If every act is an argument, then we are certainly justified in examining the rhetoric of a public event. That is, the structure speaks, and as with all non-verbal forms (be they narrative, persuasive or an artistic amalgam - a cultural mutt, to borrow Obama's descriptive), we must translate that speech.
And if this is true of public events in general, how much more so of a presidential inauguration. For an inauguration marks not just a transfer of power, the start of a new administration; nor is it simply political, though of course it is that. Rather, it is the opening of a narrative, and it sets the "story" no less than "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" or any other opening line. Should we view the ceremony as mere pageantry, we would miss the beginning.
I'm referring to more than the inaugural address, central as that must be. (I will examine that in the next entry.) Looking at the schedule of event, we can discern a framework, and from there a central theme - the plot skeleton, to extend the metaphor. In looking at the schedule, and the thematic it embodies, we should expect to see some sort reinforcement, or echo, of the themes told during the campaign. The difference will be the moment of "speaking" - the occasion, the kairos, or the rhetorical situation.
That can be briefly sketched: Aside from a significantly small percentage, most Americans recognized that the past eight years had been more than a failure, they had been a descent into moral chaos and irresponsibility. Given any other contingency, the financial, geopolitical and scientific future ought to lead to caution, at best, and most likely a desperate revision. Yet Obama's election, again except for a small percentage that in large part overlapped the blind apologists, created an optimism, in many ways unsupportable.
The themes played in the campaign - change and transcendence - had to be "tempered by reality" - not revolution, but evolution, if you will. The inauguration must mark not just a post-Vietnam youth movement, but the continued influence - or presence - of what must be rejected.
Let's look at the actual program:
1. Musical Selections: The United States Marine Band, followed by The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus
2. Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
3. Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
4. Musical Selection: Aretha Franklin
5. Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will be sworn into office by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honorable John Paul Stevens
6. Musical Selection: John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet)
7. President Barack H. Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincolns Inaugural Bible, administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
8. Inaugural Address
9. Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
10. Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
11. The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band Sea Chanters"
Now, without looking at the specific contents of each element, we can not several things about the structure: Not only is the inaugural ceremony framed by music, each section is separated by music. Thus: music- introduction (call to order/invocation) - music - Vice President - music - President (oath and inaugural) - music (poem) - conclusion - music. In a moment I'll discuss why the poem should be included with the musical "interludes," and why, rhetorically, it's a poem and not a song.
For now, though, we should note that this kind of balance seems to be a signature of Obama's. Very much aware of his balanced heritage (a Black man from Kenya, a White woman from Kansas), his seeming imperturbability may stem from a sense of proportion, a recognition that staying in control - which is also the only way to progress - requires balance, achieving the "golden mean." (This is not the same thing as being a centrist, politically.)
And so, the structure of the inauguration has a musical beat, or a poetic meter; it's rather iambic, in a sense - unstressed (music), stressed (action). This "poetic reading" explains why the last interlude is poetic rather than simply musical. A poetical line, or rather, a series of lines, that are too regular in their meter descend into doggerel. It is the off-stress - the trochee or anapest - that not only surprises, but moves the poem forward, metrically.
There is another way to look at the structure of the inauguration: in a narrative, the plot has two key points: the mid-point and the climax. At the mid-point, all is in place for the triumph or failure; until then, the elements must be put in place, or built. The climax resolves the conflict - triumph or defeat. And that comes two-thirds or three-fourths through the work. The rest is the denouement, the tying of loose ends.
And so it is here: The "plot points" to mid-point: music-introduction-music-vice-president. The "plot points" after the mid-point: president a (oath) and president b (the speech, the climax)-poem (music)-conclusion-music. The poem thus marks the denouement.
But what of the mid-point? That was the composition by John Williams, a very moving classical piece (one which, by his facial expression, Obama thoroughly enjoyed). What's of interest here is that while John Williams has composed many scores for screen - most notably, perhaps, Star Wars - Obama did not bring in a "youth" or "internet" performer. Rather, one got the sense that the "revolution" would be a "return" - a Kennedy-esque celebration of culture and thought.
Indeed, this turning point denotes a rather interesting series of time balances - Warren, the "young," but out-dated, offensive and ultimately irrelevant preacher vs. the Reverend Lowery, the "old," but with-it, inclusive and very relevant preacher; Aretha Franklin, the venerated "queen of soul" (a very Black, yet American genre) contrapuntal to Dr. Elizabeth Alexander's poem (and free verse became "free" with the very American poet Walt Whitman). Notice, too, that the religious speakers were men and were, in message, age, race and just about every way imaginable, in conflict, while the cultural speakers were women and were, in almost every way, compatible and complementary.
One other point: The National Anthem is usually sung at the beginning of an event. Here it was sung at the end, signalling, I think, that in fact with the inauguration of Barack Obama the United States has truly had a new beginning.
(Obviously, much more analysis could be done, but this should suffice, I hope, to generate some thought.)
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