This paper analyzes the semiology of art and its traces concerned with revealing the issue of art and the influence of art and artist in man’s life in Henrik Ibsen’s (1828-1906) play, when we Dead Awaken (1899) based on Roland Barthes’ (1915-1980) view regarding the concept of semiology. Norwegian Henrik Ibsen who is considered as the father of realism and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre in his last and shortest play, When We Dead Awaken (WWDA), “a dramatic epilogue”, that was regarded as the autobiographical play in which Aronld Rubek, the artist and the sculptor, his young wife Maia, his former model Irene, and a bear-hunter, named Squire Ulfheim as the main characters in this three-act architecturally structured play concentrates
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To begin with, in the play, When We Dead Awaken, the names of the two women are of more importance. Irene and Maia, both of them, refer, to mythical figures “represent a symbolic interaction between the denotative and connotative meanings” (Bouzida ,104). That is, Irene, or Eirene, in Greek mythology it is the name of the three Horae, goddess of the seasons, or the goddess of fate and peace. Eirene’s function was to bring peace to mankind. Similarly, in the play, the name Irene connotes peace and love created through art. What is more, signs are indicators of meaning and are not restricted to definite system of communication such as language. It means that Irene is not a mere name; rather, it commutates peace and love brought by Irene for professor Rebuke through his art, resurrection Day” Professor Rubek [A]n artist first of all. And I was sick with the desire to achieve the great work of my life. It was to be called “The Resurrection Day” – figured in the likeness of a young woman, a wakening from the sleep of death (WWDA 37). Irene whose naked or undressed body was the model of this well known sculpture or the masterpiece ‘The Resurrection Day’, actually caused professor Rubek to achieve his great task, preparing the way for manifesting art of the artist through peace and love to …show more content…
“her attitude to life is earthy and spontaneous, her needs basic and material” (Thomas, 198). At the end of the play, Maia going towards mountain along with Ulfheim (due to Greek mythology a half -man half-goat) says welcome to earthy life. Therefore, “[T]he signifiers of connotation, which we shall call connotators, are made up of signs (signifiers and signifieds united) of the denoted system” (ibid). It can be interpreted that the significance of names in terms of the denotative and connotative level is oriented. Moreover, ‘The Resurrection Day’, Rubek’s sculpture, represents another sign of art is to reveal “the processes represent a symbolic interaction between denotative and the connotative meanings” to intensify Ibsen’s concern to art in the society. “Professor Rubek. Thanks and praise be to you, I achieved my great task […] as I saw her awaking on the Resurrection Day. […] I fashioned her in your image, Irene” (WWDA, 38). Clearly, Ibsen puts emphasis on the achievement of the artist that is art and the duty or responsibility of art that is waking people or the society up. The hidden sign behind its use and function is associated with many interpretations. Through semiological analysis of the verbal signs of the text or the play, the messages first are denoted and the second are connoted in the process of significance. ‘The Resurrection Day’ is another sign of processing
To begin with, in the play, When We Dead Awaken, the names of the two women are of more importance. Irene and Maia, both of them, refer, to mythical figures “represent a symbolic interaction between the denotative and connotative meanings” (Bouzida ,104). That is, Irene, or Eirene, in Greek mythology it is the name of the three Horae, goddess of the seasons, or the goddess of fate and peace. Eirene’s function was to bring peace to mankind. Similarly, in the play, the name Irene connotes peace and love created through art. What is more, signs are indicators of meaning and are not restricted to definite system of communication such as language. It means that Irene is not a mere name; rather, it commutates peace and love brought by Irene for professor Rebuke through his art, resurrection Day” Professor Rubek [A]n artist first of all. And I was sick with the desire to achieve the great work of my life. It was to be called “The Resurrection Day” – figured in the likeness of a young woman, a wakening from the sleep of death (WWDA 37). Irene whose naked or undressed body was the model of this well known sculpture or the masterpiece ‘The Resurrection Day’, actually caused professor Rubek to achieve his great task, preparing the way for manifesting art of the artist through peace and love to …show more content…
“her attitude to life is earthy and spontaneous, her needs basic and material” (Thomas, 198). At the end of the play, Maia going towards mountain along with Ulfheim (due to Greek mythology a half -man half-goat) says welcome to earthy life. Therefore, “[T]he signifiers of connotation, which we shall call connotators, are made up of signs (signifiers and signifieds united) of the denoted system” (ibid). It can be interpreted that the significance of names in terms of the denotative and connotative level is oriented. Moreover, ‘The Resurrection Day’, Rubek’s sculpture, represents another sign of art is to reveal “the processes represent a symbolic interaction between denotative and the connotative meanings” to intensify Ibsen’s concern to art in the society. “Professor Rubek. Thanks and praise be to you, I achieved my great task […] as I saw her awaking on the Resurrection Day. […] I fashioned her in your image, Irene” (WWDA, 38). Clearly, Ibsen puts emphasis on the achievement of the artist that is art and the duty or responsibility of art that is waking people or the society up. The hidden sign behind its use and function is associated with many interpretations. Through semiological analysis of the verbal signs of the text or the play, the messages first are denoted and the second are connoted in the process of significance. ‘The Resurrection Day’ is another sign of processing