“Ruin the Friendship” expands on the vulnerability we saw in “Eldest Daughter” and reveals the showgirl at her most human. In this episode, we unpack the song’s quiet heartbreak and the recurring tension between the “good girl” who plays it safe and the artist who longs to live boldly. We’ll trace how Swift’s lyrics move through time, how regret becomes revelation, and how this moment of tenderness deepens the album’s larger story. Don’t miss the writing prompts at the end, or go to www.marae...
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“Ruin the Friendship” expands on the vulnerability we saw in “Eldest Daughter” and reveals the showgirl at her most human. In this episode, we unpack the song’s quiet heartbreak and the recurring tension between the “good girl” who plays it safe and the artist who longs to live boldly. We’ll trace how Swift’s lyrics move through time, how regret becomes revelation, and how this moment of tenderness deepens the album’s larger story. Don’t miss the writing prompts at the end, or go to www.marae...
3: "The Fate of Ophelia"— love story or origin story?
LIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller
27 minutes
3 weeks ago
3: "The Fate of Ophelia"— love story or origin story?
In this episode, we dive into “The Fate of Ophelia” — dramatic chapter one of Taylor Swift’s concept album. At first listen, it might sound like a classic love story — a damsel saved by her hero. But if you read this song as part one of the larger narrative, it’s the inciting incident — the spark that sets off the showgirl’s rise to stardom and the struggles that follow. Dig a little deeper, and you find Shakespearean irony, unreliable narration, and a chilling meditation on power, self-aband...
LIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller
“Ruin the Friendship” expands on the vulnerability we saw in “Eldest Daughter” and reveals the showgirl at her most human. In this episode, we unpack the song’s quiet heartbreak and the recurring tension between the “good girl” who plays it safe and the artist who longs to live boldly. We’ll trace how Swift’s lyrics move through time, how regret becomes revelation, and how this moment of tenderness deepens the album’s larger story. Don’t miss the writing prompts at the end, or go to www.marae...
