Archilochus 4 and Eminem's "White America"

When one thinks Eminem and Archilochus, two different genres, music choices, influences, and many other completely opposite genres come to mind. After a little analysis though, one can truly find several connections between the two. Eminem's "White America" is an address to him being attacked for his work. In a sense, he is a victim in this work. This is interesting because Archilochus portrays himself as a warrior, a tough and brave personality. This dichotomy is very notable when one compares it against Archilochus 4. Archilochus talks about his shield and how he is not entirely dependent on it. It is very interesting to compare the two perceptions because in the first, he is complaining about how he is being attacked ("to choke, tightening around my throat"). This line helps to intensify the victimized point of the writer. He addresses the controversy that bloomed from “suburban kids” listening to his music. This address shows the speaker’s dependency on the opinion and environment around him. In contrast, Archilochus shows his independence from his surroundings and how he is “safe.” The phrase “To hell with it,” helps to exemplify this contrast between the two works because Archilochus portrays a very carefree and bold position on his situation, even though he may be in physical danger without his shield while Eminem is just faced with much criticism. His reference to the rope definitely makes it seem like he is going through much physical trouble, though.

            Both works are similar in their format though. Both authors speak in the first person and convey their problems through exclamations and strong diction that helps to really allow the reader to understand their situation. Even though both situations are complete opposites of each other, the authors are able to convey themselves in very similar, informal and strong ways.