How Taylor Swift's opening track ‘The Fate of Ophelia' may take cues from 'Hamlet'
On the Aug. 13 episode of the "New Heights" podcast, Swift noted that "Hamlet" played a role in her newest era. And there's an argument to be made that the cover art and first title track, "The Fate of Ophelia," point towards the dark destiny of Hamlet's love interest.
"(Travis) may not have read 'Hamlet', but I explained it to him," Swift said on the two hour podcast.
"Don't tell my middle school English teacher," Travis Kelce added to which Jason Kelce added, "SparkNotes."
"It's all right, I watched 'The Lion King,'" Travis responded and Jason replied, "Wait, 'Lion King' is based off of Hamlet.'"
Swift, emphatically replied, "Yes."
What was the fate of Ophelia in 'Hamlet'?
If you haven't read "Hamlet" or forgot the plot, here's a brief synopsis. Ophelia is a young noblewoman whose fate is controlled by three men: Hamlet, the prince; Polonius, her father; and Laertes, her brother.
The love story between Ophelia and Hamlet collapses under pressure from her family and the rot of the Danish court. Hamlet kills her father and becomes emotionally distant. At times, he is cruel towards her. She descends into madness, and in Act IV, Scene VII, Queen Gertrude – the only other woman in the original play – delivers the news that Ophelia fell from a willow tree into a brook. Her clothes drag her under to her death.
Whether the death was self-inflicted or by accident is ambiguous. Literary experts can argue both angles, but her heartbreak is undeniable.
Swift may depict the Shakespeare scene with a modern twist. "Willow" is a song she wrote on her "Evermore" album at the time she was dating Joe Alwyn. The English actor cowrote three songs under the pseudonym William Bowery on that album: "Champagne Problems," "Coney Island" and "Evermore." Swift and Alwyn broke up before the Eras Tour and the singer referenced in her 11th era, "The Tortured Poets Department," that she could doing the record-shattering show with a broken heart.
She – like Ophelia – fell out of the "Willow" tree.
'We never painted by the numbers baby'
In the 19th Century in London, Sir John Everett Millais painted "Ophelia."
The Pre-Raphaelite artist took inspiration from "Hamlet" and splashed oil-based paint onto a canvas culminating in a masterpiece. Ophelia is seen with her head slightly above water in the moment before her demise. Swift's album cover is a present-day take of her in a bathtub. Her cat eye and bold red lip are just above the water line, while her body and sequined outfit is submerged.
There has been no confirmation of what the first track on "Showgirl" is about, but where Ophelia's and Swift's fates diverge is what happens next. No. 13 (Swift's favorite number) met No. 87 (Kelce's jersey number). The two add up to 100.
The ending is one that Ophelia never got and maybe the placement on the album is setting the scene for the pop-infused, upbeat and happy album that Swift said mirrored where she's at in life.
Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.
Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Could Taylor Swift be playing the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show? Here are all the possible clues she dropped on the 'New Heights' podcast.
