Pretty sure this series is about William Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Island describes the discovery of Caliban, the son of Sycorax, a witch. The Landlord's Daughter seems like a reference to his attempted rape of Miranda, the daughter of Prospero. You'll Not Feel the Drowning I'm not sure about either, but the description of the subject of the song as a pitiful, ugly fool would also seem to fit as a description of Caliban.
According to wikipedia, Caliban has some of the most eloquent lines of the play, making him a tragic but redeemable character, and this would seem to fit with The Decemberists' tendencies.
I've read Tempest way more times thatn i care to remember (with special attention paid to Caliban) and I think I've got it all figured out. You're right about "Landlord's Daughter"--it's the attempted rape of Miranda. "Come and See" is actually (I'm pretty sure) about Sycorax and Caliban coming to the island AS WELL AS Prospero and Miranda arriving there, too. Don't forget that there are a lot of similarities between those two single-parent families. "You'll Not Feel the Drowning" gave me trouble, but at last I think I figured it out--before prospero and...
I've read Tempest way more times thatn i care to remember (with special attention paid to Caliban) and I think I've got it all figured out. You're right about "Landlord's Daughter"--it's the attempted rape of Miranda. "Come and See" is actually (I'm pretty sure) about Sycorax and Caliban coming to the island AS WELL AS Prospero and Miranda arriving there, too. Don't forget that there are a lot of similarities between those two single-parent families. "You'll Not Feel the Drowning" gave me trouble, but at last I think I figured it out--before prospero and Miranda get there, Sycorax dies. I think this is Caliban singing to his mother, and I think "go to sleep now, little ugly" is Caliban parroting something she used to say to him as a child (after all, neither were good-looking).
Furthermore, I'm pretty sure "Sons and Daughters" is the end of the play, when amends have been made and everyone's going home to start anew and live happily ever after. The "Son" is Ferdinand, and the "Daughter" is Miranda.
I hadn't read 'Tempest' but this Miranda character...
I hadn't read 'Tempest' but this Miranda character...
"meet me on my vast veranda; my sweet untouched Miranda" - We both go down together
"meet me on my vast veranda; my sweet untouched Miranda" - We both go down together
In that song the man does attempt/succeed in raping their 'Miranda'
Is it just me or does it seem like the landlord's daughter may have a small connection with 'We both go down together'? And in that case, 'Leslie Ann Levine'?
In that song the man does attempt/succeed in raping their 'Miranda'
Is it just me or does it seem like the landlord's daughter may have a small connection with 'We both go down together'? And in that case, 'Leslie Ann Levine'?
Pretty sure this series is about William Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Island describes the discovery of Caliban, the son of Sycorax, a witch. The Landlord's Daughter seems like a reference to his attempted rape of Miranda, the daughter of Prospero. You'll Not Feel the Drowning I'm not sure about either, but the description of the subject of the song as a pitiful, ugly fool would also seem to fit as a description of Caliban.
According to wikipedia, Caliban has some of the most eloquent lines of the play, making him a tragic but redeemable character, and this would seem to fit with The Decemberists' tendencies.
I've read Tempest way more times thatn i care to remember (with special attention paid to Caliban) and I think I've got it all figured out. You're right about "Landlord's Daughter"--it's the attempted rape of Miranda. "Come and See" is actually (I'm pretty sure) about Sycorax and Caliban coming to the island AS WELL AS Prospero and Miranda arriving there, too. Don't forget that there are a lot of similarities between those two single-parent families. "You'll Not Feel the Drowning" gave me trouble, but at last I think I figured it out--before prospero and...
I've read Tempest way more times thatn i care to remember (with special attention paid to Caliban) and I think I've got it all figured out. You're right about "Landlord's Daughter"--it's the attempted rape of Miranda. "Come and See" is actually (I'm pretty sure) about Sycorax and Caliban coming to the island AS WELL AS Prospero and Miranda arriving there, too. Don't forget that there are a lot of similarities between those two single-parent families. "You'll Not Feel the Drowning" gave me trouble, but at last I think I figured it out--before prospero and Miranda get there, Sycorax dies. I think this is Caliban singing to his mother, and I think "go to sleep now, little ugly" is Caliban parroting something she used to say to him as a child (after all, neither were good-looking).
Furthermore, I'm pretty sure "Sons and Daughters" is the end of the play, when amends have been made and everyone's going home to start anew and live happily ever after. The "Son" is Ferdinand, and the "Daughter" is Miranda.
Sorry, specifically Caliban is singing to his DEAD mother in "You'll not feel the Drowning."
Sorry, specifically Caliban is singing to his DEAD mother in "You'll not feel the Drowning."
I hadn't read 'Tempest' but this Miranda character...
I hadn't read 'Tempest' but this Miranda character...
"meet me on my vast veranda; my sweet untouched Miranda" - We both go down together
"meet me on my vast veranda; my sweet untouched Miranda" - We both go down together
In that song the man does attempt/succeed in raping their 'Miranda' Is it just me or does it seem like the landlord's daughter may have a small connection with 'We both go down together'? And in that case, 'Leslie Ann Levine'?
In that song the man does attempt/succeed in raping their 'Miranda' Is it just me or does it seem like the landlord's daughter may have a small connection with 'We both go down together'? And in that case, 'Leslie Ann Levine'?
Just a thought
Just a thought