Alright folks, this topic has spiraled out of control and this is now the third week that we are talking about Miss Swift. But I’m not complaining. Last time, we talked about my personal favorites from her newest release Midnights as well as all the tea on the background drama surrounding the songs. If you haven’t seen that post yet, go ahead and check it out!
The 3 Act Structure of Midnights
Today, I wanted to analyze Midnights as a body of art. It has a very clear beginning, middle and end. Subconsciously you might have clocked it, but today, we are going to break down in detail how Midnights follows a 3-Act Story Structure, I will be using Save the Cat terminology and referencing several previous posts on structure and character that will be linked below for further explication.
The beauty of analyzing bodies of work with this lens is that we can use these ideas as short hand when we go about writing our own works of fiction. For instance, we may think to ourselves— I need a “Karma” break into act III moment. Or how can I develop theme like in “Anti-hero”? What’s is my “Question…?” Hinge that the story rests upon?
Once you become familiar with the structure of other works, it becomes easier for you to craft your own stories. You already know what a good story *feels* like as a reader— the analysis helps kick it up a notch so that you are more consciously aware of story movement as a writer.
For simplicity’s sake, I will be referring to Taylor as the main character of this Midnights story. I am, in no way, inferring that this is exactly how Taylor Swift the artist, thinks/feels/acts. Instead, please understand that when I use Taylor going forward it is as Taylor the first person point of view narrator/main character (Or MC) of Midnights as a fictional story.
Without further ado, I present:
The Story Analysis of Midnights
Act I— Establish the Main Character & Problem
“Lavender Haze” presents our opening image. It tells us about her current state, her relationship, and her unwillingness to go with the status quo even though she feels the pressure “I’ve been under scrutiny/ You Handle it Beautifully”. She’s staying awake at night thinking about how she is stuck with this problem of being happily in love, while also feeling the pressure from the outside world to get married. “The only kind of girl they see is a one night or a bride.” Instead she is rejecting this notion, happily staying in “that Lavender Haze”.
Next up is “Maroon”. which feels like hungover reflections on a whirlwind romance. But it didn’t last. This Theme is prevalent throughout the album. Having love and not being able to hold onto it. “Carnations you had thought were roses, that’s us.” Things aren’t always as they seem. Yes, she is happy now as seen in “Lavender Haze”, but she thought she was happy before. It could all end in an instant, that’s all she’s ever known. This song represents the catalyst.
The catalyst is usually some sort of event. In this case, its Taylor’s own rumination, her unwillingness to let go of the past that strikes fear into her heart. “And I wake with your memory over me/ that’s a real fucking legacy to leave”. She’s in a good spot, but at risk of self-sabotaging her own happiness.
Speaking of self-sabotage, we end Act I with “Anti-Hero”, the MC admits her own insecurities and weaknesses. She acknowledges them and that she turns a blind eye to them. “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror.” Additionally, we see the theme of falling victim to the scrutiny of others again. “When my depression works the graveyard shift/ All of the people I’ve ghosted stand there in the room” / “I’m the problem its me/ at teatime everybody agrees”. This crippling anxiety about other people’s opinions of her keeps her in a vicious cycle “I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser”. Her fears that she won’t be able to grow and move on (She’s still stuck on old experiences like in “Maroon”). And finally, she reveals her greatest fear of driving away the people she loves is portrayed in this line ”I wake up screaming from dreaming one say, I’ll watch as you’re leaving and life will lose all its meaning.” The reason why this represents the Break into Act II is that she makes the choice to be vulnerable and self-aware. She takes a lot of ownership over her own anxieties and fears. She feels as though she is deserving of the ruined relationships, and if she messes up what she has in “Lavender Haze”, well that’s okay. Because she’s the anti-hero, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Act II— Develop & Explore the Problem
Act II begins with “Snow on the Beach”, which appropriately is when the B-Story character is introduced (My short hand for the B-Story character, now and forever, will be Han Solo of Star Wars. The character that shows up at the beginning of Act II that helps the hero on their quest— yeah that’s Lana in this context). Snow on the Beach also happens to be the only song with a feature. She’s falling madly in love and it seems impossible like “snow on the beach”. But still the fear pervades “I can’t speak, afraid to jinx it/ I don’t even dare to wish it.” This love is gentle, magical, “weird but fuckin’ beautiful.” And she doesn’t totally trust it. She is used to love like “Maroon”, everything is so much more violent “The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me, and how blood rushed into my cheeks.. the mark they saw on my collar bone, the rust that grew between telephones.” It’s rough, bloody, explosive passionate love. She almost doesn’t recognize the soft, calming, “soundless” love of Snow on the beach.
