Cassandra
Ancient Greek
Trojan prophetess in Greek mythology, cursed by Apollo to speak true prophecies that no one would believe. Ultimately proven right but never heeded.
Connection to Taylor Swift
The mythological frame for the whole of Cassandra. Uncle Jerry and Angela read the song through the Trojan prophetess cursed to speak the truth and never be believed, the woman killed first because she feared the worst, and map her fate onto Taylor's own experience of warning people and being dismissed until proven right.
Notable Works
- Greek mythology (The Iliad, The Aeneid, The Oresteia)
Appears in the Archive
Context within the Archive
Cassandra myth
“So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst And tried to tell the town”
Angela & Uncle Jerry identify Cassandra as the central conceit of the entire song. Uncle Jerry provides an extensive account of the mythological Cassandra, her gift of prophecy from Apollo, Apollo's curse that no one would believe her, her warnings about the Trojan Horse, her rape by Ajax the Lesser in the temple of Athena, and her murder by Clytemnestra after being taken as Agamemnon's concubine. He argues that the Cassandra myth works as a perfect extended metaphor for Taylor Swift's experience of telling the truth and not being believed, and further identifies themes of feminine marginalization, the ignored prophet, the sacred vs. profane, and imprisonment as embedded in the mythological figure. He also notes the snakes in Cassandra's story, in one version, snakes licked her and her brother's eyes to give them the gift of prophecy, and connects them to the Delphian python and Apollo's acquisition of prophetic ability.