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In his seventh novel The Ground Beneath Her Feet (hereafter GF), Rushdie tells the love story of the 20th century pop icons Vina Aspara and Ormus Cama. However, GF is not exclusively about love since the novel also combines a lot of historical and mythological aspects with the mainstream pop culture of the 20th century. In fact, the field of pop music seems to be central next to the novel’s love theme because throughout the whole book, extracts of original and remodelled song lyrics are incorporated into the texture of GF, and these song lyrics are – amongst many other things - used to reflect the love between the novel’s protagonists.
Furthermore, the subject of music is also realised by the adoption of another strategy. Although the novel is said to be fictional, GF “tries to blur the edges between the fictional world and the real world” [Rushdie, interview with Vijaya Nagarajan 1999]. Therefore, Rushdie applied the technique of the alienation effect, which aims to make the familiar seem strange. This technique was predominantly realised by embedding mythological aspects in the story of GF and changing historical events which actually happened. Consequently, Rushdie created a “parallel version of the world”, which is slightly different from reality. The most influential aspect which makes the familiar life of the novel’s pop stars seem strange is its comparison with the Orpheus myth. Moreover, the Orpheus myth dignifies music as it basically declares that ‘one can kill the singer, but not the song.’
Since the subject of music seems to be of crucial importance in GF, and Salman Rushdie regards pop music as the “first cultural phenomenon of extraordinary force” [Rushdie, interview with Vijaya Nagarajan 1999], this paper aims to explore which different functions music fulfils in Rushdie’s novel. Therefore, this paper will first give a brief and general overview about the theoretical background of intermediality and the interrelation between literature and music. Afterwards, it will try to uncover in which ways music is related to GF by pointing out the different purposes music fulfils in terms of the novel’s mythological aspect, the topic of globalisation and the love theme. Finally, this paper will work out in how far GF draws parallels to the life and music of famous pop icons like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan, but the paper’s main interest is clearly dedicated to Ormus Cama’s resemblances to Bob Dylan.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theoretical background information
2.1 Intermediality
2.2 Interrelation between literature and music
3 The functions of music in The Ground Beneath Her Feet
3.1 Relationship between myth and music
3.2 Interrelation between the topic of globalisation and music
3.3 Interrelation between love and music
3.4 Resemblances between Ormus Cama and Bob Dylan
4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic paper explores the multifaceted roles that music performs within Salman Rushdie's novel "The Ground Beneath Her Feet." It investigates how the author integrates musical elements to enhance the narrative, bridge fictional and real-world boundaries, and provide a framework for discussing mythology, globalization, and romantic themes.
- The intersection of intermediality between literature and music
- The application of mythological narratives, particularly the Orpheus myth
- Music as a vehicle for globalized cultural phenomena and late capitalism
- Analysis of lyrical references to express deep emotional states
- Comparisons between the fictional protagonist Ormus Cama and real-world rock icon Bob Dylan
Excerpt from the Book
Relationship between myth and music
First of all, there is no question that myths – especially myths of Greco-Roman and Indian origin – play a key role in GF. In an interview with Deborah Treisman, Rushdie admits that he applied mythological aspects to his novel in order to make people aware of the things “that once were our [culture’s] reference points.” Today, he wonders “how many people could even repeat the story of Orpheus, if asked” [Rushdie, interview with Deborah Treisman 1999]. The enormous influence of myths on GF becomes already clear by taking a closer look at the protagonists’ names. Most obviously, Vina was derived from Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and Cama was derived from Kama, the Hindu god of love, because both Vina and Ormus are lovers and the novel’s main characters.
However, the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice seems to be by far the most striking and important mythological aspect in GF since “across Rushdie’s text, references to the Orpheus myth come thick and fast” [Rollason 2006: 10]. Starting with Ormus, his name – which was definitely derived from Orpheus - already suggests that he should embody Orpheus, and, of course, both of them are celebrated musicians. Furthermore, the novel’s very title refers to “the ground trembling beneath Eurydice’s feet as she descends into hell” [Rollason 2006: 10], and, in this case, Vina resembles Eurydice. Moreover, “The Ground Beneath Her Feet” became a famous pop song by U2, which is the “song that Ormus writes just after Vina dies” and “a rock version of Orpheus’s lament” [Rushdie, interview with Deborah Treisman 1999]. However, Rushdie’s main interest in the Orpheus myth is clearly focused on the end of the story, when Orpheus is murdered, his head is cut off and thrown into the river, and it goes on singing because Rushdie sees “his musician protagonists as manifestations of the Orphic principle of the indestructibility of music” [Rollason 2006: 10]. In the interview with Deborah Treisman, Rushdie admitted that “[the] idea – that you can destroy the singer but not the song - was something I wanted to write about” [Rushdie, interview with Deborah Treisman 1999].
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of Salman Rushdie's significance as an author and sets the stage for the exploration of music as a central functional element in the novel "The Ground Beneath Her Feet."
2 Theoretical background information: Establishes the academic framework regarding intermediality and the established "sister arts" relationship between literature and music.
3 The functions of music in The Ground Beneath Her Feet: Analyzes the practical application of music within the novel, linking it to myth, global commerce, love, and real-life artistic inspirations.
4 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, reinforcing the idea that music serves as both a primary subject and a narrative tool in Rushdie’s work.
Keywords
Salman Rushdie, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, intermediality, literature, music, Orpheus myth, globalization, pop culture, Bob Dylan, Ormus Cama, Vina Aspara, song lyrics, interrelation, cultural phenomenon, literary studies
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this analysis?
This work examines the functional and thematic role of music in Salman Rushdie’s novel "The Ground Beneath Her Feet," exploring how music serves both as a narrative subject and a structural tool.
Which theoretical concept is used to frame the discussion?
The paper utilizes the concept of intermediality, specifically the interrelation between literature and music, to analyze how different media forms interact within the text.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to uncover in which ways music is related to the novel by pointing out the different purposes it fulfills in terms of mythological aspects, globalization, and the central love theme.
Which methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis approach, drawing upon interviews, critical theory (such as Werner Wolf’s typology), and comparative literary references to the Orpheus myth and pop icons.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body details the influence of the Orpheus myth, the rise of pop music as a global cultural phenomenon, the reflection of emotional states through lyrics, and the parallels between fictional characters and real musicians like Bob Dylan.
What are the key terms associated with this study?
Important keywords include intermediality, the Orpheus myth, late capitalism, globalization, and the musicalization of fiction.
How does the Orpheus myth specifically shape the narrative?
The myth provides a template for the characters of Ormus and Vina and serves as a philosophical basis for the author’s exploration of the "indestructibility of music."
What is the significance of Bob Dylan in the context of this novel?
Bob Dylan represents a "best-case portrait" of pop music for Rushdie, and the character Ormus Cama exhibits numerous textual and biographical parallels to Dylan’s life and career.
How is the "mode of telling" vs "mode of showing" applied?
Following Werner Wolf's theory, the author illustrates how the novel uses "telling" via explicit lyrical references and "showing" through structural and thematic embodiments of music.
Why is the connection between globalization and music important?
The study argues that Rushdie positions pop music as the first truly globalized cultural phenomenon, serving as a medium that crosses national and cultural boundaries while remaining subject to the logic of late capitalism.
- Quote paper
- Master of Education Thomas Schachtebeck (Author), 2007, Intermediality in "The Ground Beneath Her Feet", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/165058
