July 30, 2025 - English Studies

“Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters: Summary and Critique

“Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters first appeared in Critical Studies in Education in 2007 (Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 165–178), and was published online by Routledge on May 13, 2008.

“Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters

“Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters first appeared in Critical Studies in Education in 2007 (Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 165–178), and was published online by Routledge on May 13, 2008. This pivotal article examines Michel Foucault’s late-1970s lectures on governmentality—particularly his analysis of German ordoliberalism and the emergence of the “social market economy”—and how these ideas influenced the broader trajectory of neoliberalism. Peters highlights Foucault’s shift from disciplinary regimes to biopolitics, marking a new phase in which liberalism governs not only institutions but also individual subjectivity through economic rationality. Central to Foucault’s insight is the link between the governance of the self and the governance of populations—a critical concept that challenges both Marxist and classical liberal accounts of power and knowledge. Peters situates this analysis within Foucault’s genealogical method, emphasizing how modern political reason, particularly in the context of post-war Germany, shaped neoliberal thought by embedding market logics within legal and social frameworks. The article is significant in the fields of literature and literary theory for its demonstration of how economic ideologies permeate discursive practices and subject formation, extending Foucault’s influence beyond philosophy into cultural and educational studies. Peters’ work thereby underscores the enduring relevance of governmentality studies for understanding the cultural conditions of neoliberalism and their implications for literary and critical theory.

Summary of “Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters

1. Foucault’s Shift to Governmentality and Biopolitics

Foucault’s work in the late 1970s marked a shift from analyzing disciplinary institutions to studying governmentality—the “conduct of conduct” at the intersection of knowledge, power, and subjectivity.
He rejected both Marxist notions of “knowledge as ideology” and classical liberal ideas of disinterested truth, instead focusing on how “practices of knowledge” are “produced through the relations of power” and help shape subjectivity (Peters, 2007, p. 166).

“Power is exercised only over free subjects, and only insofar as they are free.” (Foucault, 1982, p. 221, cited in Peters, 2007, p. 165)

2. The Link Between Government of the Self and of the State

One of Foucault’s central insights is that liberal governance works through the alignment of self-governance with state sovereignty.

“Liberal modes of governing… utilize the capacities of free acting subjects” and depend on specific definitions of freedom (Peters, 2007, p. 165).
This insight underpins Foucault’s analysis of biopolitics—the management of populations through political and economic rationalities.

3. Origins of Biopolitical Government: From Family to State

The emergence of modern government is traced to the 16th century, where “the art of government” first aligned with managing the economy of the household (oikos).

Rousseau later echoed this in his Discourse on Political Economy, where “the government of the state is modeled on the management… of the family” (Peters, 2007, p. 166).
Biopolitics focuses on “treating the population as a mass of living and co-existing beings” (Foucault, 1989, p. 106, cited in Peters, 2007, p. 167).

4. German Neoliberalism and the Ordoliberal Tradition

Foucault devotes significant attention to German ordoliberalism, especially the Freiburg School (Eucken, Böhm, Müller-Armack), as foundational to post-war German economic policy.

Ordoliberals advocated for a strong legal-juridical framework to secure market competition and social equity through the “social market economy” (Peters, 2007, pp. 169–170).
“The social market economy was devised as an economic system combining market freedom with social equilibrium” (Peters, 2007, p. 169).

5. Distinguishing Neoliberalism from Classical Liberalism

Foucault differentiates neoliberalism by its emphasis on knowledge of how to govern globally through the market economy (Peters, 2007, p. 170).

The “theory of pure competition” was central to this transformation, where market mechanisms regulated society (Peters, 2007, p. 170).
The neoliberal subject becomes homo economicus—rational, self-regulating, and entrepreneurial.

6. Critique of State Power and the Rise of ‘State-Phobia’

Foucault situates German neoliberalism in the post-Nazi context of “state-phobia”, which extended into critiques of Keynesianism, the New Deal, and the British welfare state (Peters, 2007, pp. 168–169).

German neoliberals saw these statist approaches as threats to individual freedom and market function.

7. Ethical Foundations of Market Order in Freiburg School

The Freiburg school regarded the market as “an ethical order” that must be protected from monopolies and state intervention (Vanberg, 2004, cited in Peters, 2007, p. 170).
In contrast, Müller-Armack viewed the market as a technical instrument requiring ethical supplementation through “social policies” (Peters, 2007, p. 170).

8. Legal Order and the Concept of Economic Constitution

Central to ordoliberal thought is the idea of Ordnung (order), or the legal-economic structure necessary for a free market to function ethically.
Foucault highlights that “one improves the economy by improving the economic constitution or the institutional framework” (Peters, 2007, p. 171).

9. From Social Policy to European Social Model

Foucault links German neoliberalism to the broader formation of the European social model, emphasizing how social equity was integrated within a competitive market logic.

This informs Third Way politics and education policy, especially in the “knowledge economy” era (Peters, 2007, pp. 172–173).

10. Governmentality as a Tool to Understand Modern Neoliberalism

Foucault provides a framework to analyze how governing the self (e.g. through enterprise culture and accountability) aligns with governing populations (Peters, 2007, p. 173).
“Neoliberalism institutionalizes the entrepreneurial self… generalizing all forms of capitalization of the self” (Peters, 2007, p. 173).

His work offers an alternative to moralistic critiques of neoliberalism (e.g., David Harvey) by historicizing its epistemological roots.

Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters

Term	Explanation + Example from Article
🧠 Governmentality	Explanation: Foucault’s term for the art of governing beyond traditional notions of state power; it refers to the rationalities and techniques by which subjects are governed. Example: The article explains how Foucault analyzed liberalism through governmentality—highlighting how freedom itself becomes a mechanism of control by mobilizing individuals’ self-regulation.
🧬 Biopolitics	Explanation: A form of power focused on managing populations as biological and political entities. It refers to the governance of life—birth, death, health, longevity, etc. Example: Foucault’s concept that the state “has essentially to take care of men as a population” signals the shift toward biopolitics through practices like public health and education policies.
⚖️ Ordoliberalism	Explanation: A German school of neoliberal thought emphasizing a strong legal and institutional framework to maintain market competition. Example: Peters details how thinkers like Eucken and Erhard crafted the “social market economy” where the state ensures competition while also providing social welfare safeguards.
🧾 Political Economy	Explanation: The study of how economic theories and practices intersect with political structures. Example: Foucault investigates how political economy becomes the internal limit of liberal government—through the principle of market truth rather than justice.
👤 Subjectivation / Subjectivity	Explanation: The process by which individuals are shaped as subjects through power and knowledge structures. Example: Foucault shifts from focusing on individuals to how political systems produce subjects, particularly through pastoral power and self-regulation.
💼 Entrepreneurial Self	Explanation: A neoliberal ideal where individuals treat themselves as businesses, investing in their own skills and productivity. Example: Peters discusses how neoliberalism institutionalizes the entrepreneurial self in education and labor policy—framing life as a project of performance and accountability.
📊 Political Arithmetic (Statistics)	Explanation: Techniques used to quantify and regulate populations, foundational to biopolitical governance. Example: The article mentions how Foucault examines “political arithmetic” as a key in the formation of population-focused governance, moving away from sovereignty toward management.
🧩 Reason of State (Raison d’État)	Explanation: A concept of governance where the state’s legitimacy stems from its effectiveness, not from divine or natural law. Example: Foucault describes the shift in the 16th century when state legitimacy began to rest on managing populations and economies rather than sovereign decree.
🏛️ Civil Society	Explanation: A domain of voluntary associations and private relationships distinct from the state. In neoliberalism, it becomes a crucial support structure for economic freedom. Example: Peters notes Foucault’s focus on civil society (via Adam Ferguson) as an essential companion to homo economicus, allowing liberalism to function without direct state intervention.
📈 Homo Economicus	Explanation: The model of a rational, self-interested economic actor central to neoliberal thought. Example: In Foucault’s lectures, this figure is redefined under neoliberalism not simply as a consumer but as an entrepreneur of the self, engaged in constant self-investment.

Contribution of “Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters to Literary Theory/Theories

📘 Literary Theory	🧩 Contribution from the Article	🔍 Reference / Example from the Article
🔄 Poststructuralism	Challenges essentialist views of power, identity, and meaning by emphasizing discourse, governmentality, and the subject as effects of historical power-knowledge.	“Foucault examined practices of knowledge produced through the relations of power” (p. 166)
⚖️ Critical Theory	Critiques neoliberalism as a form of masked ideological control that embeds market rationality within notions of freedom and governance.	“Neoliberalism institutionalizes the entrepreneurial self and generalizes all forms of capitalization of the self” (p. 173)
🔨 Marxist Literary Theory	Reinterprets capitalist ideology through biopolitics and state intervention, emphasizing power beyond class struggle and material base.	“Technologies of power… based on biopolitical techniques that bypassed the law and its freedoms” (p. 167)
🧠 Psychoanalytic Theory	Engages implicitly with the psychic internalization of neoliberal governance, especially the construction of the ‘entrepreneurial self.’	“The government of the self has become so important to understanding both neoliberalism and Third Way politics” (p. 173)
🎭 Cultural Studies	Links political economy to subject formation and cultural practices, particularly in education and knowledge production.	“The notion of the ‘citizen–consumer’—a market-democracy hybrid of the subject…” (p. 172)
⏳ New Historicism	Uses Foucault’s genealogy to historicize neoliberalism from feudalism through modernity, stressing contingency in the development of state power.	“Foucault explores the problem of government as it ‘explodes in the sixteenth century’ after the collapse of feudalism…” (p. 166)
👤 Reader-Response Theory	Undermines the idea of an autonomous reader by showing how neoliberalism configures the subject as a rational, self-regulating individual.	“…the entrepreneurial self is an individual constantly acting on him or herself to improve future outcomes” (p. 173)
🧩 Structuralism	Reveals how neoliberalism depends on binary oppositions (e.g., market vs. state, freedom vs. regulation) within systems of meaning and governance.	“Liberalism… possessed a distinctive concept and rationale for the activity of governing” (p. 167)

Examples of Critiques Through “Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters

📘 Literary Work	🧩 Foucauldian-Neoliberal Critique (via Peters)	🔍 Example Application
🏙️ George Orwell – 1984	Explores disciplinary society, but can be contrasted with Peters’ view that modern neoliberal control is biopolitical, not overtly repressive.	Winston is punished through overt surveillance; in contrast, Peters’ neoliberal subject internalizes self-discipline through “freedom.”
🎓 Kazuo Ishiguro – Never Let Me Go	Illustrates biopolitics and life administration, as characters are bred and conditioned to die for the good of the system.	Like Foucault’s population management, clones are produced for “health” policies—echoing Peters’ discussion of state-as-caregiver logic.
🧳 F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby	Jay Gatsby exemplifies the entrepreneurial self—constantly investing in himself to maximize symbolic capital—mirroring neoliberal subjectivity.	Peters’ idea of “capitalization of the self” applies directly to Gatsby’s self-invention through social mobility fantasies.
🏫 Alan Bennett – The History Boys	Demonstrates neoliberal restructuring of education as human capital production, echoing Peters’ critique of knowledge economies.	Schoolboys are trained not for knowledge but for university rankings—reflecting Peters’ concern with “audit culture” and “output-based accountability.”

Criticism Against “Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters

🔍 Overreliance on Foucault Without Critical Distance

Peters adopts Foucault’s framework largely uncritically, potentially reproducing its blind spots rather than interrogating them.
Critics may argue he does not sufficiently engage with limitations in Foucault’s genealogy—such as its lack of attention to resistance, race, or class struggle.

