Bob Dylan's Command of Metaphor and other essays

by Mary Freeman

Written at the height of Bob Dylan's popularity, this book's essays link his metaphors to the poetry of Shakespeare, Blake, Donne, and T.S. Eliot. Literary critics as diverse as Aristotle, Coleridge, Philip Wheelwright, and Northrup Frye concur that the command of metaphor may be the most important native talent for a poet to possess. In this book their theories are brought to bear on Dylan's lyrics in close studies, answering the question "Why was Bob Dylan awarded the Nobel prize for *literature* in 2016?" In addition, one essay (entitled "Chapter Three"), explores the Sixties, the reasons for the cultural revolution that happened then, and how the metaphors in the lyrics of Bob Dylan, a major voice in the day, relate to it.

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2020

About the author

Author of a series of gardening mysteries. These are published under her maiden name. Also writes as Mary Rosenblum

Reviews

[Rick F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bob Dylan's Command of Metaphor and Other Essays is a mixed bag—a sincere, intellectual tribute to Dylan’s poetic prowess that’s hampered by its own time warp. Freeman’s passion is undeniable, and her insights often resonate, but the book feels like a snapshot of a moment rather than a definitive statement. It’s a worthy read for the Dylan-obsessed, though it may leave others wishing for a broader lens on his enduring enigma.