Shakespeare’s other tragedies

In popular culture one particular tragic play by William Shakespeare is vastly over-represented.  This is, of course, Romeo and Juliet.  Every generation, artists from all over the English speaking world channel the Bard through these characters, a process that gives short shrift to all of his other tragic figures, such as King Lear.

It doesn't have to be this way, though.  After all, each of the singer-songwriters who most closely associate with the love story is herself in part a product of her surroundings and upbringing; in another time and place, they could have other interests, and different narratives to tell.  For example, if Taylor Swift had been born the youngest of three British princesses 2800 years earlier, she might have reflected on her life experiences like this:

I was still young when I first lost you
I knot my tongue- And the nightmare starts
I’m standing there
In the throne room with other heirs.

You begot
Me, bred me, loved me;
Honor, obey, yes I most loved you
But that’s all, little did I know

That truth would be my dower, my land digested
And my daddy said Burgundy or France it is
I refused the glib and oily art,
Begging you please don’t go. No, I said

Goneril, take my castle and we’re all done
Don’t scheme with Regan, put me on the run
Lear is the king and I’ll be the heiress
My love is earnest, daddy will say yes.

So my sisters can’t stand to see you
Disquantity your crown retinue.
Sumpter and slave,
Walk the moors for a little while.

But I still have France, spies and speculation
And daddy said stay away from British Isles
But they were everything to me
I was begging him please to war. And I said

Goneril, take my castle and we’re all done
Don’t scheme with Regan, put me on the run
Lear is the king and I’ll be the heiress
My love is earnest, daddy will say yes.

Goneril has my castle but we’re not done
Regan’s a coward, my French will never run
France is the king and I am his princess
My love is earnest, baby just fight best.

Oh Oh

Daddy, do you know me?
I’m no spirit, I’m still far and wide.
I do not mock thee
If France wins I will take you inside. Except…

Goneril took my castle and I’m all done
She schemed with Regan, put France on the run
Lear is in prison and I’m going in next
My love is earnest, daddy can’t fix this.

Butterflies gilded
Singing like birds in a cage
Wipe thine eyes; the good-years will devour your
Sisters’ young beauty, ere they make us weep; We’ll
See ‘em all starve we’re… together at last.

Oh oh
Oh oh
I may die young but I will die true.