“You Look Like My Next Mistake” (2024)

Relationships in “Blank Space,” “All of Me,” and Romeo and Juliet

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Nov 16, 2017

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Taylor Swift’s Blank Space and John Legend’s All of Me intertwine with Romeo and Juliet because of the different types of relationships that go on throughout the play. In All of Me, Legend professes his love for a woman and is very sincere. He makes it evident that he has found true love. While Romeo conversely conveys behavior that makes it seem as though he is disingenuous, it prevents him from putting his heart into the game of love. In Blank Space, Swift talks about how she bounces from guy to guy and has trouble securing long term relationships. Romeo is similar to the country pop star in that aspect, as he too is unable to remain attached to one girl for a long time. In addition, Swift and Romeo’s inability to maintain successful long term relationships comes with scrutiny from both friends and the media. It is clear that both individuals want to find true love, but unlike Taylor Swift, it is difficult to conclude what Romeo’s true intentions are.

While good relationships are quite hard to comeby, John Legend appears to have mastered true love. He wrote a song to epitomize what a loving relationship is, meanwhile Romeo was still in love with Rosaline the same day he met Juliet. In the song, Legend writes: “Give your all to me, I’ll give my all to you, You’re my end and my beginning, Even when I lose, I’m winning,” implying that both people in a relationship should love each other equally, and that each person should work just as hard to please the other. Legend poured his heart and soul into the lyrics of this song, proclaiming his strong feelings for his wife. He is committed to this relationship and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it successful. On the other hand, once Romeo finally meets Juliet, he convinces himself that this too is true love. In his own way, Romeo shows that he truly cares about Juliet, because while not vocalized, Romeo indicates that he would like to get married to his beloved so that they can stay together forever. In previous scenes of this love story, it seems as though Romeo fell head over heels for any girl that he encountered, but in this scene, that image that he portrayed changed. Juliet suddenly made him alter his ways. “What satisfaction canst thou have tonight? Th’ exchange of thy love’s faithful vow for mine.” (2.2.133–134) Romeo tries to exhibit that his obsession for Juliet is different than the love he had for Rosaline. Now Romeo is ready and able to have a mature and serious relationship, despite the fact that it may be based purely off of looks. He is not just a young boy falling in love at first sight, it is more than that. Once again, completely contrary to Romeo, John sings “even when you’re crying you’re beautiful too.” Legend is judging his wife on what’s inside, not on her looks. This is the first time Romeo has ever admitted that looks may contribute to how his heart feels.

Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy,
Be heaped like mine, and that thy skill be more,
To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath,
This neighbor air, and let rich music’s tongue,
Unfold the imagined happiness that both,
Receive in either by this dear encounter. (2.6.24–29)

Romeo is really set to go through with the marriage and secure his relationship with Juliet. Even though their families are enemies, Romeo believes he loves Juliet enough to get married. As John sings “You’re my downfall, you’re my muse, I can’t stop singing, it’s ringing in my head for you.” The artist can’t stop thinking about his wife and she is taking up all of his thoughts. She is his entire world. This is what happens in a healthy relationship. It should not be a revolving door of women as has been Romeo’s past. Meeting Juliet is the first time we see Romeo thinking like a grown man.

Taylor Swift, like Romeo, is much more comfortable playing the field than playing house. Swift’s dating past is very checkered. It ranges from a few months to brief flames. She continues to find difficulty in dating a guy for an extended period of time. “Oh my God, look at that face, you look like my next mistake,” She already knows, by looking at him, that this relationship will not end well. Again, like Romeo, her interest in the opposite gender is based on looks, not on character. Taylor is someone who keeps finding herself in tough situations where love doesn’t last. For Romeo, he is still young, therefore, the decisions that he made, while questionable, are understandable. During the argument between Tybalt and Mercutio, Romeo is trying to be the bigger person and break it up. Unfortunately, he is too late and Mercutio gets killed. This leads to to Romeo losing his temper, attacking Tybalt, and killing him.