If Swift were to perform at the Super Bowl — as some fans are speculating — it would be her first time appearing on the halftime stage. Swifties think their favorite artist is dropping hints about a major upcoming gig — but is Taylor Swift really performing at the Super Bowl halftime show next year? Fans think it's very likely, as long as you read between the lines of her New Heights podcast interview with boyfriend Travis Kelce. Swift appeared on the podcast that Kelce hosts with his brother, Jason, on Aug. 13 to talk about her upcoming album The Life of a Showgirl. As Swift typically does, she dropped oodles of Easter eggs — or clues to her upcoming work — prior to the album reveal. But now, some fans think that she also teased clues during the interview that point toward the Super Bowl. Nothing has been officially announced, and all of these fan theories are pure speculation. However, if Swift does perform at the Super Bowl, it would be her first time gracing the halftime show at the sporting event — a gig she allegedly turned down before. But with an NFL player boyfriend who has won three Super Bowl titles in the past, it's possible that now is a great time for her to take the stage. Here's what we know. Swift may have dropped these numbers on purpose If you speak Swiftie, the reasons are compelling. For one thing, Swift spoke explicitly about Easter eggs on the podcast — including mentioning how she loves using 'numerology' to leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Fans who have tracked Swift's hints over the years saw it as a sign to look toward the numbers mentioned on the podcast — and one specific number stood out. As multiple people on social media pointed out, Swift referenced the number '47' twice in the podcast — once, when she joked that she performed in '47,000 countries' for the Eras Tour, and again when she thanked Jason for screaming for '47 seconds' when she revealed her new album on the pod. Why is 47 significant? Well, as some on social media pointed out, the 47th show at the Eras Tour was in Santa Clara, Calif., at Levi's Stadium. Where is the next Super Bowl being held? Levi's Stadium. But that isn't all. As TikToker @SamKochman pointed out in a video, there are more signs that seem to be pointing to this particular stadium. 'The mascot for the 49ers is Sourdough Sam, and she spent a whole lot of time talking about sourdough,' the TikToker noted, referencing how Swift gushed over her current baking obsession, even sending Kelce some bread during training camp. And she also said she's thinking about sourdough '60%' of the time — potentially a reference to the upcoming 60th Super Bowl. Oh, and here's some advanced Swiftie math: And what's 47 plus 13, Swift's favorite number? Why, it's 60. The hints go beyond numerology Another possible clue that Swift might be performing at the halftime show? She referenced her passion for those performances directly on the podcast, saying that she knew 'every halftime show from the Super Bowls' even when she 'didn't watch sports.' And though Swift has since become a football fan, thanks to boyfriend Kelce, the 'Blank Space' singer teased that she has also seen some of the negative discourse around her at the games, another possible hint at what's to come. 'As we all know, you know, you guys have a lot of male sports fans that listen to your podcast,' Swift said. 'I think we all know that if there's one thing that male sports fans want to see in their spaces and on their screens, it's more of me.' So, will we see Swift come Super Bowl Sunday, 2026? We'll have to wait and see, but it's worth noting that if an announcement is made, it will likely be soon: The choice of Kendrick Lamar to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show was revealed on Sept. 8, 2024, and Usher's 2024 performance was announced on Sept. 24, 2023. Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
23 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Taylor Swift Breaks Donald Trump's Record For Most Podcast Views In An Hour
We're sure there will be bad blood. Taylor Swift has broken a record previously held by President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, the Grammy winner appeared on the New Heights podcast hand-in-hand with her boyfriend and co-host Travis Kelce, as his older brother, Jason Kelce, interviewed Swift for a little over two hours. The Daily Beast reports that 1.3 million viewers tuned to watch the podcast episode on YouTube within the first hour that it was online. The outlet notes that reps for the 'Shake It Off' singer confirmed the number. The figure trumps the record previously held by Trump. His appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience in Oct. 2024 saw 800,000 people tune in within the first hour, according to CNN data analyst Harry Enten. CNN host Kate Bolduan also noted Wednesday the episode is 'already on track to become one of the most watched podcasts of all time.' Trump will likely be pretty peeved about Swift mopping him up. The president expressed hostility towards the 'Blank Space' singer after she publicly endorsed Kamala Harris in the build-up to the 2024 presidential election. Big Event Media / Getty Images 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,' he wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform at the time. A real post from Trump's Truth Social account: 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT' — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 15, 2024 @Phil_Lewis_/X/@realDonaldTrump/TruthSocial / Via We suppose that at least 1.3 million people think otherwise.
