A SYMBOLISM ANALYSIS AS REFLECTED IN JOHN KEATS’S ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE

By

Bayu Dirgasari
02004123

ABSTRACT

This thesis entitled A Symbolism Analysis as Reflected in John Keats’s Ode to a Nightingale, is intended to answer three problems: (1) to find out the intrinsic elements that build that poem, (2) to find out and describe the symbols by using Barthes’s code that implied in the poem, and (3) to draw some romanticism values from the poem. The reasons to analyze this poem are: first, Ode to a Nightingale as one of masterpiece of John Keats’s work is interesting to be discussed because it consists of symbols. Second, John Keats presents theme and issue are particularly interesting for the writer. Third, the English poetry analysis is rarely be done among the students of university.

This subject of the research is John Keats’s poem Ode to a Nightingale, while the object of the research is the symbolism analysis; that is analyzed symbols meaning found of the poem Ode to a Nightingale. In collecting the data, the writer employs the library research. The main data is taken from the poem Ode to a Nightingale composed by John Keats. The supporting data are taken from books, journals, and internet resources that support and explain the main data. After the data gathered, they analyzed by using theory of Semiotics. After the data are gathered they are analyzed by using the theory of elements of the poem by Subhan (Subhan, 2005:7) and semiotics of literature by Roland Barthes (Hawkes, 1978: 116).

Some of the research findings are as follow, namely (1) the elements of poem are: the theme of the poem that talks about immorality and death, beauty and truth, and imagination and reality. Feeling of this poem is sadness and pain, suffering, and loneliness. The tone of the poem is at first sad but then climaxes to a joyful escape from reality and mortality. And the intention of the poem is John Keats’ messages in his poem such as nature, existence and the soul. All of these aspects relate directly to the human spirit. (2) Symbolism analysis using the Barthes’s code is as follow: There are two codes in this poem there are Connotative code and Symbolic code. Connotative code that appears in this poem is the address to the character of the nightingale and her song that bring effects of pleasure and joyful for the speaker or the poet. While Symbolic code describes the symbol of Nightingale that symbolized by the immortality, continuity of nature and art respectively. (3) Romanticism values can be found through theme and symbols. Another spirits or elements that give specific colour to the poem are faith in imagination, interest in symbolism, interest in distant place, and interest in nature.