ABSTRACT

Febriyanti Lihawa. 2014. Nim : 321 408 020. “Figure of speech analysis in William
Shakespeare’s poem”.1

This research was conducted based on the problem statement “How are the figure of speech
reflected in William Shakespeare‟s poem? And “What is the meaning of figure of speech in
William Shakespeare‟s Poem? The objectives of this research are “to find out how the figures of
speech are reflected in William Shakespeare‟s poem” and “to find out the meaning of figure of
speech in William Shakespeare‟s Poem”. The method used in this research is descriptive
qualitative method. The population of this research is the ten poems from William Shakespeare.
In collecting the data, First, I collected William Shakespeare‟s poems which contains figure of
speech. Then, I selected the ten of poems to be the data. And then, to find out some words and
sentences which used figure of speech in William Shakespeare‟s poems. Finally, I take
conclusions as the result of the analysis figure of speech. The result of this research is I found
some of figure of speech in William Shakespeare‟s poem, especially simile, personification,
hyperbole, metaphor, and symbolism. We can see the example of simile, from line 8 “Age like
winter bare”. We can identify the characteristic of simile is introduced by a word “like”.
Shakespeare wants to compare the “age” with “winter bare”. It means that the age like as the
winter bare that has short time that must be used in the useful activity. I hope the future
researchers are suggested that they conduct similar theme of a study with more complete data
and discussion.

Key Words: William Shakespeare, Figure of speech, Poem

ARTIKEL HASIL PENELITIAN

INTRODUCTION

One of them according Rene Wellek and Austin Warren (1956:15) “Literature is a creative
activity and art without artistic values literature would be just another kind writing, along with

1
Febriyanti Lihawa*2015 *Figure Of Speech Analysis in William Shakespeare’s Poem*English Department*
letters and culture Faculty*Universitas Negeri Gorontalo* Prof. Dr. Hj. Moon Otoluwa, M.Hum*Rusni
Podungge, S.Pd, MA
scientific, works, reports, etc”. Literature has three main divisions; they are drama, poetry and
prose. In this skripsi, I focus to going analyze of poetry.

In expressing feeling in literature, for some people use the figure of speech. In addition, many
people choose to make a poem in order to show their feeling or idea, by using poem. According
to Shaffer (in book “Sat. Subject Literature”. 2009, p. 150) stated that “a figure of speech is the
result of using language in such a way that a figurative, rather than literal, meaning is conveyed.

In other hand, in my research I‟m choosing the figure of speech in ten poems include simile,
personification, metaphor, hyperbole and symbolism.
Problem Statement

a. How are the figure of speech reflected in William Shakespeare‟s poem?

b. What is the meaning of figure of speech in William Shakespeare‟s Poem?

The Objective of Study

a. To find out how the figures of speech are reflected in William Shakespeare‟s poem.
b. To find out the meaning of figure of speech in William Shakespeare‟s Poem.

The Significance of Research

a. Theoretically, this research is adding the vocabulary of literary study especially figure of
speech and this research is adding the knowledge about figure of speech in Poetry
Subject.

b. Practically, this research is directed to students English Department in differentiate the

kinds of figure of speech used in other poem from other poets.

The Scope and Delimitation of Research

There are many figures of speech, but in this research I limit the figure of speech on simile,
personification, hyperbole, metaphor, and symbolism. And I will analyze ten poems of William
Shakespeare. The reason why I choose ten poems of William Shakespeare, because I think the
works of William Shakespeare have much variety of figures of speech and I think Shakespeare
wrote the ten poems have many meaning.