In “You’re on Your Own, Kid”, Taylor describes unrequited love. Being toyed with and being lead on. In the midst of the lyrics we see that a lot of her value comes from her relationship. Then it is her career. And she realizes that she can give and give and never feel fulfilled by these things. But she recognizes that each part of this journey is a part of her, it’s not bad or evil or wrong. She can’t hold onto the shame she felt about inadequacy, and she can’t feel shame now for feeling ashamed then. You need to take the leap, give yourself grace, “take the moment and taste it/ you’ve got no reason to be afraid/ You’re on your own kid/ you always have been.” This is a different type of ownership than “Anti- hero”. Already the character is growing. Accepting that she can’t be bogged down by her insecurity, she has to make her choices with confidence and stick to her guns. She’s all she’s got.
This little arc culminates with Midnight Rain where her love life and career are at odds. This is an evolution from the previous song. Instead of deriving self-value from either, she chooses one over the other. She makes a choice for herself even though it may have hurt the other person. “He wanted a bride I was making my own name.” “I broke his heart ‘cause he was nice.” She realizes that she can’t have it all. “I guess sometimes we all get Just what we wanted.” In this song, she realizes that her career is more important to her in this moment than the relationship. Which is a step in the right direction for her, since she is exercising her autonomy. She may have left some wreckage in her wake, but at least she was following her heart.
The midpoint of the album is “Question…?”. Taylor finds herself again in a messy romantic relationship, something that it profound and never meant to last. But profoundly, she asks a question, or several, and the most important part of the song is the lack of answer. In her life, there are times where there is no closure. However, the relationship seems to have had a profound affect on her, challenging the status quo. No longer is she worried about other people’s opinions on her life “Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room and every single one of your friends was making fun of you. But 15 seconds later they were clapping too?” This shows that her choices are no longer contingent upon other people’s opinion. This is a profound moment for the MC, this relationship was a whirlwind “Does it feel like everything’s just like second best after that meteor strike?” It’s very much a right person, wrong time situation. Instead of carrying around this person like a scar, MC is able to move on, even without answers to all the questions she still has.
Now we are moving into the darker half of the story, this is when the sun begins to set and the rules of the adventure change a little bit. Shadows make things more sinister than they appeared before. This is the most difficult part of the journey in storytelling.
This is where Taylor introduces us to “Vigilante Shit”. She has been wronged, and she is ready for revenge. “You did some bad things but I’m the worst of them.” This is Taylor devolving into her villain era. She tells two stories. One where the enemy of her enemy is her friend: “Imagine me thick as thieves with your ex-wife”. (This feels very reminiscent of “No Body, No Crime” from evermore.) Taylor has evolved enough to conduct her own moral code and execute on it. She’s in the woods now and determined to come out on top.
Next, is “Bejeweled”, the story of not being valued enough by your partner: “putting someone first only works when you’re in their top five”. And instead of wallowing like she might of in “Maroon” or in the early verses of “You’re on Your Own, Kid” she decides to embrace her own power. ”I made you my world, have you heard I can reclaim the land, and I miss you but I miss sparkling”. She no longer rests her worth on the validation of her partner, it comes from within “Best believe I’m still bejeweled when I walk in the room I can still make the whole place shimmer.”
