SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS IN POETRY: UNVEILING THE MEANING BEHIND SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

Abstrak

Poetry, as a literary work, serves as a medium of expression rich in meaning. Each word, line, and stanza in a poem contains signs that can be interpreted in multiple layers. This study aims to analyze poetry using a semiotic approach, particularly the theories of Ferdinand de Saussure and Roland Barthes, to uncover the denotative and connotative meanings of poetic signs. The object analyzed is a short poem titled 'At Midnight', which is rich in symbolism and representation. The study reveals that poetry harbors meanings beyond linguistic structure, reflecting cultural and ideological constructions. The semiotic approach enables a deep and multidimensional exploration of meaning in poetry.