I want explain what the meaning of ten poems that I will analyze:
1. In “A Fairy Song” poem by William. In this poem, William Shakespeare did not intend
you to consider the words you have anthologized under the name "A Fairy Song"
separately from the play A Midsummer Night's Dream.
2. In “A Madrigal” poem by William Shakespeare. In this poem Shakespeare compares
Youth and Crabbed age (old age). He describes them as a couple which cannot live
together since they are the complete opposites of each other.
3. In “All The World‟s A Stage” poem by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare
expresses the philosophy of nature. In All the World’s a Stage, tells a stage player and
human as players.
4. In “The Phoenix and The Turtle” poem by William Shakespeare. This poem is an
allegorical poem about the death of ideal love by William Shakespeare. The poem
describes a funeral arranged for the deceased Phoenix and Turtledove, respectively
emblems of perfection and of devoted love.
5. In “The Lovers” poem by William Shakespeare. A Lovers Complaint FROM off a hill
whose concave womb reworded A plaint full story from a sintering vale, My spirits to
attend this double voice accorded, And down I laid to list the sad-tuned tale; Ere long
espied a fickle maid full pale, Tearing of papers, breaking rings a-twain, Storming her
world with sorrows wind and rain.
6. In “Aubade” poem by William Shakespeare. Aubade is a song sung outdoors usually at
dawn. This little piece is captivating.
7. In “Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind” poem by William Shakespeare. It‟s basically how
human insincerity and unfaithful is more bitter than even the bitterest elements of nature.
Humans are to blame for the worst human suffering.
8. In “Threnos” poem by William Shakespeare. The meaning of this poem is a musical term
which refer to a funeral song, a slow, mournful musical composition. In this poem the
lyrical self calls for death.
9. In “Dirge Of Three Queens” poem by William Shakespeare. This poem tell about a song
of mourning composed of perfomed as a memorial to a dead person.
10. In “Venus and Adonis” poem by William Shakespeare. In Venus and Adonis. This poem
using constantly shifting tone and perspective to present contrasting views of the nature
 of love. As Adonis is preparing to go hunting and Venus is seized on his sweating palm
and backward she push him, as she would be thrust.

THEORITICAL BASES

Definition of Figure of Speech

X. J. Kennedy (in book “Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama”. 1991, p.
584) gives definition, “a figure of speech may be said to occur whenever a speaker or writer, for
the sake of freshness or emphasis, departs from the usual denotations of words.” Figure of
speech are not devices to state what is demonstrably untrue.
K. L. Knickerbocker (in book “Interpreting Literature Revised” 1963, p. 366) noted that figures
and symbol are images used in a particular way to explore the less known through the known. He
gives an example, that Joseph Conrad desribes and old Chinese ship-owner as having “a face like
an ancient lemon”. The images in this figure are the face and the lemon, the first unknown to us,
the second well known. Our imagination will be required to transfer the relevant characteristics
of the ancient lemon to the face, and we can see it as wrinkled, jaundiced, dried-up, oval-shaped,
and touhened by time – but the irrelevant characteristics of the lemon we will allow to drop
away. According to Hale (in book “Poems of Knightly Adventure”. 1999, p. 14) stated that “it is
not easy matter to give a good definition of figure of speech. The reason for this is that very
many kinds of expression have been called figure of speech “which are really not alike except in
the fact that they are not plain, straightforward ways of speaking. By seeing this definition, it can
be sad that figure of speech is not easy to define, because there are many kinds of expression is
called figure of speech. Figures of speech often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or
clarity. However, clarity may also suffer from their use, as any figure of speech introduces an
ambiguity between literal and figurative interpretation.

Kinds of Figure of Speech

There are many figure of speech devices. According to Swovelin (in book “English Language
and Composition”. 2003, p. 66) stated that “figure of speech is a device used to produce
figurative language. Many compare dissimilar thing, figure of speech include for example,
apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile,
synecdoche and understatement”.
Meanwhile, Graham Little (in book “Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama”.
1985: 164-166) divided figure of speech into three classifications which are respectively based
on comparison, based on association, and other figure of speech.

