Taylor Swift's use of irony in "Blank Space" as a rhetorical device to respond to linguistic injury

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze how Taylor Swift uses irony in her song "Blank Space" (2014) as a rhetorical device to respond to linguistic injury. The research incorporated insights from Butler (2021) on injurious language, Hutcheon's (1992) sociocultural perspective on irony, and other relevant works that discuss the uses of irony and the representation of female artists in the media. Using a qualitative interpretative approach, the analysis delved into the song's lyrics to identify instances where Swift strategically employs irony. As a result, it was possible to find many instances where Swift uses irony as a rhetorical tool to challenge the associated ‘serial dater’ stereotype. This deliberate use of irony emerges as a sophisticated rhetorical strategy, which allows Swift to reshape the narrative surrounding her romantic life creatively.