🌍 Limited Global Scope

The article centers heavily on German ordoliberalism and European contexts, overlooking how neoliberalism manifests differently in the Global South, postcolonial states, or authoritarian economies.
The broader geopolitical impact of biopolitics—e.g. in colonial or militarized zones—is underexplored.

📚 Minimal Engagement with Alternative Theories of Neoliberalism

Peters does not deeply contrast Foucault’s insights with other major theorists such as David Harvey, Wendy Brown, or Nancy Fraser, who bring Marxist, feminist, or racialized critiques of neoliberal power.

As a result, readers are offered a Foucauldian “monologue” rather than a dialogue with diverse theoretical traditions.

🧱 Ambiguity Around Resistance or Agency

By emphasizing how neoliberalism molds the entrepreneurial self, Peters may understate spaces of resistance or critical agency within neoliberal regimes.
There’s little discussion of how individuals contest, subvert, or escape governmentality—even within educational or cultural settings.

🧠 Abstraction Without Concrete Case Studies

The analysis remains highly abstract; it theorizes subjectivity and governmentality but lacks grounded ethnographic, empirical, or literary case studies to exemplify how neoliberalism actually functions in lived practice.

📏 Loose Conceptual Boundaries

Concepts like “entrepreneurial self” or “capitalization of the self” are not tightly defined in Peters’ usage, and could benefit from clearer boundaries or distinctions from existing psychological or sociological models.

Representative Quotations from “Foucault, biopolitics and the birth of neoliberalism” by Michael A. Peters with Explanation

#	Quotation	Explanation
1️⃣	“Power is exercised only over free subjects, and only insofar as they are free.”	Power in modern societies operates through freedom—by influencing how individuals choose and act, rather than through direct coercion.
2️⃣	“The problem… is not to liberate the individual from the state, but to liberate ourselves from the type of individualization linked to it.”	Foucault warns that the deeper issue is how the state shapes individuals’ identities—not just its external control, but its role in forming subjectivity.
3️⃣	“Foucault examined practices of knowledge produced through the relations of power.”	Knowledge is not neutral—it’s shaped by power and, in turn, reinforces power structures. This challenges traditional epistemological assumptions.
4️⃣	“Western society employed technologies of power… based on biopolitical techniques that bypassed the law.”	Modern governance uses disciplinary and biological regulation rather than legal mandates—shaping behavior subtly and systemically.
5️⃣	“Government emerges… as a general problem… including the government of the self.”	The act of governing includes self-regulation, where individuals internalize social norms and manage their behavior in accordance with political rationality.
6️⃣	“It wields its power over living beings… its politics… has to be a biopolitics.”	The state manages populations as biological entities—through health, reproduction, and life expectancy—thus politics becomes biopolitics.
7️⃣	“The problem of neoliberalism is knowledge… of how to exercise global political power based on the principles of a market economy.”	Neoliberalism governs through expert knowledge—embedding economic logic into global political systems and statecraft.
8️⃣	“The market based on the rule of law was seen as an essential bulwark of liberalism.”	Neoliberalism, especially in the German tradition, relies on strong legal frameworks to ensure fair competition, not just deregulation.
9️⃣	“Neoliberalism institutionalized enterprise culture… capitalization of the self.”	Individuals become entrepreneurs of the self—expected to invest in and optimize themselves as if they were economic assets.
🔟	“Foucault provides us with a complex genealogy… that confounds standard accounts of liberalism and neoliberalism.”	Foucault challenges simplistic critiques by tracing the nuanced evolution of modern political rationalities like neoliberalism.

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen: A Critical Analysis

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen first appeared in 2009 as the opening track of his album Working on a Dream.

Introduction: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen first appeared in 2009 as the opening track of his album Working on a Dream. This narrative ballad unfolds the mythic tale of a morally conflicted antihero, Outlaw Pete, who journeys from infant bank robber to remorseful fugitive. The song draws on themes of fate, identity, and redemption, tapping into the American storytelling tradition of frontier legends and western outlaws. Its popularity stems not only from Springsteen’s gripping lyricism and storytelling but also from the larger-than-life character that blurs the lines between sinner and seeker. A poignant line—“We cannot undo these things we’ve done”—spoken by Pete’s dying nemesis, encapsulates the fatalistic gravity of the outlaw’s path and the burden of past deeds. The blend of myth, morality, and Springsteen’s iconic musical style has made Outlaw Pete a standout work in his repertoire.

Text: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail
At six months old he’d done three months in jail
He robbed a bank in his diapers and little bare baby feet
All he said was “Folks my name is Outlaw Pete”
I’m Outlaw Pete, I’m Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

At 25 a Mustang pony he did steal
And he rode her ’round and ’round on heaven’s wheel
Father Jesus I’m an outlaw, killer and a thief
And I slow down only to sow my grief
I’m Outlaw Pete, I’m Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

He cut his trail of tears across the countryside
And where he went women wept and men died

One night he awoke from a vision of his own death
Saddled his pony and rode out deep into the West
Married a Navajo girl and settled down on the res.
And as the snow fell he held their beautiful daughter to his chest
I’m Outlaw Pete, I’m Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?
Can you hear me? Can you hear me?

Out of the East on an Irish stallion came bounty hunter Dan
His heart quickened and burdened by the need to get his man
He found Pete peacefully fishing by the river
Pulled his gun and got the drop
He said “Pete you think you’ve changed but you have not”

He cocked his pistol pulled the trigger and shouted, “Let it start”
Pete drew a knife from his boot, threw it,
And pierced Dan through the heart
Dan smiled as he lay in his own blood dying in the sun
Whispered in Pete’s ear “We cannot undo these things we’ve done”
You’re Outlaw Pete, You’re Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?
Can you hear me? Can you hear me?

