Betrayal Through Beyonce
By Bri Brabham, Anna Cagnassola, Anthony Mangone
A literary theme is essentially the main idea a writer explores in their literary work. The theme of a story can be conveyed using characters, setting, dialogue, or even a combination of all three of these elements. The theme is the story’s overall message and it is important because it tells us why the author wrote the story. Specifically, we are going to touch on the theme of “Betrayal” which is seen throughout what has been analyzed throughout the semester. We are going to be discussing betrayal in Lemonade, Beloved, 4:44, and 4. Betrayal is the action of someone expensing someone else to danger by treacherously giving information to an enemy.
Betrayal is a common theme in Beloved, which tends to be connected to one of the main characters Sethe. She was betrayed several times throughout the novel. One of the times was when Stamp Paid exposed Sethe to Paul D when he showed the newspaper article of when she got arrested, “ Paul D slid the clipping out from under Stamp’s palm. The print meant nothing to him so he didn’t even glance at it. He simply looked at the face, shaking his head no. At the mouth, you see. And no at whatever it was those black scratches said, and no to whatever it was Stamp Paid wanted him to know” (164). Following this Stamp, Paid didn’t want to believe it so he said, “ But this ain’t her mouth,’ Paul D said. ‘ This ain’t it at all” (165). Paul D couldn’t believe Stamp but at the end of the day, Paul D betrayed Sethe. Another time betrayal is seen in the text is when Sethe betrayed her own child by killing her. Although Sethe was going through so many things emotionally, she thought that the best thing for her child was to no longer live. By doing this she never gave her child a chance, so she betrayed her child. This was seen when the text said, “ She did not look at them; she simply swung the baby toward the wall plants, missing and tried to connect a second time, when out of nowhere- in the ticking time the men spent staring at what there was to stare at…” (158). Another example of betrayal from a different character is when Baby Suggs feels as though she betrayed her seven children because she lost them. She is thinking about whether or not they still loved her, “ Seven times she had done that: held a little foot: examined the fat fingertips with her own- fingers she never saw become the male or female hands a mother would recognize anywhere. She didn’t know to this day what their permanent teeth looked like; or how they held their heads when they walked… All seven were gone or dead” (148). Throughout this novel, it is apparent betrayal is a theme that has impacted multiple characters.
The story of Lemonade’s music could have easily translated into a literal story of betrayal and redemption in love focused solely on her and Jay-Z’s relationship, but instead, she opted for the greater picture of black women’s shared struggle. In Lemonade, we see two constant themes: anger and apathy. We see Beyonce expressing the theme of anger mostly in the garage scene where her hair is braided. We notice Beyonce talking about another woman’s body like she is an accessory, we question whether or not she views herself as an accessory or is that what she believes men view women as. She also continues her angered speech by stating how black women are neglected in America and how that is something that she shares sympathy towards with others. As she is in a dark eerie garage she begins saying “let’s take a photo of all three of us” and “putting her skin on mine” which is Beyonce referring to Jay-Z's mistress and how she is disgusted how he chose the mistress over her. Contrary to Beyonce’s anger throughout her visual album towards Jay Z and his mistress she also shows a theme of apathy, she portrays this by saying “I regret the night I put the ring on” here Beyonce seems like she is over her husband and is stating that if he does it again she’s leaving him for good. We also see Beyonce come into full form and begin to accept herself when Beyonce and Serena both reenacted one another in past events like Serena’s pose for Sports Illustrated and one of Beyonce’s music videos which symbolizes sisterhood and that connection toward one another.
Comparing 4:44 to 4
In Beyonce’s 2011 Album 4, Beyoncé explores womanhood throughout her songs. It was a different turn from her past albums which have been mostly pop music. This album was a lot more intimate while still having the iconic songs Beyonce always comes out with. Out of the 14 songs, Beyonce goes through a story of her own life and the experiences she is going through in her more mature years. In Best thing I’ve Never Had, Beyonce ironically is talking about breaking up with someone and then finding her true self through the pain they are going through. The beginning lyrics start with “what goes around come back around,” and that is the main melody that is repeated throughout the song. The theme of karma and betrayal are very prominent throughout the song. It is interesting because this song is almost Beyonce’s revival song throughout the album she goes from making fun of her ex .. So sad, you’re hurt Boo hoo, oh, did you expect me to care” To making a girl-power ballad like “Run The World” that talks about bringing up women and that girls can do anything men can.
Now, when we look 6 years in the future with Jay- Z 2017 album 4:44 Released barely two weeks after welcoming twins with Beyonce and Jay Z spends 4:44 meditating on his fame, wealth, troubled upbringing, and experience as a black man in America. But before he gets to all that, he has a certain elevator fight to address. Jay Z doesn’t waste any time in airing his grievances, referencing his infamous scuffle with his sister-in-law Solange only minutes into the album’s first track KillJay Z, talking to himself about how he lost control that night, and unexpectedly name-dropping ’90s R&B singer Eric Benét. Jay continues his apology tour on 4:44, an unflinchingly honest track where he addresses Beyonce head-on, atoning for his various sins and indirectly referencing his alleged cheating. The theme of forgiveness is portrayed in this album of 4:44 where Jay Z is reaching out to Beyonce through his lyrics trying to seek her forgiveness.
With Jay-z’s infidelity at the front, the album contrast with Beyonce’s Album 4 because it is almost his apology letter to her. He references in 4:44 how a lot of black men growing up were given advice from other black men who honestly didn’t know how to treat women properly because of the way they were raised, so as they got older they realize that they needed to understand more of their emotional side and be able to translate that in a relationship. In this day in age, you want to be with someone that makes you better. Jay Z responds to Lemonade not so much in a direct way he acknowledges that he ruined a lot of his family’s emotional state by what he did. And about how it hurts more that he would have to explain this situation to his children in the future because it is going to come around back to them.
It is really interesting to see how Beyonce almost predicted what was going to happen between her and Jay-Z and more interesting, how their music took us on a story through their pain, resentment, and realizations.
