Connotative and dennotative meaning in poem "Who Am I, Without Exile?" by Mahmoud Darwish

Abstract

Poetry is a form of literary work that becomes a medium for poets to describe an idea that is in their minds, usually this idea is based on something they have experienced or felt. In making poetry, poets usually use grammar that rhymes and is well structured, this results in poetry that has a beautiful impression in its writing. The purpose of this research is to look at the denotative, connotative, and mythological meanings of the object of research, namely the poem "Who Am I, Without Exile?" by Mahmoud Darwish. This study uses the semiotic theory proposed by Roland Barthes. This study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive interpretive approach. Researchers found writing that has denotative, connotative, and mythological meanings such as exile, water, river, roses, singer. The results of this study explain the purpose of the poet who gives a new picture to mankind about the life of a nation that is ruled by another nation. In addition, the poet also describes the point of view of an individual who was expelled from their own homeland. This poem is a form of resistance from Palestinians who have been expelled by other nations, and feel like strangers in their own homeland. One example of a word that has a connotative meaning is exile, the word alienated in this study not only describes someone who has lost his place of residence, but also has lost his identity. The poet who made this poem has the aim of increasing human awareness of what is happening around him that the colonial practice still exists in this modern era and shows the consequences that occurred because of the colonialism.