You can now study a Taylor Swift-inspired literature course at university
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Taylor Swift fans know all too well just how much thought goes into the singer's lyrics. As well as nods to old flames in her break-up songs - which, by the way, could be used as inspiration for an upcoming TV show - she also writes about friends, bullies and falling in love.
But she often makes references to classic literature too, which is why one university is starting a Taylor Swift-inspired course for any studying Swifties out there.
The course at the University of Ghent in Belgium will be using the works of historical literary writers from Taylor's perspective, focusing on the themes and styles they use in their work.
Her songs weave in references from a range of authors - from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet references in Love Story to Wonderland as a nod to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.
Spearheaded by Professor Elly McCausland, the course - titled Literature (Taylor's Version) - will start this autumn and will be an elective option on their Masters for Language and Literature.
She told The Guardian: "What I want to do is show students that although these texts might seem inaccessible, they can be accessible if we look at them from a slightly different angle.
"So, Shakespeare, in some way, is actually addressing a lot of the same questions as Taylor Swift is today, which seems crazy. But he is."
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According to Causland, Taylor's songs also show she is influenced by the likes of Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Brontë and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, making her a great choice for a course where the 'primary focus is literature' but that ensures students will 'think critically about Swift'.
She added: "I want to show my students how much fun historical English literature can be."
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Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.
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