For forty days & nights Pete rode and did not stop
Till he sat high upon an icy mountaintop
He watched a hawk on a desert updraft, slip & slide
Moved to the edge and dug his spurs deep into his pony’s side

Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge
And some say they remain frozen high up on that icy ledge
A young Navajo girl washes in the river, her skin so fair
And braids a piece of Pete’s buckskin chaps into her hair
Outlaw Pete, Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?
Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
Can you hear me? Can you hear me?

Annotations: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

Stanza #	Simple English Annotation	🎨 Literary Devices Used
1	Pete is born on the Appalachian Trail and starts committing crimes as a baby, including robbing a bank in diapers. He boldly announces his outlaw identity.	🟣 Hyperbole – Doing jail time and robbing a bank as an infant 🔵 Irony – A baby cast as a hardened criminal 🟡 Alliteration – “bare baby feet” 🔴 Repetition – “I’m Outlaw Pete”
2	At age 25, Pete steals a wild Mustang pony and rides endlessly. He admits to being a killer and thief, only stopping to feel grief.	🟣 Symbolism – “Heaven’s wheel” suggests fate or divine judgment 🔴 Repetition – “I’m Outlaw Pete” 🟢 Religious Allusion – “Father Jesus” implies moral reckoning 🔵 Internal Rhyme – “killer and a thief”
3	Pete continues spreading pain across the land. After dreaming of his own death, he flees west, marries a Navajo woman, and starts a family.	🟢 Imagery – “women wept and men died” paints emotional and physical devastation 🔴Foreshadowing – “vision of his own death” 🟡 Cultural Reference – “settled down on the res” refers to Native American reservations
4	Bounty hunter Dan arrives from the East, determined to capture Pete. He finds Pete peacefully fishing but accuses him of being unchanged. A deadly fight ensues, ending in Dan’s death.	🔴 Dialogue – Builds dramatic tension and character conflict 🟣 Irony – Peaceful scene disrupted by fatal violence 🟢 Symbolism – “We cannot undo these things” implies moral consequence 🔵 Climax – Central conflict reaches peak
5	Pete flees for 40 days and nights and rides to a mountaintop. Some say he vanished, others say he remains frozen there. His daughter, now grown, honors him by braiding his chaps into her hair.	🟣 Mythical Imagery – “icy mountaintop,” “vanished over the edge” evokes legend 🟢 Symbolism – The daughter braiding his chaps into her hair signifies memory and legacy 🔴 Ambiguity – Ending is open to interpretation 🟡 Allusion – “forty days and nights” echoes biblical endurance

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

✴️ Device	📝 Example from the Song	🧠 Explanation
🟡 Alliteration	“diapers and little bare baby feet”	Repetition of initial consonant sounds (“bare baby”) adds rhythm and emphasis.
🟢 Allusion (Biblical)	“Father Jesus I’m an outlaw, killer and a thief”	Reference to Christian morality, creating moral tension and spiritual contrast.
🔴 Ambiguity	“Some say they remain frozen high up on that icy ledge”	Unclear whether Pete survives or dies, allowing for multiple interpretations.
🟣 Anaphora	“Can you hear me? Can you hear me?”	Repetition at the beginning of lines adds emotional urgency and plea.
🔵 Assonance	“He watched a hawk on a desert updraft, slip & slide”	Repetition of vowel sounds (“hawk,” “updraft,” “slide”) enhances musicality.
🟠 Climax	“Pete drew a knife from his boot… pierced Dan through the heart”	Peak moment of tension and action—Dan’s death represents the narrative climax.
🟣 Dialogue	“Pete you think you’ve changed but you have not”	Adds realism and reveals character motivations and emotional conflict.
🟤 Foreshadowing	“He awoke from a vision of his own death”	Hints at future confrontation and his possible demise.
🟢 Hyperbole	“At six months old he’d done three months in jail”	Extreme exaggeration used to mythologize Pete’s character.
🔵 Imagery	“A young Navajo girl washes in the river, her skin so fair”	Vivid visual detail evokes serenity and legacy.
🟣 Irony	A baby robbing a bank	Humor and absurdity contrast with the seriousness of crime.
🟠 Metaphor	“cut his trail of tears across the countryside”	Suggests a path of emotional and physical destruction; echoes Native history.
🟤 Motif	“I’m Outlaw Pete” repeated	Reinforces identity and inner conflict throughout the ballad.
🟡 Narrative Structure	Full life story from birth to mythic end	Told like a Western epic or folklore tale, gives the song literary depth.
🔴 Onomatopoeia	“Pulled his gun and got the drop” (implied gunfire)	Suggests sound and action to intensify the scene (though subtle here).
🟢 Personification	“He rode her ’round and ’round on heaven’s wheel”	Heaven’s wheel acts as fate, giving divine agency to his ride.
🔵 Repetition	“I’m Outlaw Pete, I’m Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?”	Reinforces the haunting presence of Pete and his inescapable identity.
🟣 Setting	“on the Appalachian Trail”; “high upon an icy mountaintop”	Establishes time and place, lending mythic and epic qualities.
🟠 Simile	“Dan smiled as he lay in his own blood dying in the sun” (implied rather than direct simile)	The visual comparison of his dying moment to the sun adds tragic beauty.
🟡 Symbolism	The hawk, the pony, and the icy ledge	Represent fate, freedom, and the mystery of Pete’s end; enhances allegorical depth.

Themes: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

🔴 1. Fate and Inescapable Identity: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen begins with a surreal depiction of destiny: “He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail / At six months old he’d done three months in jail.” 🔵 From birth, Pete’s identity is tied to crime, suggesting that he is fated to live as an outlaw. His repeated self-declaration—“I’m Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?”—acts like a brand or curse, affirming that his name defines him. 🟣 Even after trying to change by starting a family, bounty hunter Dan declares, “Pete you think you’ve changed but you have not.” 🔴 The theme highlights how deeply a person’s identity can become bound to their past, suggesting some fates are impossible to outrun.