1. Based on Comparisons

a. Simile

Simile comes from Latin word similes, means like, note from Arthur Finley Scott (1983:268).
A simile makes an imaginative comparison for purposes of explanation, allusion, or
ornament, introduced by a word such as „like‟, „as‟, or „such‟.

b. Metaphor

Wren and Martin give definition, “a metaphor is an implied simile. It does not, like
the simile, state one thing is like another or acts as another, but takes that for granted
and proceeds as if the two things were one (1981, p. 489). In general, a metaphor is
not plainly limited in the number of resemblances it may indicate.

c. Personification

X. J. Kennedy (in book “Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama”. 1991, p.
593) gives definition, “personification: a figure of speech in which a thing, an animal, or an
abstract term (truth, nature) is made human.

d. Analogy
Analogy is sustained simile or metaphor, like one state of affairs to another in a series
of comparisons, or a word, thing, idea, or story, chosen for the purpose of
comparison, which can help to explain whatever it is similar to.
e. Hyperbole

Knickerbocker (in book “Interpreting Literature Revised”. 1963, p. 367) defines it as

an exaggeration used for special effect.

f. Understatement

Understatement is the presentation of a thing with under emphasis in order to achieve

a greater effect.
2. Based on Associations
a. Metonymy

According to Shaffer (in book “Sat. Subject Literature”. 2009, p. 164) stated that
“metonymy occurs when a closely associated name of an object is used in place of a
words, such as referring to a king as “the ring river” or the “the crown” or to his
position of authority as “the throne”.

b. Symbolism

According to Shaffer (in book “Sat. Subject Literature”. 2009, p. 165) stated that A
symbol (in contrast to metaphor that serve the illustrate) is a type of image.

3. Another Device Figure of Speech

a. Apostrophe
Refers to Wolowsky (in book “The Art of Poetry (How to Read a Poem)”.2001, p.
199) “apostrophe is address to an absent or dead person or thing or to an absent idea
as if it were a person”.
b. Irony
Irony is a statement whose real meaning is completely used to its professed, or
surface meaning.
c. Alliteration
Sometimes it called as head rhyme or initial rhyme, and it is the close repetition, not (as by
the derivation of the word it ought to be) of the same letter, but of the same sound, usually at
the beginning.

d. Onomatopoeia
From Greek word, onomatopeia, from onoma means name and poiein means to make.

e. Assonance
Shaw (1972, p. 35) describes it as stressed syllables in vowel sounds.

f. Allegory
Refers to Wolowsky (in book “The Art of Poetry (How to Read a Poem)”. 2001, p.
199) “allegory is a figure that stands for some abstract idea or some internal state, as
if that idea or state were an acting person or animated object.
Definition of Poem
According to Elliot in Strachan and Terry (2000, p. 13) stated that “poetry is not turning loose of
emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not expression of personality but escape from
personality‟. In addition, Elliot in Strachan and Terry (2000: 11) stated that “the poem, in
contrast, surrender it meaning in a linguistically sparse and unadorned manner”. Cumming in
Whitworth (in book “Writing Poetry (Writing Handbook)”.2006, p. 38) stated that “a good poem
was a poem which did good, a bad poem which didn‟t”.

According to Hanauer (in book “Poetry and the Meaning of Life”. 2004, p. 9) stated that “poetry
is also the perfect tool for encouraging mature readers to express personal experience and
broaden their understanding of other thoughts, experience and feeling”.

Furthermore, According to Parini (2006, p. 3) stated that “poetry and language are, of course,

intimately bound. Poetic language which is different from language or newspaper or ordinary

speech, even different from the language of philosophy or most academic subject, is usually

concrete and concise”.

By seeing the opinion above, it can be said that poetry and language is unity and the language or

words used in poetry is a selected words, a beautiful words. The following are the example of

Robert Frost:

Something sinister in the tone

Told me my secret must be known:
Word I was in the house alone
Somehow must have gotten ahroad.
Word I was in my life alone.
Word I had no one left but God.
(11-16)