Alive in triumph, and Mercutio slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now. —
Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again,
That late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul,
Is but a little way above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company.
Either thou or I, or both, must go with him. (3.1.127–134)

This is evidence that Romeo is still very immature and not ready to be a husband. He can’t control his emotions and doesn’t recognize his mistakes until after they have occurred. As Taylor sings “Boys only want love if it’s torture.” After killing Tybalt, Romeo torments Juliet emotionally. She is so conflicted, and does not know whether to side with her dead cousin or her new husband. After Romeo’s banishment, Juliet continues to be tortured inside her head and heart.

Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name
When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?
But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?
That villain cousin would have killed my husband. (3.2.106–111)

At least Taylor’s “mistake” only left a scar, not a dead body.

Romeo could have learned quite a bit from both artists. The qualities of a good relationship from John Legend and what not to do in love from Taylor Swift. Though Juliet brought out the best in Romeo when she was with him, it just wasn’t enough. The relationship was too new to deal with all the obstacles that were thrown their way which brought on their tragic end. You get the feeling from John Legend’s music that he and his wife will grow old together. Taylor Swift is still looking for true love. Regardless of how it comes across, everyone is looking for love, it just depends if you’re lucky enough to find it.

“All of Me Lyrics.” Genius, 14 Nov. 2017, genius.com/John-legend-all-of-me-lyrics. Accessed 14 Nov. 2017.

“Blank Space Lyrics.” Genius, 14 Nov. 2017, genius.com/Taylor-swift-blank-space-lyrics. Accessed 14 Nov. 2017.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Updated ed., New York, NY, Simon and Schuster, 2011.

The main idea of Romeo and Juliet is usually love and love at first sight. My thoughts were to think of a song or artist that centers their songs around those such topics. Taylor Swift is the ideal one. All her songs are based on previous relationships that usually went awald or there were some little kinks that ruined it from fully functioning. I thought it related perfectly to the play and the way Romeo and Juliet’s relationship worked out. First, I started looking at the entire 1989 album before the two of us agreed that just choosing one song would be more effective. I initially had a problem with comparing the lyrics of the songs and scenes in the play too literally. Once that issue was resolved, I needed to find a song that contrasted the song of choice, Blank Space. The song that symbolized a good relationship was All of Me by John Legend. I found that there were better examples of Romeo looking like he was going to treat Juliet right then there were examples of him being bad. This came as a surprise to me as I was expecting there to be more negative situations. It is all important because it helps me to really understand the intense complexity of Romeo and Juliet.

“You Look Like My Next Mistake” (2024)

FAQs

“You Look Like My Next Mistake”? ›

Swift co-wrote "Blank Space" with its producers Max Martin and Shellback. For the lyrics, she conceived the song as a satirical self-referential nod to her reputation as a flirtatious woman with a series of romantic attachments, which blemished her once-wholesome girl next door image.

What is the satire in Blank Space? ›

Swift co-wrote "Blank Space" with its producers Max Martin and Shellback. For the lyrics, she conceived the song as a satirical self-referential nod to her reputation as a flirtatious woman with a series of romantic attachments, which blemished her once-wholesome girl next door image.

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Your Twitter feed has undoubtedly been deluged today with screenshots, GIFs, and musings related to the surprising, rollicking music video for Taylor Swift's second single, “Blank Space.” Swift's co-star in the video is male model Sean O'Pry—who, like Swift, was born in 1989 (more on that later), and who was 2013's ...

Who wrote Look What You Made Me Do Taylor Swift? ›

Look What You Made Me Do
"Look What You Made Me Do"
LabelBig Machine
Songwriter(s)Taylor Swift Jack Antonoff Fred Fairbrass Richard Fairbrass Rob Manzoli
Producer(s)Taylor Swift Jack Antonoff
Taylor Swift singles chronology
12 more rows

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I Knew You Were Trouble” by Taylor Swift

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What did Harry Styles write about Taylor Swift? ›

"Perfect" The second single from One Direction's fifth and final studio album, Made in the A.M., "Perfect" was co-written by Harry and Louis Tomlinson and is widely believed to be about the pop star, with James Corden directly asking Harry about the song's inspiration in a 2015 interview.

