Every Literary Reference in The Tortured Poets Department (The Anthology)

April 20, 2024

Literature

Lifestyle

Nesha Ruther

Writer at Bond & Grace

Calling all Swifties! Tortured Poets Department is out, and we listened to all 31 songs on the extended version to bring you a comprehensive list of every literary reference. From Patti Smith to Nancy Mitford, Shakespeare to Frances Hodgson Burnett, may we all be as well read as Taylor herself.

Dylan Thomas & Patti Smith

“You’re not Dylan Thomas and I’m not Patti Smith. This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots.”-The Tortured Poets Department

Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith were both literary legends who spent time at the iconic Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan, although never together. Thomas, author of “Do Not Go Gently into That Good Night” died in 1953. Smith was born in 1947 and became an emblem of the punk-rock movement, often incorporating poetry into her live sets.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

“‘Stay away from her’ The Saboteurs protested too much.”- But Daddy I Love Him

This is a twist on the iconic line from Hamlet “Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.” spoken by Queen Gertrude towards one of the actors in Hamlet’s play-within-a-play.

Florida by Lauren Groff

“The hurricane with my name when it came, I got drunk and I dared it to wash me away.”- Florida!!!

This one is a bit of a deep cut, but Florence Welch posted on her Instagram stories saying that when asked by Taylor to collaborate on Florida!!!, she immediately thought of this spooky, stormy, short story collection by the contemporary writer Lauren Groff. Florida was released in 2018 and got Groff a National Book Award nomination.

The Bible

“What if I roll the stone away? They’re gonna crucify me anyway.”- Guilty as Sin?

Taylor may not dare compare herself to Patti Smith, but she has no problem comparing herself to Christ! This is not the first time she has paralleled her treatment by the media over the years to Christ’s crucifixion, and honestly, we can’t blame her for it.

Just Kids by Patti Smith

“We were just kids, babe”- loml

This line could be a subtle nod to Smith’s 2010 memoir chronicling her relationship with the artist and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

Beauty & The Beast

“Beauty is a beast that roars down on all fours, demanding more.”-Clara Bow

Taylor turns this classic fairytale on its head with her commentary on the debilitating and even monstrous effects of fame, in which beautiful young women become villainized.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

“A Rose by any other name is a scandal.”- The Albatross

One of Taylor’s lyrical strong suits is her ability to twist classic lines of literature to take on new meaning. In this case, Romeo and Juliet’s “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

“She’s the Albatross, she is here to destroy you.”- The Albatross

In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a sailor commits a cardinal sin by shooting down an albatross and inadvertently cursing his crew. The sailor’s shipmates force him to wear the bird around his neck as payment for his sin. Swift is not the only famous writer to have been inspired by this iconic poem, it is also referenced in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

“The brink of a wrinkle in time, bittersweet sixteen suddenly”- So High School

‍A Wrinkle in Time, which is a classic of children’s literature is an appropriate text to reference in a song about a love that feels young and adolescent. First published in 1962, it follows Meg Murray’s journey through time and space to rescue her father from a mysterious dark force.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

“I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind. People need a key to get to, the only one is mine. I read about it in a book when I was a precocious child.” -I Hate It Here

Like a young T-swift, The Secret Garden protagonist Mary Lennox is a precocious young girl who has been utterly abandoned by the world only to find solace and healing through friendship and connecting with nature.

Learn More about The Secret Garden

The Myth of Sysiphus

“I pushed each boulder up the hill. Your words are still just ringing in my head, ringing in my head.”- thanK you aIMee

In Greek mythology, Sysiphus is a despotic tyrant who is punished by the gods, leading him to spend eternity pushing a boulder up a hill only to have it inevitably fall back down. Mending Taylor’s relationship with a fellow celebrity who shall not be named does indeed seem a Sisyphean task.

Myth of Cassandra

“So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst and tried to tell the town.”- Cassandra

According to Greek mythology, Cassandra was the beautiful daughter of the King and Queen of Troy. When she caught the eye of Apollo, he granted her the gift of prophecy only to turn the gift sour when she rejected him, making it so no one would believe her visions.

Peter Pan by J.M Barrie

“Forgive me, Peter, my lost fearless leader”-Peter

Taylor compares her partner to the charismatic children’s lit protagonist Peter Pan, who takes the Darling children on fabulous adventures but refuses to grow up. Taylor characterizes herself as Wendy Darling who eventually grows up and leaves Peter behind, saying, “You said you were gonna grow up, then you were gonna come find me” and then “The woman who sits by the window has turned out the light.”

Nancy Mitford’s Novels

“Behind her back, her best mates laughed, and they nicknamed her ‘The Bolter’”-The Bolter

In Nancy Mitford’s novels The Pursuit of Love, Love in a Cold Climate, and Don’t Tell Alfred, the narrator Fanny’s mother is a serial monogamist nicknamed “the Bolter” for how she jumps from marriage to marriage, leaving behind her daughter. Taylor, who has written extensively on the misogynistic critique of her past relationships, develops a kinship with the character.

For all our tortured poets out there, do not fret! We may not be Taylor herself, but we are big book lovers with a lot of feelings. This is a safe space. Happy listening and reading!

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