein’s book?
○ Metaphor
○ Physic State
○ Nothing
6) The word “night” appears in the Michael’s song lyrics as in Frankenstein’s book. What it represent in them?
○ Danger
○ Afraid
○ Murder
○ Terror
"Thriller" - by Michael Jackson
from the album "Thriller" (1984)
Written by Rob Temperton
It's close to midnight
Something evil's lurkin' in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
And no one's gonna save you
From the beast about to strike
You know it's thriller
Thriller night
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight, yeah
You hear the door slam
And realize there's nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand
And wonder if you'll ever see the sun
You close your eyes
And hope that this is just imagination
Girl, but all the while
You hear a creature creepin' up behind
You're outta time
'Cause this is thriller
Thriller night
There ain't no second chance
Against the thing with the forty eyes, girl
(Thriller)
(Thriller night)
You're fighting for your life
Inside a killer
Thriller tonight
Night creatures call
And the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There's no escaping the jaws of the alien this time
(They're open wide)
This is the end of your life
They're out to get you
There's demons closing in on every side
They will possess you
Unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time
For you and I to cuddle close together, yeah
All through the night
I'll save you from the terror on the screen
I'll make you see
That this is thriller
Thriller night
'Cause I can thrill you more
Than any ghost would ever dare try
(Thriller)
(Thriller night)
So let me hold you tight
And share a
(killer, diller, chiller)
(Thriller here tonight)
About the book: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in England in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, it is told in the first person by Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, a friend of Tom Sawyer and narrator of two other Twain novels (Tom Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer, Detective). It is a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The Link with the Song: The song At your side has relationship with
Huck Finn and Jim friendship’s, characters of the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, because it talks
about feelings as confidence, affection, involvement which are present in their
friendship.
This music can be worked with
students after they read the book.
At your Side - by The Corrs
from the album In Blue (2000)
Writers: Andrea Corr / Caroline Corr / Jim Corr / Sharon Corr