“Labyrinth” brings us to our All is Lost/ Dark night of the Soul moment. This is the most devastating part of the journey “It only hurts this much right now.” After suffering a terrible break up she can’t help how scared she is “Breathe deep, breathe out, Ill be getting over you my whole life.” But then she realizes “uh oh, I’m falling in love.” She doesn’t think she’s ready and she doesn’t trust that this love is real after heartbreak. “I thought the plane was going down how’d you turn it all around?” At the end of the song she realizes that she is going to accept these feelings and trust this new person in her life, even though her past experiences have left her wounded. She dives in which leads us into our break into Act III.
Karma represents this break into Act III which is always a choice for the MC to continue on the journey and see it through to the end. This song is a perfect melding of her career, her relationship with herself and her romantic relationship. She can only do her best, and what she thinks is right (See “Vigilante Shit”). “I keep my side of the street clean, you wouldn’t know what I mean”. She feels comfortable in her own skin, making her own decisions because in the chorus she sings “Karma is my boyfriend, karma is a god”. She know understands what her life has been trying to teach her “Ask me what I learned from all those years, ask my what I learned from all those tears, ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here.” She’s doing great, her relationship is swell and rather than being dependent on her partner, she is empowered by them. MC is coming into their own, and they are ready for the finale.
Act III— Challenge the Main Character
“Sweet Nothing” is the beginning of our finale, consequently co-written with her current partner, it is a sweet lullaby that sonically calls back to the soft, sweetness of “Snow on the Beach”. “Outside they’re push and shoving You’re in the kitchen humming all that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing.” The song describes the juxtaposition of a chaotic world and peaceful domesticity. She runs now from the drama and the thrill of it all to “running home to your sweet nothings”.
Now, she is finally able to face her final challenge. Throughout this album, Taylor has dazzled us with her reflection and self-awareness. And now she reveals her most vulnerable self. “What if I told you none of it was accidental? At the first glance you saw me Norhing was gonna stop me I laid the ground work … what if I told you I’m a mastermind, and now your mine.” She admits to her “Machiavellian” tendencies to worm herself into his life. It’s clear that Taylor believes the true villain in her narrative is herself. We can see references to her growth throughout the album, she has always been the backseat driver, but never in control of her love life. “You see all the wisest women had to do it this way cause we were born to be the pawn in ever lovers game.” She sees him, she wants him and the only way she knows how to secure his love is to strategize like a mastermind. The culmination of all of this comes to us in the bridge “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid/ so I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since/ to make them love me and make it seem effortless.” Her most vulnerable statement in the album, it’s something that she almost feels guilty for. She has this small voice in her head still saying that this is not real (See Snow on the Beach and Labyrinth). Or that she is not worthy of love, so she has to “trick” people into loving her. The only thing is— this love is different, it’s real (See Sweet Nothing). So she tells her secret “This is the first time Ive felt the need to confess”. And as a result she realizes “You new the entire time, you knew that I’m a mastermind.” With this, she knows that she can come as she is to her relationship. She doesn’t have to manipulate or strategize to be loved— there is someone who will love her for exactly who she is. This final admission is her last Herculean task that marks the MC’s change. We start with this broken, insecure character that learns to claim her own power and recognize the love that she was deserving of the entire time.
For those of you who are interested in a bird-eyes view of the album with each of the plot beats here you go:
Act I
Lavender Haze- Set-up
Maroon- Catalyst
Anti-hero- Debate/Break into Act II
Act II
Snow on the Beach — B-Story
You’re on Your Own, Kid - Fun & Games
Midnight Rain- Fun & Games
Question…? — Midpoint
Vigilante Shit- Bad Guys Close In
Bejeweled- Bad Guys Close In
Labyrinth— All is Lost/ Dark Night of the Soul
Karma — Break into Act III
Act III
Sweet Nothing- Finale
Mastermind— Climax & Closing Image
There it is folks— Midnights as an album has an excellent 3- Act Arc that I hope is helpful to you.
I did not include the 3am Edition songs, because they work as their own mini-arc. If you enjoyed this analysis and would like a break down of the 3am Edition songs, let me know in the comments!