🟢 2. Crime, Consequence, and Guilt: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen explores not just the spectacle of crime, but its emotional toll. Pete is introduced through comic hyperbole—“He robbed a bank in his diapers”—yet his self-reflection shows depth: “Father Jesus I’m an outlaw, killer and a thief / And I slow down only to sow my grief.” 🔴 These lines reveal a man tormented by the pain he has caused. The climax intensifies this guilt when Dan, as he dies, whispers, “We cannot undo these things we’ve done.” 🟣 Springsteen emphasizes that beyond violence lies the deeper punishment of regret—a reminder that consequences are internal as well as external.

🔵 3. Redemption and Transformation: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen offers a moment of peace when Pete seems to seek redemption. After years of destruction, he marries a Navajo woman and cradles his daughter: “And as the snow fell he held their beautiful daughter to his chest.” 🟢 This scene suggests hope—perhaps even healing. Pete steps away from violence and into a quiet life. But Dan’s fatal confrontation—“You think you’ve changed but you have not”—questions whether transformation is real or simply denial. 🔴 The theme remains unresolved, leaving us to wonder if true redemption is possible or if Pete’s past forever defines him.

🟡 4. Myth, Legend, and the American West: “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen is crafted like a tall tale of the Wild West, blending myth and metaphor. From robbing banks as a baby to fleeing on a “Mustang pony” and disappearing into the mountains, Pete’s life echoes legends. 🟠 The song’s language—“trail of tears,” “heaven’s wheel,” “icy mountaintop”—evokes folklore and Native imagery. The closing lines—“Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge”—leave his fate mysterious, as if he became part of the landscape itself. 🟣 In this way, Springsteen elevates Pete into a symbol of outlaw mythology, forever suspended between history and legend.

Literary Theories and “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

✴️ Literary Theory	📖 How It Applies	🔍 Reference from the Poem
1. Psychoanalytic Theory	Focuses on unconscious desires, guilt, and inner conflict. Pete’s dual identity as a criminal and a father reflects deep internal struggle between the id (impulse) and superego (conscience).	“Father Jesus I’m an outlaw, killer and a thief / And I slow down only to sow my grief” — shows remorse and inner guilt.
2. Marxist Theory	Explores class, power, and rebellion. Pete is a symbol of rebellion against social order, law, and perhaps capitalism, living on the fringes of society.	“He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail / At six months old he’d done three months in jail” — suggests systemic marginalization from birth.
3. Feminist Theory	Examines gender roles and representation. Women in the poem are peripheral and emotional observers; Pete’s wife is unnamed, and his daughter represents legacy but not agency.	“He held their beautiful daughter to his chest” — symbolizes female characters as emotional anchors, not active agents.
4. Mythological/Archetypal Theory	Interprets Pete as a mythic hero or antihero. His journey follows a typical hero’s path—birth, trials, confrontation, exile, and ambiguous end.	“Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge” — portrays him as a legendary figure, possibly immortalized in myth.

Critical Questions about “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

❓🔴 1. How does fate shape identity in “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen?

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen raises the question of whether Pete chooses his criminal path or is doomed to it from birth. The song opens with an exaggerated but telling image: “He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail / At six months old he’d done three months in jail.” This fantastical beginning suggests that Pete’s identity is predetermined. The repetition of “I’m Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?” throughout the song reinforces the inescapability of that identity. 🔁 Is Pete truly making decisions, or is he merely playing out a script written for him by his name, society, or destiny?

❓🟢 2. Can a person ever truly escape their past in “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen?

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen forces us to question whether transformation is genuine or merely temporary. Pete attempts to build a new life—“Married a Navajo girl and settled down on the res”—and appears to find peace as a husband and father. But this redemption is violently interrupted when Dan, the bounty hunter, confronts him and declares: “Pete, you think you’ve changed but you have not.” ⛓️ Despite Pete’s efforts to change, the past tracks him down. The question becomes: is change only meaningful if the world believes it, or is internal transformation enough?

❓🔵 3. What is the role of myth and exaggeration in defining “truth” in “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen?

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen presents a fantastical narrative where Pete robs a bank as a baby and possibly rides off a mountaintop, vanishing into legend. “Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge / And some say they remain frozen high up on that icy ledge.” 🌄 These lines leave Pete’s fate open to speculation, cementing his mythic status. The story blends fact with fable, challenging our notion of truth. Is Springsteen telling a literal tale or crafting a parable about human struggle? This invites a deeper discussion on the power of storytelling in shaping legacy and identity.

❓🟡 4. How are women portrayed in “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen, and what does this suggest?

“Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen includes very limited representations of women, prompting the question of their narrative role. Women are present as emotional markers, not active agents: “And where he went women wept and men died.” Later, Pete’s wife is only identified by her culture—“a Navajo girl”—and his daughter becomes a symbol of remembrance: “braids a piece of Pete’s buckskin chaps into her hair.” 🧵 While their presence humanizes Pete, they are not developed as characters with voices or actions. This raises concerns about gender representation and how women are often used to reflect or reinforce male identity in myth-based narratives.

