Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Cave



It's empty in the valley of your heart
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you've left behind

The harvest left no food for you to eat
You cannibal, you meat-eater, you see
But I have seen the same
I know the shame in your defeat

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

Cause I have other things to fill my time
You take what is yours and I'll take mine
Now let me at the truth
Which will refresh my broken mind

So tie me to a post and block my ears
I can see widows and orphans through my tears
I know my call despite my faults
And despite my growing fears

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence
When you know the maker's hand

So make your siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say

Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be

And I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again


Biographical Information:
     Mumford and Sons is a group of four friends from west London who came together in 2007 for one purpose, "to make music that matters, without taking themselves too seriously". Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane --the founding of members of the Mumford and Sons, originated in the London folk scene, a popular movement in England in early 2007. The band says among many authors that Shakespeare holds a huge influence on the lyrical content within their songs. Their debut album, Sigh No More, alludes to the famous Shakespearean comedy Much Ado About Nothing.



Other Works:
        Mumford and Sons have only released one album, however many of their songs allude to works of strong literary merit. Mumford and Sons  claims John Steinbeck as an influence as in the songs " Timeshel" and "Dust Bowl Dance" which allude to the famous Steinbeck works Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden.

Diction:
      Mumford and sons uses a strong word choice to create an mood of isolation. Within the first line they choose the word "valley" implying being surrounded by something and being in the middle, therefore a valley of emptiness creates that feeling of complete loneliness. Also cannibal implies an angry, forced masochistic action, leading listeners deeper into the feelings of the person who the speaker in singing about.

Literary Devices:
Allusion: This song is a strong allusion to Plato's Allegory of the Cave, which is an allegory for the contrast between perception and reality. "The Cave" shows the struggle the speaker is having between his perceptions and his reality. The speaker is scared of what he finds, when his own truth is discovered, much like the prisoner in Plato's Cave are when he finally exits the cave and achieves "understanding".  "The Cave" depicts the shocking change when one realizes that their reality is not the truth and the search for education. 


"Maker's Hand" is an allusion to God and how He brings understanding and life


"Cave walking on your hands" allusion to Neanderthals
Metaphor: "see the world hanging up side down" , change, destruction and chaos


Meter and Rhyme:The meter is very irregular and does not follow a specific pattern. The versus use iambic pentameter to create and be the vehicle through which the story is told, then the chorus utilizes hexameter and then a line of tetrameter. The rhyme scheme follows aaba.


Theme: "The Cave" specifically deals with the realization that the world was not what you perceived it to be and the journey that happens through it.