Monday, September 2, 2019
The Function of the Music in Porgy Essay -- Porgy Music Musical essays
Music has a way of bringing out our emotions. We say that there are moods of music, and we know which songs make us happy and which make us sad. But music also connects with us intellectually through the lyrics and what we understand them to mean. Thus, music becomes a way to link aspects of intellectual and emotional life ââ¬â to combine thought and feeling. In the novel Porgy, we see music used as a tool to do just that; music, whether sung, imitated, or described metaphorically, is used, among other things, to link mental and emotional states. One way music serves as a link is by tying the emotions of the reader to the situation and state of mind of the characters or community. The first instance of this is when the community is mourning the death of Robbins. The music starts with a crude call and response cry. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s the matter, chillen?â⬠came the strophe. And the antistrophe swelled to the answer: ââ¬Å"Pain gots de body, anââ¬â¢ I canââ¬â¢t stanââ¬â¢ still.â⬠... ââ¬Å"What de matter, Sister?â⬠ââ¬Å"Jedus gots our brudder, anââ¬â¢ I canââ¬â¢t stand still.â⬠Ever since Porgy had come home the air had swung to the rhythm of the chant...The burden swayed out again. ââ¬Å"Pain gots de body, anââ¬â¢ I canââ¬â¢t stanââ¬â¢ still.â⬠(15) The words of the call and response describe the situation the community is in ââ¬â it has lost one of its members and the others feel the pain of loss ââ¬â but what really allows the reader to feel pain with the community is the chant itself. By putting the words in the form of a chant, the author has given them authority and made them personal to the characters singing them. Through his description of air swinging to the rhythm and of the swaying burden (which has a connotation much different from that of ââ¬Å"refrainâ⬠), Heyward creates an image of ... ...ame. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËLittle wââ¬â¢te babies,ââ¬â¢ he crooned, ââ¬Ëcome sing fuh dis nigger.ââ¬â¢ He cast ââ¬â and wonâ⬠(60). When Porgy says ââ¬Å"come sing,â⬠Heyward is showing us that the music has affected him. The fact that he won shows that the effect was genuine and not imagined. In Porgy, one function of music is to tie together emotional and intellectual states. At some points, music allows the intellect of the reader to be engaged with the emotions of the characters (or vice versa); at some points, music causes the intellect of characters to give in to their emotions; at some points, it encourages them to elevate their mood either by finding external reasons to be happy or simply though cohesiveness within a community. The use of music allows for a deeper understanding of the characters, what they are going through, why they act the way they do, and what it means to be part of a community. The Function of the Music in Porgy Essay -- Porgy Music Musical essays Music has a way of bringing out our emotions. We say that there are moods of music, and we know which songs make us happy and which make us sad. But music also connects with us intellectually through the lyrics and what we understand them to mean. Thus, music becomes a way to link aspects of intellectual and emotional life ââ¬â to combine thought and feeling. In the novel Porgy, we see music used as a tool to do just that; music, whether sung, imitated, or described metaphorically, is used, among other things, to link mental and emotional states. One way music serves as a link is by tying the emotions of the reader to the situation and state of mind of the characters or community. The first instance of this is when the community is mourning the death of Robbins. The music starts with a crude call and response cry. ââ¬Å"Whatââ¬â¢s the matter, chillen?â⬠came the strophe. And the antistrophe swelled to the answer: ââ¬Å"Pain gots de body, anââ¬â¢ I canââ¬â¢t stanââ¬â¢ still.â⬠... ââ¬Å"What de matter, Sister?â⬠ââ¬Å"Jedus gots our brudder, anââ¬â¢ I canââ¬â¢t stand still.â⬠Ever since Porgy had come home the air had swung to the rhythm of the chant...The burden swayed out again. ââ¬Å"Pain gots de body, anââ¬â¢ I canââ¬â¢t stanââ¬â¢ still.â⬠(15) The words of the call and response describe the situation the community is in ââ¬â it has lost one of its members and the others feel the pain of loss ââ¬â but what really allows the reader to feel pain with the community is the chant itself. By putting the words in the form of a chant, the author has given them authority and made them personal to the characters singing them. Through his description of air swinging to the rhythm and of the swaying burden (which has a connotation much different from that of ââ¬Å"refrainâ⬠), Heyward creates an image of ... ...ame. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËLittle wââ¬â¢te babies,ââ¬â¢ he crooned, ââ¬Ëcome sing fuh dis nigger.ââ¬â¢ He cast ââ¬â and wonâ⬠(60). When Porgy says ââ¬Å"come sing,â⬠Heyward is showing us that the music has affected him. The fact that he won shows that the effect was genuine and not imagined. In Porgy, one function of music is to tie together emotional and intellectual states. At some points, music allows the intellect of the reader to be engaged with the emotions of the characters (or vice versa); at some points, music causes the intellect of characters to give in to their emotions; at some points, it encourages them to elevate their mood either by finding external reasons to be happy or simply though cohesiveness within a community. The use of music allows for a deeper understanding of the characters, what they are going through, why they act the way they do, and what it means to be part of a community.
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