This document discusses comparing works by Shakespeare and Lady Gaga. It presents excerpts comparing their approaches to plagiarism, linguistic creation, and themes of revenge. It then prompts discussion of how Shakespeare and Gaga differ or are similar in these areas. Cultural transmission of ideas across generations and both artists' crafting of language are highlighted as potential connections between their works. Potential benefits and challenges of comparing their works in education are debated.

1. Shakespeare v. Lady Gaga
Sarah Olive
University of York
sarah.olive@york.ac.uk

2.  You will be presented with three sets of text
or images, some relating to Shakespeare,
some to Lady Gaga
 Each group will be allocated a particular set
to work on
 In your groups, discuss possible connections
between the texts

3. ‘It was of the essence of Shakespeare’s art that he inherited – or stole –
materials and transformed them. Nearly all Shakespeare’s plays are
rewritings of one kind or another. His works were in all sorts of respects
prewritten by others, just as they have been subsequently rewritten by
others...Harold Bloom proposes that...original writing occurs in the act of re-
creation, the wresting of the great literature of the past to the purposes of
the later artist’ (Bate 104).
The reference [to ‘Express Yourself’ in ‘Born this way’] seemed so obvious
that it had to be intentional because, as you say, you’re not stupid…
“No. Listen to me...I’m a songwriter. I’ve written loads of music...If you put the
songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are the chord
progression. It’s the same one that’s been in disco music for the last 50 years.
Just because I’m the first fucking artist in 25 years to think of putting it on Top
40 radio, it doesn’t mean I’m a plagiarist, it means that I’m fucking smart.”
(NME)

4. ‘If you have knitted your brows.., slept not one
From ‘Sheiβe’, Born This Way
wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance
(on your lord and master), laughed yourself
into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or ‘I don’t speak German ,
too much of a good thing...you are ...quoting But I can if you like (Ow).
Shakespeare’. (Bernard Levin) Ich Shleiban austa be-clair
Es kumpent madre monster
FIRST LORD: ...Portotartarossa. Aus-be, aus-can-be flaugen
FIRST SOLDIER: (to Paroles). He calls for the
Begun beske but-bair’
tortures. What will you say...?
PAROLES: I will confess what I know without
http://www.ladygaga.com/lyrics/
constraint. If ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say default.aspx?tid=23592561
no more.
FIRST SOLDIER: Bosko chimurcho?
FIRST LORD: Boblibindo chicurmurcho.
FIRST SOLDIER : You are a merciful general.
(All’s Well 4.3 119-126)

5. GHOST: I am thy father’s spirit;
Doom’d for a certain term to walk the night,
And for the day confin’d to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purg’d away. ...List, list, O list!
If thou didst ever thy dear father love
HAMLET: O God!
GHOST: Revenge his foul and most unnatural
murder. (Hamlet I.V. 15-31)
Top : ‘Bad Romance’. Middle and
bottom right: ‘Telephone’. Bottom
left: ‘Paparazzi’.

6.  Consider the sets of texts/images again.
 This time discuss whether Shakespeare’s and
Gaga’s examples of plagiarism/retelling,
linguistic creation, and revenge differ.
 If so, how?

7. ‘It was of the essence of Shakespeare’s art that he inherited – or stole –
materials and transformed them. Nearly all Shakespeare’s plays are
rewritings of one kind or another. His works were in all sorts of respects
prewritten by others, just as they have been subsequently rewritten by
others...Harold Bloom proposes that...original writing occurs in the act of re-
creation, the wresting of the great literature of the past to the purposes of
the later artist’ (Bate 104).
The reference [to ‘Express Yourself’ in ‘Born this way’] seemed so obvious
that it had to be intentional because, as you say, you’re not stupid…
“No. Listen to me...I’m a songwriter. I’ve written loads of music...If you put the
songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are the chord
progression. It’s the same one that’s been in disco music for the last 50 years.
Just because I’m the first fucking artist in 25 years to think of putting it on Top
40 radio, it doesn’t mean I’m a plagiarist, it means that I’m fucking smart.”
(NME)

8. ‘If you have knitted your brows.., slept not one
From ‘Sheiβe’, Born This Way
wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance
(on your lord and master), laughed yourself
into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or ‘I don’t speak German ,
too much of a good thing...you are ...quoting But I can if you like (Ow).
Shakespeare’. (Bernard Levin) Ich Shleiban austa be-clair
Es kumpent madre monster
FIRST LORD: ...Portotartarossa. Aus-be, aus-can-be flaugen
FIRST SOLDIER: (to Paroles). He calls for the
Begun beske but-bair’
tortures. What will you say...?
PAROLES: I will confess what I know without
http://www.ladygaga.com/lyrics/
constraint. If ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say default.aspx?tid=23592561
no more.
FIRST SOLDIER: Bosko chimurcho?
FIRST LORD: Boblibindo chicurmurcho.
FIRST SOLDIER : You are a merciful general.
(All’s Well 4.3 119-126)

9. GHOST: I am thy father’s spirit;
Doom’d for a certain term to walk the night,
And for the day confin’d to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purg’d away. ...List, list, O list!
If thou didst ever thy dear father love
HAMLET: O God!
GHOST: Revenge his foul and most unnatural
murder. (Hamlet I.V. 15-31)
Top : ‘Bad Romance’. Middle and
bottom right: ‘Telephone’. Bottom
left: ‘Paparazzi’.

10.  Cultural transmission
 Shakespeare was a key medium through which Medieval
literature and culture (mystery and saints plays) survived
into Early Modern and beyond.
 Today’s artists, such as Lady Gaga, similarly draw on and
adapt age-old creative techniques and narratives and re-
invent them for their generation.
 Authorial Craft
 Shakespeare’s craft, elements of his creativity such as
playing with language, boundaries of natural/unnatural
behaviour, is still apparent in the work of artists today.

11.  Engages students with Shakespeare;
 Develops student knowledge of literary
criticism and context of the plays;
 Offers a new take on English for cultural
heritage;
 Draws on and values a wide range of
literacies.

12.  Tangibly increases the study of popular
culture;
 Facilitates understandings of the socially
constructed nature of texts;
 Encourages students to engage critically
with multiple meanings of texts;
 Foregrounds an artist from marginalised
groups.

13.  Limited life span of Lady Gaga’s cultural
currency;
 Ethics of using Gaga with children;
 Level of assumed knowledge;
 Too radical for policy makers?
 Not radical enough ?

14.  Studying Shakespeare inside/out: encouraging
 Exploration of dis/continuity between
Shakespeare and modern popular culture
 Break through the surface of what
is usual in Shakespeare lessons
 Finding meaning through intersections
between EM plays and contemporary culture.

15.  Burt, Richard. Shakespeares after Shakespeare: An
Encyclopedia of the Bard in Mass Media and Popular Culture.
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 2007.
 Davison, Jon and John Moss, eds. Issues in English Teaching.
London: Routledge, 2000.
 Hansen, Adam. Shakespeare and popular music. London:
Continuum, 2010.
 Monaghan, F. and B. Mayor (2007). ‘English in the
curriculum’ in Learning English (ed. N. Mercer, J. Swann and
B. Meyer). Abingdon: Routledge. 151-176.
 Moran, Caitlin How to be a woman. London: Ebury, 2011.
 Paglia, Camille. ‘What’s sex got to do with it?’. The Sunday
Times Magazine. 12 September 2010. 14-21.
 Sanders, Julie. Shakespeare and Music. London: Polity, 2007.