To me it sounds like Alice is singing from the perspective of a higher power that is psychologically brainwashing a nation of people to give up all of their freedoms and essentially submit to becoming slaves. The higher power knows of it's power and feeds off of it, which is why it defiantly says "I am the plague." with a sense of narcissism at how his/her influence spreads like wildfire. Some of the symbolisms in the lyrics like 'thy gifts don't give to me' makes me think it might also be an accusation at an omnipresent "God' who is wrathful and manipulative of his creation. Either way, the song as a whole gives me a sinister Big-Brother vibe that is unsettlingly demented.
To me it sounds like Alice is singing from the perspective of a higher power that is psychologically brainwashing a nation of people to give up all of their freedoms and essentially submit to becoming slaves. The higher power knows of it's power and feeds off of it, which is why it defiantly says "I am the plague." with a sense of narcissism at how his/her influence spreads like wildfire. Some of the symbolisms in the lyrics like 'thy gifts don't give to me' makes me think it might also be an accusation at an omnipresent "God' who is wrathful and manipulative of his creation. Either way, the song as a whole gives me a sinister Big-Brother vibe that is unsettlingly demented.