Folksinger and Beat poet: The prophetic vision of Bob Dylan
Abstract
This study examines the four albums released by Dylan during his so-called "born-again period"--Slow Train Coming, Saved, Shot of Love, and Infidels--tracing the dominant literary traditions which influence Dylan's work: folksong and Beat poetry. Dylan's untraditional canon and open-form text are discussed, followed by literary analysis of Dylan's traditional folksongs (from 1962-1964), his imagistic songs (from mid-1964-1967), and his ostensible "born-again" songs (from 1979-1983). Dylan is treated as a prophetic writer who, like his literary-prophetic forebears Woody Guthrie and Alan Ginsberg, addresses social and religious concerns and presents a vision of radical individualism.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Hughes, Purdue University.
Subject Area
American literature|Music|Biographies
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