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Taylor Swift wore 20 outfits in her Blank Space video—see them all here!

Where is the mansion from Blank Space? ›

It is located in Glen Cove on Oyster Bay, a hamlet in Nassau County. Taylor Swift's “Blank Space” music video mainly took place in the dining room, which is large enough to hold major events. This grand dining room also contains gold leaf ceilings and massive chandeliers.

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"Rip Van Winkle" is often interpreted as a satire of Americans' obsession with their own independence.

What was Swift's satire? ›

Swift's first major work of satire, "A Tale of the Tub" (1704), railed against "the numerous and gross corruptions in religion and learning," criticizing who he called "religious enthusiasts." Two of his most famous works, however, are the essay "A Modest Proposal" and the book "Gulliver's Travels."

What are the 3 types of satire explained? ›

There are three main types of satire, each serving a different role.
  • Horatian. Horatian satire is comic and offers light social commentary. ...
  • Juvenalian. Juvenalian satire is dark, rather than comedic. ...
  • Menippean. Menippean satire casts moral judgment on a particular belief, such as hom*ophobia or racism.
Aug 25, 2021

Is satire a parody? ›

By definition, a parody is a comedic commentary about a work, that requires an imitation of the work. Satire, on the other hand, even when it uses a creative work as the vehicle for the message, offers commentary and criticism about the world, not that specific creative work.

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Getaway Car” by Taylor Swift – About Tom Hiddleston

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How many men has Taylor Swift dated? ›

Taylor Swift's Boyfriend Timeline: 12 Relationships & Their Songs. Billboard – Billboard.

Did Tom Hiddleston love Taylor Swift? ›

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Does Taylor Swift have a tattoo? ›

She has sported several tattoos on her body, but as it turns out, each of those fantastic designs has been either a fake tat or a doodle. In an interview, the celebrity said that she is not yet comfortable getting something permanent. However, that doesn't mean that those designs are any less inspiring.

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Why did Zendaya and Taylor Swift stop being friends? ›

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What did Taylor Swift remove from her music video? ›

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Which Taylor Swift video is about Jake Gyllenhaal? ›

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How many bedrooms does Taylor Swift have? ›

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How long has Taylor Swift been big? ›

How did Taylor Swift become famous? In 2004, at age 14, Taylor Swift signed a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV, thereby becoming the youngest signing in the company's history. In 2006 Swift signed with Big Machine Records and scored her first Top 40 hit with “Tim McGraw.”

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How much is Taylor Swift worth? ›

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Did Kanye West ever apologize to Taylor Swift? ›

September 15, 2009: Taylor Swift reveals that Kanye West called her to apologize. "Kanye did call me and he was very sincere in his apology, and I accepted that apology," the "Blank Space" singer told ABC Radio in 2009.

What did Taylor say after Kanye interrupted her? ›

Repeating the history, Taylor concluded her speech in Kanye's way by saying, “So I guess I have to say to all the other winners tonight, I'm really happy for you, and I'mma let you finish, but Kanye West I've had one of the greatest careers of ALL TIME.”

Which Taylor Swift song is about Kim and Kanye? ›

Taylor also admitted that the Midnights tracks were inspired by sleepless nights throughout her life, so some of the new songs were inspired by ideas she's had for years. It's possible that Taylor wrote this song when the news about Kim and Kanye's divorce first broke.

Who did Taylor Swift date at 19? ›

John Mayer (2009 - 2010)

In "Dear John," Swift points to a couple's age gap, which matches up with their relationship: She was 19 when she dated Mayer, who was 32.

How old was Taylor Swift when she dated Jake Gyllenhaal? ›

Jake and Taylor dated for only three months in late 2010, breaking up just before the new year. Taylor had just turned 21 weeks before she and Jake broke up (though he seems to have missed her party, if "The Moment I Knew" is truly about him). At the time they split, Jake was 30.

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In addition to solo material, Swift has recorded two songs as a featured artist without a writing credit: "Highway Don't Care" (Tim McGraw, 2013) and "Birch" (Big Red Machine, 2021).