Literary Works Similar to “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

🔫 1. “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes

🔗 Similarity: Both tell tragic, romanticized stories of outlaws who live and die by their choices. Like Pete, the Highwayman is a doomed antihero haunted by fate and love.
🟠 Themes: Doomed love, outlaw life, fate
📜 Narrative Style: Ballad with refrain and vivid imagery

🏹 2. “Ballad of Reading Gaol” by Oscar Wilde

🔗 Similarity: Both explore guilt, justice, and identity through poetic storytelling. Wilde’s poem delves into the psychological impact of crime, much like Pete’s internal conflict.
🔵 Themes: Crime, punishment, morality
🟣 Tone: Reflective, haunting, lyrical

🌵 3. “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

🔗 Similarity: Like Outlaw Pete, this poem mythologizes a historical figure, blending fact and fiction to create a legendary American persona.
🟢 Themes: Heroism, national myth, legendary journey
🟡 Structure: Rhythmic narrative with strong visual cues

⚰️ 4. “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe

🔗 Similarity: Though focused on love, Poe’s poem mirrors Pete’s legend-building tone and uses repetition and lyrical myth to immortalize its central figure.
🟣 Themes: Eternal memory, death, emotional myth
🔵 Form: Repetition and musicality enhance its mythic quality

Representative Quotations of “Outlaw Pete” by Bruce Springsteen

🔖 Quotation	📜 Contextual Interpretation	🧠 Theoretical Perspective
“He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail / At six months old he’d done three months in jail”	An exaggerated, almost comic origin that turns Pete into a mythic figure from birth.	Mythological / Archetypal – Pete is born with a predestined role, like a tragic hero.
“Folks my name is Outlaw Pete”	Pete introduces himself with pride, showing how identity and reputation define him.	Psychoanalytic – Ego assertion; the name becomes his identity and burden.
“Father Jesus I’m an outlaw, killer and a thief”	Pete confronts his actions and expresses guilt to a divine figure.	Religious / Moral Criticism – Reflects internal conflict and moral awareness.
“And I slow down only to sow my grief”	His moments of rest are filled with emotional pain rather than peace.	Psychoanalytic – Symbolizes repression and the resurfacing of guilt.
“He cut his trail of tears across the countryside”	A metaphor suggesting emotional destruction and historical trauma.	Postcolonial – Echoes Native American history (“Trail of Tears”), linking personal pain to cultural memory.
“Married a Navajo girl and settled down on the res”	Pete tries to integrate into a new life and find redemption.	Feminist & Cultural Studies – Raises issues of gender representation and cultural appropriation.
“You think you’ve changed but you have not”	Dan, the bounty hunter, challenges Pete’s redemption arc.	Deconstruction – Challenges the stability of identity and change.
“We cannot undo these things we’ve done”	A haunting confession of irreversible actions and moral burden.	Existentialism – Emphasizes responsibility and the permanence of choices.
“Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge”	Suggests Pete’s story lives on in mystery, myth, or death.	Mythological / Reader-Response – The audience must interpret his fate.
“A young Navajo girl… braids a piece of Pete’s buckskin chaps into her hair”	Pete’s legacy survives through his daughter, symbolizing memory.	Feminist / Archetypal – Female character functions as a vessel for myth and memory.

“My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar: A Critical Analysis

“My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar first appeared in The Spectator in 1908 and was later included in her 1911 poetry collection The Closed Door.

Introduction: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

“My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar first appeared in The Spectator in 1908 and was later included in her 1911 poetry collection The Closed Door. The poem expresses Mackellar’s deep emotional attachment to Australia, contrasting it with the gentle and temperate English landscape admired by others. Its main ideas revolve around the fierce beauty, harsh climate, and raw vitality of the Australian environment, highlighting elements such as droughts, floods, and sweeping plains. Mackellar’s patriotic fervor shines through with lines like “I love a sunburnt country” and “Core of my heart, my country!” which celebrate the extremes and uniqueness of the land. The poem became popular because it captured a strong sense of national identity and pride, especially during a time when Australia was still forging its cultural independence from Britain. Through vivid imagery—“opal-hearted country,” “sapphire-misted mountains”—Mackellar evokes both the grandeur and the struggle of rural life, resonating with generations of Australians who recognize the emotional truth behind its rugged landscapes.

Text: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die –
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold –
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land –
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand –
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Annotations: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

Stanza	Simplified Meaning	Key Literary Devices	Highlighted Examples
Stanza 1	The poet respects others’ love for England’s soft, green landscape, but she feels a different passion for another land.	🌄 Imagery, 🌀 Contrast, 🎶 Alliteration	“green and shaded lanes” 🌄, “I know but cannot share it” 🌀
Stanza 2	She declares her love for Australia, a place of dramatic landscapes, intense weather, and wild beauty.	🌄 Imagery, ❤️ Personification, 🔁 Repetition, 🌀 Contrast	“sunburnt country” 🌄, “Her beauty and her terror” ❤️, “I love…I love…” 🔁
Stanza 3	The poet continues describing nature’s intensity: white forests, misted mountains, and tangled rainforests.	🌄 Imagery, ✨ Symbolism, 🎶 Alliteration	“sapphire-misted mountains” 🌄, “hot gold hush” ✨, “green tangle of the brushes” 🎶
Stanza 4	Despite the cruelty of the land, such as droughts killing cattle, rain brings relief and renewal.	❤️ Personification, 🌄 Imagery, 💥 Hyperbole, 🔁 Repetition	“Her pitiless blue sky” ❤️, “see the cattle die” 🌄, “drumming of an army” 💥
Stanza 5	She celebrates the land’s ability to recover and thrive after suffering, symbolized by the greening of paddocks.	🌄 Imagery, ✨ Symbolism, 🔁 Repetition	“Land of the Rainbow Gold” ✨, “filmy veil of greenness” 🌄, “She pays us back threefold” 🔁
Stanza 6	The poet calls Australia a wild and rich land. She feels deeply bonded to it and knows her heart will always return there.	🗣️ Apostrophe, 🌄 Imagery, ✨ Symbolism, 💥 Hyperbole	“Core of my heart, my country!” 🗣️, “opal-hearted country” ✨, “my homing thoughts will fly” 💥

Literary And Poetic Devices: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