Buzz Feed
23 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Hawaiian Woman Response To Chief Of War Language Complaints
Earlier this month, Chief of War premiered on Apple TV+ and completely blew me away. The historical drama focuses on the unification of the Hawaiian islands, mainly from the point of view of Kaʻiana (played by Jason Momoa). As a Polynesian woman, I grew emotional seeing Hawaiian history and culture represented on screen. And so well done, too! From the cinematography to the acting to the costumes, you can feel how much love and care went into the making of this show. Since Chief of War is Jason's longtime passion project, I wouldn't expect anything less! And to hear all the actors speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian language) — goosebumps! I never in a million years imagined we'd get a show like this on a major streaming platform in a Pasifika language. What a powerful decision to kick off the series in the language these historical figures actually spoke, one with a complicated history that's being revitalized today. As of the time of writing, Apple TV+ has released three episodes, with more English in the most recent episode due to the historical events explored in the show. So, imagine my surprise when I came across quite a few social media posts criticizing Chief of War for not being in English. Some people were apparently annoyed about reading subtitles, with this X (formerly Twitter) user writing, "What morons make a show for an American audience and put it in a completely foreign language. If I wanted to read, it would be a book." Note: The image of Jason Momoa in the original tweet was replaced here due to photo rights. As more and more of these complaints made the rounds online, some Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) social media users began pushing back against this terrible take. One such person was Lily Hiʻilani Okimura, a 27-year-old substitute teacher and content creator. In a video posted to TikTok, she criticized the above tweet and explained some Americans might not be the target audience, but that doesn't mean other cultures don't deserve TV shows in their own language. In another video, she gave her review of the first few episodes and emphasized the importance of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in the series, saying, "It is not treated as a background element. It is foundational to the storytelling." To learn more, I reached out to Lily, who was "extremely impressed" by Chief of War. She told BuzzFeed, "After watching the first couple episodes and hearing it completely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, my jaw was dropped, and I felt as if I was immersed into the world. Of course, the show will eventually transition more into English as the story progresses and events in our history takes place, but having the beginning of this show and whole episodes be set in Hawaiian was amazing. And ESPECIALLY for Apple TV+?! Wouldn't have thought they would've approved. Jason Momoa and [series co-creator] Thomas Paʻa Sibbett must've fought really hard for this!" Lily began learning ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in 2020 while studying for her MFA in Hawaiian Theatre. Not only does the Hawaiian language in the show give her the opportunity to follow along and practice, but it "just makes sense" due to the plot and setting, she said. Additionally, this "further normalizes and legitimizes ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi to the outside world and for folks who may have only heard a few of the words in our language like 'aloha' and 'mahalo.'" "Hawaiian is a real language, a Polynesian language from the Austronesian language family," she continued. "It was spoken in our lands for generations before colonialism, and we were forced to speak only English. The Hawaiian language ban affected many ʻohana, including my own, where they couldn't speak it at schools or in public in order to assimilate into this new (forced) American way of living. I'm the first in my family to relearn our mother tongue, and I hope to teach it to my future children, enroll them into Hawaiian Immersion school, and that they will be fluent, and they can teach me!" "Having the show in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi also brings cultural authenticity, allowing viewers to experience the story through the same lens and worldview our kūpuna (ancestors) did, instead of filtering it through English for outside convenience. It contributes to language revitalization by making ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi visible and functional in a mainstream setting, inspiring more people to learn and speak it. For fluent speakers and immersion students, hearing the language on screen validates their identity and shows that their voices belong in the global media landscape. Just like Korean, Spanish, or French films, it reminds the world that Hawaiian deserves the SAME respect as any other global language." As far as the backlash goes, Lily thinks the complainers are "extremely uncultured and need to get out more." She continued, "There are English subtitles! Can these people not read or what?" before pointing out several examples of other languages in pop culture, from anime to Star Trek's Spock speaking Klingon to Parasite, which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2020. "We share this planet with billions of people, coming from different backgrounds and cultures and lived experiences. How boring would it be to only experience and consume art and media that only reflects one narrow worldview? Art, history, and storytelling lose so much richness when they're stripped of the language that shaped them. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi isn't just a translation option; it's the lens, the rhythm, and the worldview of our people. English was forced here through colonization, and for decades, speaking Hawaiian was punished. Choosing to tell a Hawaiian story in Hawaiian is a deliberate act of resistance and cultural restoration. Complaining about that because it's 'inconvenient' for you isn't just lazy — it's participating in the same erasure that tried to kill our language in the first place." Lily hopes that Chief of War will open the door to more TV shows and movies diving into Hawaiian history and mythology, especially in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. "Thus, more opportunities for Kānaka Maoli to tell our stories! More, new, and fresh faces! Maybe an actual TV and film industry here in the islands that's Hawaiian-centered." "E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi! The Hawaiian language shall live!" she concluded. To learn more about Kānaka Maoli culture and issues, be sure to follow Lily on TikTok and Instagram! And you can watch Chief of War on Apple TV+ here.
