Date of Award
4-2024
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Music
First Advisor
Maria Cristina Fava, PhD.
Second Advisor
Lauron Kehrer, PhD.
Third Advisor
Keith Kothman, PhD.
Fourth Advisor
Lisa Reneé Coons, PhD.
Keywords
Bloodborne, Dark Souls, Elden Ring, Godfrey, Gwyn, video games
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
In this thesis I argue that the music of the Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring play a vital role in the player’s capacity to form an understanding of the narrative, examining how musical coding and visual association work for and play against expectations. First, this thesis will analyze the musical styles of each game, identifying commonalities in the compositions. Second, I will explore a case study from each game that illustrates how the music alleviates ambiguity in the narrative. Lastly, the thesis will discuss how players often form their own slightly different interpretations of the stories and lore within, and how the music forms a connective branch for players to link the commonalities of their interpretations.
Recommended Citation
Bryant, Tré, "The Sounds Between Lordran and Yharnam: Exploring Motivic Recontextualization in Non-Linear Narratives" (2024). Masters Theses. 5397.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5397