Device	Example from Poem	Explanation
🎶 Alliteration	“flood and fire and famine”	Repetition of initial consonant sounds creates rhythm and musicality.
📚 Allusion	“Land of the Rainbow Gold”	Refers to a common legend (gold at a rainbow’s end), symbolizing hope.
🔁 Anaphora	“I love… I love…”	Repetition at the start of lines emphasizes passion and emotional depth.
🗣️ Apostrophe	“Core of my heart, my country!”	Directly addressing the country as if it were a person.
🎵 Assonance	“sapphire-misted mountains”	Repetition of vowel sounds adds a smooth, lyrical quality.
🌀 Contrast	“Her beauty and her terror”	Shows the dual nature of the land: both breathtaking and dangerous.
↩️ Enjambment	“Wherever I may die, / I know to what brown country…”	Sentences flow over line breaks, creating movement and continuity.
🔚 Epistrophe	“My country! My country!” (implied)	Repetition at the ends of lines (implied structure) for emotional closure.
💥 Hyperbole	“She pays us back threefold”	Deliberate exaggeration to show the land’s abundant rewards.
🌄 Imagery	“sunburnt country,” “opal-hearted country”	Sensory language that vividly paints the Australian landscape.
🙃 Irony	“Her beauty and her terror”	Highlights the unexpected contradiction between danger and beauty.
⚖️ Juxtaposition	“droughts and flooding rains”	Places extremes side by side to stress the land’s unpredictability.
🪞 Metaphor	“opal-hearted country”	Compares the country to an opal, rich in emotion and beauty.
🔊 Onomatopoeia	“drumming of an army”	Mimics the sound of heavy rain through military imagery.
♾️ Paradox	“Her beauty and her terror”	A contradiction that reveals deeper truth about Australia’s land.
❤️ Personification	“Her pitiless blue sky”	Nature is given human qualities to create empathy and emotion.
🔁 Repetition	“Core of my heart, my country!”	Repeated phrasing for emotional intensity and connection.
✨ Symbolism	“Rainbow Gold,” “opal-hearted”	Physical images symbolize deeper ideas like beauty, love, and resilience.
🎭 Tone	Entire poem	A loving, reverent, yet realistic tone about the land’s hardships and beauty.
👁️ Visual Imagery	“jewel-sea,” “grey clouds gather,” “ring-barked forest”	Creates mental pictures that make the reader “see” the Australian environment.

Themes: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

🌏 Patriotism and National Identity: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar powerfully expresses a deep sense of patriotism and national identity. Mackellar draws a clear contrast between the gentle landscapes of England—“the love of field and coppice, of green and shaded lanes”—and the raw, rugged beauty of Australia. She proclaims, “My love is otherwise,” establishing a personal and passionate bond with her homeland. Her voice grows more intimate and emotional as she repeats, “Core of my heart, my country!” The poem resonates with pride and loyalty, presenting Australia not just as a place, but as a core part of her identity. It became a defining patriotic work, reflecting a national pride deeply rooted in land, climate, and character.

🌿 Nature’s Beauty and Brutality: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar vividly portrays the majestic and often violent natural world of Australia. She uses striking imagery like “sunburnt country,” “sapphire-misted mountains,” and “jewel-sea” to highlight its beauty, while also acknowledging the harsh realities: “Of droughts and flooding rains,” and “Her pitiless blue sky.” The contrast between “Her beauty and her terror” underscores the wild duality of the land. Mackellar doesn’t shy away from nature’s cruelty but embraces it as essential to Australia’s unique spirit. This honesty and intensity set her poem apart from idealized portrayals of nature, presenting it as both magnificent and merciless.

❤️ Emotional Connection to Homeland: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar explores the emotional depth of her bond to the Australian landscape. Her words reflect not only admiration but also belonging. She speaks of Australia as part of her heart: “Core of my heart, my country!” The final lines express a spiritual attachment that transcends death: “Wherever I may die, I know to what brown country my homing thoughts will fly.” This connection is deeply personal, and Mackellar frames the land as inseparable from her own being. Her emotions are not tied to comfort or aesthetics, but to memory, identity, and a visceral love for the land itself.

🔥 Resilience and Survival: “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar highlights the resilience required to survive in Australia’s often unforgiving climate. The poet acknowledges suffering—“we see the cattle die”—but emphasizes the hope and regeneration that follow: “we can bless again the drumming of an army, the steady, soaking rain.” Mackellar sees in the land a cycle of destruction and rebirth, captured in “She pays us back threefold” and “the filmy veil of greenness that thickens as we gaze.” This theme of resilience reflects a national character forged through hardship and a deep respect for the land’s power to both take and give.

Literary Theories and “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

Theory	Application to Poem	Textual Reference
🌿 Romanticism	Emphasizes intense emotion and a spiritual connection to nature. Mackellar expresses deep love for Australia’s wild landscape, aligning with Romantic ideals of the sublime.	“I love a sunburnt country, / A land of sweeping plains”
🇦🇺 Nationalism / Postcolonialism	Celebrates Australian identity and separates it from British influence. The poet embraces the uniqueness of Australia in contrast to the “ordered woods and gardens” of England.	“I know but cannot share it, / My love is otherwise”
🌏 Eco-criticism	Examines the interdependence between humans and nature. The poem illustrates nature’s extremes—drought, flood, regrowth—showing its power and unpredictability.	“Of droughts and flooding rains”, “The filmy veil of greenness / That thickens as we gaze”
👩‍🌾 Feminist Theory	The land is personified as a woman (“her”), reinforcing gendered connections between nature and femininity. This can reflect nurturing, pain, and beauty all at once.	“Her beauty and her terror”, “Core of my heart, my country!”

Critical Questions about “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

❓🌿 1. How does “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar reflect Romantic ideals through its portrayal of the Australian landscape?

