Literary Analysis of the Song “Eleanor Rigby”

Literary Analysis Outline

Title: Literary Analysis of the Song “Eleanor Rigby”

Introduction: The song Eleanor Rigby was released in the year 1966. In the song Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles, a lonely woman is dead and is forgotten so easily due to the fact that she has no one who cared for while she was still alive. The Beatles managed to pass the message of human care and its importance. This is because, it is noted that despite the efforts to serve others, individuals are less acknowledged. Additionally, the artist has used repetitions, imagery, allegory, figurative language, rhythm and metaphors to put its message across. The song, in essence, seeks to ensure that individuals understand the need to care for each other in life and even in death.

Thesis statement: The artist used various literary techniques which include repetitions, imagery, allegory, figurative language, rhythm and metaphors show the loneliness of Eleanor Rigby and how such loneliness affected his life and the life of others.

Body Paragraphs 1–2-3: Repetitions, Imagery & Allegory

-By repeating that “look at the lonely people,” (Paul McCartney, 2) the artist make the audience to view that underneath Eleanor hospitality being a bleak undertone.

-In essence, this is a fantastic application of repetition technique in presenting the theme since the song is perceived to be wholly an illusion except for the chorus part which the word “lonely” has been used repeatedly to indubitably prove that illusion is not worth it and Eleanor Rigby should live in reality.

-Imagery as well has been used to present the theme if illusion in the song. “Lives in a dream” shows that Eleanor Rigby is living in illusion.

-Looking at it intensely, “the face in the jar” has been used to represent the face Eleanor has put on so as to look beautiful by applying make up to lie to the world that she is fine.

This has been used to refer to the facade of Eleanor which entails both the literal cover which is made up of powder and cream makeup and the figurative cover which is used to hide the pain she is going through.

-Allegory is associated with the theme in that it shows that Eleanor Rigby is living her life. “She wears the face that she keeps in a jar” has been used to show a hidden meaning that she has a face which she wears for the public while inside her she is living in solitude. She attends weddings as well as ensuring that she works to make others happy.

-In essence, she keeps up with the illusion that she is very happy since everybody sees her and believes that she is very happy. When she dies in the end, she is easily forgotten.

Body Paragraphs 4–5: Metaphor & Rhythm

-The metaphor has also been used in the song. The word “buried along with her name,” has been used to show an act of isolation which Eleanor is in.

-It shows that Eleanor died together with her legacy since people did not care about her. With the use of the metaphor, a meaning of loneliness is conveyed (Weber, 14).

-The song has a unique rhythm scheme which incorporates a mixture of rhythms which entails dream and grave that has been established by use of punctuations as well as preparation of various stanzas to bring the theme more into the light.

-The use of the rhythms and the sound, as well as the word choice, brings to the light the life of Eleanor that it is boring and so cold. In addition, it shows that she is living a life of loneliness and isolation which conveys that she is living in an illusion as the world knows that she is happy with life.

Body Paragraphs 6–7: Metaphor

-Listening keenly to the song conveys a heavy as well as an unpleasant feeling since it creates a sense of emptiness and solitude when one put themselves in Eleanor’s shoes.

Conclusion: It is apparent that the application of various literary techniques such as allegory, imagery, and repetition has made the song to achieve its objective (Coupland, 17). -The author successfully brings up the theme of illusion and loneliness which Eleanor lived while she was alive.

 

 

The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby

Ah look at all the lonely people Ah look at all the lonely people Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice In the church where a wedding has been Lives in a dream Waits at the window, wearing the face That she keeps in a jar by the door Who is it for All the lonely people Where do they all come from? All the lonely people Where do they all belong? Father McKenzie, writing the words Of a sermon that no one will hear No one comes near Look at him working, darning his socks In the night when there’s nobody there What does he care All the lonely people Where do they all come from? All the lonely people Where do they all belong? Ah look at all the lonely people Ah look at all the lonely people Eleanor Rigby, died in the church And was buried along with her name Nobody came Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt From his hands as he walks from the grave No one was saved All the lonely people Where do they all come from? All the lonely people Where do they all belong?

 

Annotated Bibliography

Aldridge, A. (1998). The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics. London: Music Sales.

Coupland, Douglas. Eleanor Rigby: A Novel. Vintage Canada, 2012.

This source analyzes the life of Elenor with a very pragmatic view. The book analyzes every aspect of life events until she died a lonely life. In addition, the book explains the meaning of each life situation faced by Elenor.

Elicker, Martina. Semiotics of Popular Music: The Theme of Loneliness in Mainstream Pop and Rock Songs. Gunter Narr, 1997.

This source provides an analysis of the theme of loneliness in the song. It shows various circumstance Eleanor underwent which show she was lonely. In addition, it shows whether such acts of being lonely was worth it.

Everett, Walter. The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver Through the Anthology. Oxford UP, 1999.

The source provides the various styles of literature which was used in the music. It also helps in defining the themes of the songs by analyzing the ideas of the song. Further, it shows the use of the imagery in the song to present the theme.

Weber, Erin T. The Beatles and the Historians: An Analysis of Writings About the Fab Four. 2016.

The book provides a narrative of the song and explaining the use of literary techniques. It further describes the feelings developed by listening to Song Eleanor Rigby. In this regards, this source is helpful as it helps in understanding the theme the author intended to present.

Works Cited

Coupland, Douglas. Eleanor Rigby: A Novel. Vintage Canada, 2012.

Davies, Hunter. The Beatles Lyrics. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2014.

Elicker, Martina. Semiotics of Popular Music: The Theme of Loneliness in Mainstream Pop and Rock Songs. Gunter Narr, 1997.

Everett, Walter. The Beatles As Musicians: Revolver Through the Anthology. Oxford UP, 1999.

Weber, Erin T. The Beatles and the Historians: An Analysis of Writings About the Fab Four. 2016.