What it all Comes Down To: Women's Liberation And Oppression Continues Breathing Life into Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill

Michelle Schomburg, Purdue University

Abstract

Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album Jagged Little Pill was released during the third wave of feminism, when sexual liberation for women was considered a priority and was especially prevalent in music with the rise of riot grrrl groups. Morissette’s album has transcended into the current fourth wave of feminism because she wrote palatable songs about female oppression and sexual liberation, which are tenets that were shared between the third and fourth waves of feminism. With the development of social media, feminism became decentralized and made it easier for Jagged Little Pill to grow in popularity and continue to resonate with a new generation of feminists almost thirty years after its release. Through analyzing the album using ideological criticism, this thesis will uncover different themes of oppression and liberation experienced by women throughout these two waves of feminism.

Degree

M.A.

Advisors

White, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Sexuality|Spirituality|Music|Fine arts|Social structure|Womens studies

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