What songs did Harry wrote about Taylor? ›

"Perfect" The second single from One Direction's fifth and final studio album, Made in the A.M., "Perfect" was co-written by Harry and Louis Tomlinson and is widely believed to be about the pop star, with James Corden directly asking Harry about the song's inspiration in a 2015 interview.

Why can t Taylor own her music? ›

Why doesn't Swift own her masters? The majority of Swift's work was released under a deal she signed with Big Machine Records when she was 15, which gave the record label ownership of her masters.

What did Taylor Swift say to Damon? ›

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Why does Jonathan Smith use satire? ›

Jonathon Swift uses satire to ridicule corrupt, immoral, and foolish authorities in society. Through the use of parody, irony, and exaggeration, he calls out extremes of religious intolerance and cold logic cruelly used to gain power over others.

How does Jonathan Swift define satire? ›

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) is one of the greatest satirists in English literature with his harsh and unforgiving tone. Satire is a literary technique which is used for criticizing people, government or society through literary tools such as verbal irony, sarcasm, ironic tone, and the use of mocking.

What is the satire in Orlando by Virginia Woolf? ›

In Orlando, Woolf satirizes the genre of biography. She believes that biographies are too concerned with extraneous details, and have a limited sphere of reality.

What is satire in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? ›

Douglas Adams' 1979 novel, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, is a comedic satire on society, bureaucracy, and closed-mindedness. Former NFL player Chris Kluwe shares his love of the novel, and suggests why it helped to popularize the phrase "Don't Panic," among other things.

What is the purpose of satire? ›

Satire is the art of making someone or something look ridiculous, raising laughter in order to embarrass, humble, or discredit its targets.

What is satire examples? ›

Here are some examples of satire: If voting changed anything, they would make it illegal. (This uses sarcasm to undermine democracy.) Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation. (This uses exaggeration to highlight the vices of politicians.)

How does Jonathan Swift use sarcasm? ›

Swift uses of sarcasm is demonstrated in this quote, “ I grant this food will be something dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children”(Swift P. 625).

What is Swift's real message of his satire? ›

Swift's main point is that the tragedy of Irish poverty and oppression can be turned around; things don't have to be the way they are, and people don't really have to sell their children as food to be able to make a change.

What is the Irish story about eating babies? ›

A Modest Proposal” is a satirical story written by Jonathan Swift in 1729. The story proposes to solve the problem in Ireland of tenant farmers who cannot feed their children because the owners are adamant about the lease.

Is irony the same as satire? ›

Irony is a speaking figure who represents the opposite of the facts with a clever play of words and wit. Satire is a literary form or genre widely utilised for the use or performance of graphic arts. Irony is a spoken figure, thus it's just spoken and written forms.

What is the gender fluidity in Orlando? ›

Through this rather fluid depiction of gender in Orlando, Woolf implies that the dichotomous male-versus-female understanding of gender is merely a social construction, and that no one person is wholly one gender or the other. One of the ways in which gender is constructed in Orlando is through clothing.

Is Lord of the Flies satire? ›

Lord of the Flies is a satire of The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne. At once point, the genre of “boys get stranded on an island and have a merry adventure” was a popular one, epitomized by The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne, which Golding read several times as a child and also read to his children.

Is Jane Eyre a satire? ›

Jane Eyre is more serious than many satirical novels, but it nonetheless uses satire to critique society's treatment of orphans and poor children.

Is there anything inappropriate in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? ›

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Funny sexual innuendo and commentary. For example, references to "Eccentrica Gallumbits, the triple-breasted whor* of Eroticon Six" and "the Best Bang since the Big One." Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

What is the main message of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? ›

Forget “Keep Calm and Carry On.” The book teaches this motto: Don't Panic, written in very friendly letters on the front of the actual Hitchhiker's Guide.

What is the main question in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? ›

The number 42 is especially significant to fans of science fiction novelist Douglas Adams' “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” because that number is the answer given by a supercomputer to “the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.”

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