Literature professor in Belgium wants to explore the poetic essence of Taylor Swift’s lyrics!

Earlier this year, a spark ignited within literature professor from Ghent University in Belgium, McCausland after listening to The Great War from Midnights the album by Taylor Swift. The metaphorical use of war in Swift’s art stirred her thoughts, even evoking echoes of Sylvia Plath’s intense poem “Daddy.” An academic voyage was set in motion.

McCausland’s mission is to make literature an approachable realm, not a restricted sanctuary. Through her visionary course, aptly titled “Literature (Taylor’s Version),” she’s dismantling the notion of dusty old books tucked away in libraries. Instead, she’s unveiling literature as a living entity, evolving and adapting just like our world. McCausland advocates that the magic isn’t exclusive to Swift alone. Artistry and media like Beyoncé and TikTok are essential tools in this journey of exploration. Swift’s lyrics serve as a gateway, guiding us to iconic literary figures like Shakespeare, Bronte, Chaucer, and Thackeray. With nods to Dickens, Dickinson, and the Romantic poets of yesteryears, a symphony of connection emerges.

Wonderland and long story short resonate with Swift’s reference to venturing down a “rabbit hole,” a nod to Lewis Carroll’s enchanting Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In a candid 2020 chat with Paul McCartney published by Rolling Stone amid the pandemic, Swift confessed her love for words and the newfound joy of reading, including Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca.” McCausland’s course has ignited a spark, with a chorus of requests flooding in, even from beyond the university, carried by the winds of Instagram’s private messages.

Swift’s journey has been a symphony of success since her 2006 debut, culminating in the zenith of her career with the Eras Tour. A billion-dollar voyage rivaling Beyoncé’s Renaissance, Swift became the first woman to hold four albums in the US top 10 simultaneously this year. As the sun sets on 2023, Swift’s star is unwavering. Latin America, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America will be graced by her presence in 2024. And the anticipation builds for the re-recorded magic of her 2014 masterpiece, “1989,” slated for release this October.

While McCausland’s venture is pioneering in Europe, the Clive Davis Institute at New York University was the trailblazer across the Atlantic, and London’s Queen Mary University followed suit with their “Taylor Swift and Literature” summer school.