Taylor Swift’s song “The Great War” masterfully uses the allegory of war to depict a relationship fraught with conflict. The opening lines set the tone: “My knuckles were bruised like violets / Sucker punching walls, cursed you as I sleep-talked / Spineless in my tomb of silence.” These lyrics vividly portray emotional turmoil, with physical manifestations of inner struggle. Swift’s raw vocal delivery captures the essence of sleep-talking confessions, and the line “Tore your banners down, took the battle underground” speaks to how personal battles can lead us to dismantle what we once revered about our partners. Despite the conflict, the song ultimately conveys a message of hope, with Swift singing, “My hand was the one you reached for / All throughout the Great War,” and ending with a truce to eternal love: “I vowed I would always be yours”. It’s rumored that “The Great War” is about her relationship with Joe Alwyn, with whom she started dating in 2016, making the rocky beginning of their relationship a plausible inspiration for the song.