Societal Change in Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’
In response to the rising tensions in the many political movements and events of the 1960’s, such as the civil rights movement, cold war and space race, and the infamous Vietnam War, Bob Dylan wrote one of the most influential and popular songs of all time, “The Times They Are A-Changin’”. Using only his vocals, the guitar, and the harmonica, Bob Dylan shook the world with poetic and eye-opening lyrics during an uneasy time of stress and uncertainty. Broken up into 5 stanzas, the song’s lyrics deliver his message using various metaphors. Through these metaphors, Dylan expresses that change in societal beliefs and customs is inevitable and that people should either help for the common good of the people or to just get out of the way. The song begins with Dylan inviting people from all backgrounds to gather “and admit that the waters/ around you have grown” (ll. 3-4). This metaphor symbolizes the increasing tension between various groups within society. Since this metaphor, and others, are somewhat vague, he is probably referring to several different groups or events, such as the tensions between whites and blacks or between pro and anti-war people. From lines 3 and 4, Dylan is stating that …show more content…
After summoning politicians, Dylan follows with “Please heed the call” which seems like he is telling congress and other political figures to stop hesitating on current issues before they worsen (l. 20). He proceeds with “don’t stand in the doorway/ don’t block up the hall” which may mean to stop restricting the public’s awareness from their stagnation. Later, Dylan sings “there’s a battle outside and it’s ragin’/ it’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls” simply referring to the growing tensions in the civil rights movement and how it will eventually affect everyone personally in some
In response to the rising tensions in the many political movements and events of the 1960’s, such as the civil rights movement, cold war and space race, and the infamous Vietnam War, Bob Dylan wrote one of the most influential and popular songs of all time, “The Times They Are A-Changin’”. Using only his vocals, the guitar, and the harmonica, Bob Dylan shook the world with poetic and eye-opening lyrics during an uneasy time of stress and uncertainty. Broken up into 5 stanzas, the song’s lyrics deliver his message using various metaphors. Through these metaphors, Dylan expresses that change in societal beliefs and customs is inevitable and that people should either help for the common good of the people or to just get out of the way. The song begins with Dylan inviting people from all backgrounds to gather “and admit that the waters/ around you have grown” (ll. 3-4). This metaphor symbolizes the increasing tension between various groups within society. Since this metaphor, and others, are somewhat vague, he is probably referring to several different groups or events, such as the tensions between whites and blacks or between pro and anti-war people. From lines 3 and 4, Dylan is stating that …show more content…
After summoning politicians, Dylan follows with “Please heed the call” which seems like he is telling congress and other political figures to stop hesitating on current issues before they worsen (l. 20). He proceeds with “don’t stand in the doorway/ don’t block up the hall” which may mean to stop restricting the public’s awareness from their stagnation. Later, Dylan sings “there’s a battle outside and it’s ragin’/ it’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls” simply referring to the growing tensions in the civil rights movement and how it will eventually affect everyone personally in some