Relevance of Study
a. The relevance of this study is figure of speech in Robert Frost selected poem by Sihombing Serti
natio, she limit her research on simile, personification and symbol in nine poems of Robert Frost
 selected poem. Her research used library research to get supporting information related to the
topic of the study.
b. Language style analysis on Anton Chekov‟s “the boor” play written by Puspitasari Henny Dyah,
this study focused on what is the language style used and what is the way language style used in
Anton Chekov‟s “the boor” play. This research was focused on the language style used in text of
the drama tragedy entitled The Boor. The Boor that is analyzed in the study is copied from
“understanding literature”.
c. Ruth Miller and Robert A. Greenberg (1986) : Poetry An Introduction . This book discusses about
meaning and some parts of figure of speech and how to identify them.
d. K. L. Knickerbocker (1963) : Interpreting Literature Revised. This book gives characteristics of
figure of speech and explains how to going analyze of them in the selected poems.
e. X. J. Kennedy (1991) : Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama. This
book gives definition poetry and the parts of figure of speech and explanations of them.
f. Siswantoro (2002) : Apresiasi Puisi-puisi Inggris. This book contains some definitions of
poetry, figure of speech, the parts of figure of speech and examples of poems which are
used figure of speech.
g. Martha Pardede (2008) : Understanding Poetry. This book contains definitions of the
parts of figure of speech and examples.

METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH

Method of Research

In this research, I would like to use the descriptive qualitative method in order to describe the
analysis of figure of speech on the William Shakespeare‟s poem.
Source of Data

In conducting this research, as the primary of data is the poem. The poem will be used in this
research is William Shakespeare‟s poem. The poem will be used consist of ten poems. The data
of this research is consisting of simile, personification, hyperbole, metaphor, and symbolism
used in the poem. As the secondary data are, paper, article, etc.

Technique of Collecting the Data

There are some steps to be taken in doing this analysis. First, I collected William Shakespeare‟s
poems which contains figure of speech. Then, I selected the ten of poems to be the data. And
then, to find out some words and sentences which are used figure of speech in William
Shakespeare‟s poems. Finally, I will be take conclusions as the result of the analysis figure of
speech.

Technique of Analyzing the Data

First of all the data from ten William Shakespeare‟s poems as explained before will be divided
by each expression of the poem. The ten poems as data will be identify according to the kinds of
figure of speech. I selected a poem and I am going to identify and analyze words, lines or stanza
in poems. And then, I conclude the meaning of figure speech which is used in William
Shakespeare‟s poems.

Approach

The approach will be used in analyzing the poem in this research is structural approach.
According to Hartoko & Rahmanto in Nurgiyantoro (1986, p. 38) “structural analysis can be the
analysis about relation of microtext, whole of text and relation intertextual”.

RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION

Figure of speech in William Shakespeare’s poem

In this part, I would like to present the figure of speech used in William Shakespeare‟s poem.
The presentation based on the figure of speech chosen as follows:

a. Simile
From line 5 “Youth like summer morn”, consist a simile. We know the characteristic of
simile is introduced by a word “like”. First object is “youth” and second object is
“summer morn”. Shakespeare wants to compare “the youth” and “summer morn”. Means
that, the youth is soul of someone and summer morn may means that the soul of someone
when a young that is must to more enthusiastic, and more give anything which is useful
for other.
 From line 6 “Age like winter weather”, consist a simile. We can identify the
characteristic of simile is introduced by a word “like”. First object is “age” and second
object is “winter weather”. Shakespeare wants to compare “the age” and “winter
weather”. It means that, the age is short like winter weather. We must make useful thing
in our life.
From line 7 “Youth like a summer brave”. We know the characteristic of simile is
introduced by a word “like”. It can be said that William Shakespeare use simile in order
to compare the “youth” with the “summer brave”. It means that the youth must be the
summer that has many lights that can illuminate the earth. It means that when a young
have a soul that is brave to do something and make something different to other in life. In
addition, summer brave can be description of the youth from someone that have the brave
heart.
b. Personification
From line 12 “Youth is hot and bold”. Based on the pieces of poem, it can be said that the
figure of speech used was personification. In this poem, Shakespeare want to compare or
said that the youth has the same characteristic as the hot and bold, means that the youth
are brave, hard, and have strong attitude.
From line 13 “Age is weak and cold”. The pieces of poem show that the figure of speech
used is personification. In the poem above, William Shakespeare want to compare the
age with the weak and the cold, means that the age or the youth is not strong enough and
have no experience. In addition, the age lack of ability or competence and still not wise in
order to make the decision, not care to the community and live in environment and cannot
do something better for the other.
From line 14 “Youth is wild and age is tame”. By seeing this line, it can be said that
William Shakespeare want to said someone who has no objective of live, where he can do
something not useful for the other, someone who useful disturb another people and make
something words. The age is tame means that actually even though he was wild but he
has a better heart.
c. Hyperbole