In “My Country”, Dorothea Mackellar channels key Romantic ideals by expressing a deep emotional and spiritual connection to the natural world, specifically the Australian landscape. Romanticism often celebrates the sublime—nature’s beauty mixed with danger—and this is vividly illustrated in Mackellar’s description of “her beauty and her terror – / The wide brown land for me!”. The use of vivid natural imagery like “sapphire-misted mountains” and “hot gold hush of noon” captures the grandeur and awe of the landscape, evoking a personal reverence for nature that lies at the heart of Romantic poetry. Rather than idealizing order and control, Mackellar praises the wild, unpredictable, and even dangerous elements of nature. Her love for this “sunburnt country” is intense and emotional, aligning her with the Romantic tradition of nature as a source of identity, inspiration, and spiritual truth.

❓🇦🇺 2. In what ways does “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar serve as a nationalist response to British colonial attitudes?

Dorothea Mackellar’s “My Country” is a powerful nationalist statement that challenges colonial preferences for England’s temperate and cultivated landscapes. The poem begins with a nod to this English ideal: “The love of field and coppice, / Of green and shaded lanes…”—an image of pastoral England. However, Mackellar firmly states “I know but cannot share it, / My love is otherwise,” rejecting this tradition in favor of a landscape that reflects Australia’s unique character. By listing its rugged features—“sweeping plains,” “droughts and flooding rains,” and “ragged mountain ranges”—she positions Australia as a land worthy of admiration and belonging in its own right. Through this, the poem asserts an independent national identity, redefining beauty and value through an Australian lens. The use of personal declaration (“I love…”) repeated throughout adds to the sense of patriotic emotion and cultural reclamation.

❓🌏 3. How does “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar explore the dual nature of Australia’s environment from an eco-critical perspective?

Viewed through an eco-critical lens, “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar offers a balanced portrayal of the Australian environment as both nurturing and destructive. The poem embraces nature’s extremes, emphasizing how Australians live in constant negotiation with the land’s power. For instance, she acknowledges “Her pitiless blue sky, / When sick at heart, around us, / We see the cattle die”—a stark reference to the impact of drought. Yet, this hardship is followed by nature’s redemption: “the grey clouds gather… the steady, soaking rain.” This cyclical view of destruction and renewal reveals a deep respect for the land’s authority and unpredictability. Rather than taming or exploiting the environment, the poem suggests Australians must accept and adapt to its rhythms. Mackellar’s depiction of the “filmy veil of greenness” that returns after rain highlights the regenerative beauty of the earth, affirming a theme of environmental resilience and coexistence.

❓👩‍🌾 4. What role does gendered language play in “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar, and how might a feminist reading interpret this?

In “My Country”, Dorothea Mackellar repeatedly uses feminine language to describe the Australian land, referring to it as “her,” which invites a feminist interpretation of the poem. This gendered personification imbues the land with qualities traditionally associated with femininity: nurturing, beauty, and emotional intensity, but also volatility and suffering. For example, the land is described with tenderness (“Her beauty and her terror”) but also shown in pain and hardship (“Her pitiless blue sky” and “we see the cattle die”). A feminist reading may explore how Mackellar projects both power and vulnerability onto the land, presenting it as a maternal presence—tough yet deeply loved. The phrase “Core of my heart, my country!” suggests an intimate, almost familial bond, where the poet’s love mirrors the unconditional devotion often idealized in motherhood. This framing highlights how landscapes, like women, have historically been romanticized, revered, and subjected to both affection and control.

Literary Works Similar to “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

“I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman
➤ Similar in patriotic tone, it celebrates the people and identity of a nation through vivid imagery and personal pride.

“The Man from Snowy River” by Banjo Paterson
➤ Shares a love for the Australian landscape and national character, highlighting courage and connection to the land.
“To My Native Land” by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
➤ Expresses emotional attachment and reverence for one’s homeland, similar to Mackellar’s personal devotion to Australia.

Representative Quotations of “My Country” by Dorothea Mackellar

🌟 Quotation	📌 Context in Poem	📚 Theoretical Perspective
“I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains,”	Opening of the second stanza, expressing passionate love for Australia’s unique landscape.	Postcolonialism – Celebrates a distinct national identity separate from British influence.
“Of droughts and flooding rains.”	Following line, emphasizing Australia’s extreme and unpredictable climate.	Eco-criticism – Focuses on the relationship between humans and Australia’s wild climate.
“Her beauty and her terror – the wide brown land for me!”	Highlights the emotional paradox of the land’s simultaneous danger and beauty.	Romanticism – Explores emotional depth and sublime beauty in the natural world.
“Core of my heart, my country!”	Refrain repeated in two stanzas to intensify emotional connection to the homeland.	Nationalism – Asserts patriotic pride and belonging through repetition and imagery.
“The love of field and coppice… I know but cannot share it, my love is otherwise.”	Opening stanza; contrasts English scenery with her deep preference for Australia.	Cultural Identity – Emphasizes personal and cultural divergence from the colonial norm.
“The drumming of an army, the steady, soaking rain.”	Symbolic reference to life-giving rain following hardship, likened to a military force.	Symbolism – Uses metaphor to equate nature’s renewal with survival and hope.
“She pays us back threefold – over the thirsty paddocks…”	Acknowledges nature’s harshness but celebrates its power to renew and restore.	Resilience Theory – Reflects nature’s ability to recover and reward endurance.
“The sapphire-misted mountains, the hot gold hush of noon.”	Illustrates the physical beauty and climate of the Australian environment.	Imagism – Sharp visual imagery that captures sensory experiences of the land.
“An opal-hearted country, a wilful, lavish land –”	Summarizes the poem’s portrayal of Australia as emotionally rich and complex.	Psycho-geography – Depicts land as reflecting internal emotional landscapes.
“Wherever I may die, I know to what brown country my homing thoughts will fly.”	Final lines of the poem; captures the eternal bond with Australia, even in death.	Spiritual Geography – Ties emotional and metaphysical identity to physical homeland.

Day: July 30, 2025