Look at this:
From line 5 “I do wander everywhere” and line 6 “Swifter than the moon's sphere”. It means
that it just an over statement. Someone wants to do wander in everywhere and more quickly than
the moon’s sphere. Maybe Shakespeare wants to compare his self with the moon where he did
many things and all round of his activity. In addition, he wants to say that he does something
useful whenever and wherever he was.

d. Metaphor

From line 3 “Youth is full of pleasance”. It means that youth is young of soul. And full of
pleasance is identifying about full of gratify in his life. Maybe, he does anything which useful
for him. I think youth is full of pleasance is soul of a young man when he does useful thing.

From 4 “Age is full of care”. It means that age is his age or his old. And full of care is
identifying about full of anything he doing. Maybe he does useful thing for the other. I think age
is full of care is he is age and he does useful thing in his life.

e. Symbolism

From line 1 “Beauty, truth, and rarity”. It can be seen that there are something more deep
meaning in the words used. It is used in order to describe something worst, where the there is no
more something better, all is about lie, there is no beautiful, the truth and all the simplicity. It is
may used to describe that the people do something not based on the truth, there is no people want
to make something useful for other people.

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

Conclusion

Literature can be the media in order to present or conveying our creativity or imagination and
experience of live. It can be the media in order to make our idea can be conveying more
artistically. William Shakespeare is a poet, he wrote many famous poems. His poems use many
figures of speech in order to convey the poem better. The poems contain the love story, glorious,
victorious and history. The using of figure of speech in poem makes the poem more artistically.
Related to this research that use the William Shakespeare selected poem as the object of research
in order to find out kinds of figure of speech used in the poem and how the use of figure of
speech in the poem.

Based on the research finding, it can be found that from the ten poems chosen, it can be found
there was five kinds of figure of speech namely simile, personification, hyperbole, metaphor, and
symbolism. It was used in order to make the poem more interested to be read and more
meaningful.

The use of simile in this poem in order to compare something with another things by using the
conjunction words like, as, and than. Pay attention to the following example, From line 5 “Youth
like summer morn”, consist a simile. We know the characteristic of simile is introduced by a
word “like”. First object is “youth” and second object is “summer morn”. Shakespeare wants to
compare “the youth” and “summer morn”. Means that, the youth is soul of someone and summer
morn may means that the soul of someone when a young that is must to more enthusiastic, and
more give anything which is useful for other.

In addition, we can see the example of personification, like this: From line 12 “Youth is hot and
bold”. Based on the pieces of poem, it can be said that the figure of speech used was
personification. In this poem, Shakespeare want to compare or said that the youth has the same
characteristic as the hot and bold, means that the youth are brave, hard, and have strong attitude.

In addition, another figure of speech was hyperbole, metaphor and symbolism. All of this figure
of speech used in order to compare the human or something directly or indirectly, the figure used
was able to describe something inside another things, it make a criticism indirectly by using
analogy to describe something. Finally, it can be said that the selected poem of William
Shakespeare used some kinds of figure of speech.

After I analyzing this research, I took some of the meaning of the ten poems. Example in “A
Fairy Song” poem by William Shakespeare. In this poem, William Shakespeare did not intend
you to consider the words you have anthologized under the name "A Fairy Song" separately
from the play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Suggestion
After I conclude this thesis, I want to share some suggest to readers especially all students in
English department as follows:
1. The poetry is very interested to going analyze. It is not only analyzing the figure of
speech in poem, but all things related about poetry.
2. I hope this skripsi can be useful for the reader especially students of English Department
in writing their skripsi and also can give inspiration and motivation to readers to arrange
and write their skripsi better in next generation.
3. I hope this skripsi can be added the material about poetry. So, the lecturer can using this
skripsi when they teach Poetry Subject.

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