Metaphors in Mutanabbi’s Poetry as a Description of the Ecological

Community of the Arabic (A Literary Ecology Study)

Zuriyati

Arabic Language Education, Faculty of Language and Art, Jakarta State University, Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Metaphor, Poetry, Ecosystems, Mutanabbi, Literary Ecology

Abstract: This study aims to gain an understanding of the meaning of the metaphors used by Mutanabbi in describing

humanist values in his poetry. The metaphors inherent in Mutanabbi poetry are inseparable from his

reflection on the surrounding natural phenomena. In other words, the understanding that will be found

includes the description of the human ecosystem with nature. The importance of analyzing the meaning of

this metaphor is motivated by the lack of students' ability to understand metaphors especially in Arabic

poetry. This study is expected to be able to increase student’s sensitivity in harmonizing life. This study

used a qualitative method of content analysis with a literary ecology approach and literary semiotics.

Mutanabbi is the poet who is very inspired by natural phenomena; in other words, the beauty of poetry can

be seen in terms of literary ecology. Thus, this research can provide and understanding of the way humans

understand the meaning o life about something that has been made by God.

1 INTRODUCTION

Metaphor is part of the language figuration, in

particular the language of poetry. Sometimes

understanding the metaphor is not as easy as ABC.

The primary intention is not just to understand the

meaning of sentence explicitly but also implicitly.

Understanding the implicit meaning is far more

important especially in literary learning because it

will unwittingly increase student sensitivity in

understanding the meaning of life.

God creates this world not only to fulfill physical

needs but also as a means to reflect ourselves

(muhasabah) through metaphors. One of the literary

materials that are difficult for students to understand

is metaphor. Explanation of the metaphor in a

literary work cannot be separated from the context

because the exact meaning is not found explicitly,

but is integrated in the utterance as a whole. The

context contained in literary works can be in the

form of (1) linguistic context, (2) physical context,

(3) social context, (4) divine context. Metaphor

actually exists in almost all kinds of literature. In

this study, the metaphor being analyzed is a

metaphor in poetry. Poetry as a symbol of metaphor

is an expression of the poet's feelings about his

evaluation of life by using limited words yet has

intense meaning.

The study of human interaction with the

environment through a metaphor can be conducted

by employing ecological theory. As Wahab (1990)

stated that ecology is the study of the interactions

between humans and their environment. Adapting

the theory to the study of poetry is to find out how

the poet uses natural objects such as stars, moon,

sun,and the ocean, as a field where he devotes his

heart in the form of metaphors. In other words

metaphor is the soul of the poetry.

The writer chooses Al Mutanabbi's poetry for two

reasons; 1) to analyze the type of metaphors used

and; 2) to analyze the ecology of the Arab society

through the metaphors in the poetry. This study is

qualitative research of content analysis by

employing Pierce semiotic approach and sociology

of literature because this study is connected with the

realities of the people. The data analysis technique is

by employing Haley’s classification in the

perspective of literary semiotics.

Zuriyati, .

Metaphors in Mutanabbi’s Poetry as a Description of the Ecological Community of the Arabic: A Literary Ecology Study.

DOI: 10.5220/0009003105450550

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Language and Society (ICELS 2019), pages 545-550

ISBN: 978-989-758-405-3

545

2 LITERATUR REVIEW

2.1 Metaphor

Like the proverb "Don’t measure others by your

yardstick", that is like poetry. Different poets differ

in their metaphorical style. Then, what is meant by

metaphor? Metaphor is a style of language that

describes two objects containing similarities. In

other words according to Wahab (1990) that

metaphor is to compare meaning by referring to one

other object, between one object with its semiotic. In

conclusion, that metaphor is an expression of

language which combines prediction with symbol

with meanings expected (Wahab, 1995). Translating

metaphors literally often results in deviation or

ambiguity of meaning. According to Widiarti (2011)

there are a number of reasons why metaphor is

difficult to interpret and cannot be translated

literally: (1) the image used in the metaphor may be

unknown in the target language; (2) the topic of

metaphor is not clearly stated; (3) the fact that the

point of similarity can be interpreted differently in

different cultures; (4) each language is different in

the frequency of using metaphors and how to create

them.

Reaske in Albertin (2005) said that metaphors

are similar to figurative. He stated: The figure of

speech which compares one thing to another

directly.Usually a methaporis is created through the

use of someof the verbs to be is the expression of

language to compare the living with the living, the

living with the dead, and the dead with the dead.

Metaphor is a manifestation of the turmoil of

imagination, while imagination is the spirit of a

poem.

The connection between metaphors with

figurative language is a language phenomenon

especially in the language of poetry. After

understanding Riffaterre, Aristotelas, and

Quintilian's opinion, Wahab synthesized that

metaphor is a language expression which meaning

cannot be achieved directly by the symbol used or in

other words experience or understanding of

something intended for another matter (Wahab,

1995). In conclusion, metaphor has a function to:

first, emphasize the meaning, second replace verbal

expressions with imaginary expressions which are

believed to be more effective in conveying the

intended purpose, third, provide illustrations that can

strengthen emotions, fourth, to bridge understanding

with new notions that is difficult to comprehend

literally.

2.2 Poetry

Poetry is an expression of the poet's feelings about

his evaluation of life by using language that is as

economical as possible to convey as much meaning

as possible. Poetry is a bit more complete, namely

poetry is one of the arts that describes life either

happy or even sad, both hope and sorrow, based on

three minimum requirements, namely strong themes,

deep imagination and unique depictions. Riffatere

(1978:1) suggests that the poem from time to time is

always changing due to differences in aesthetic

concepts and evolution of taste.

The depth or shallow meaning of metaphor in

poetry is very much determined by the poet’s

imagination by using natural phenomena as the basis

of his works. The more difficult it is to understand

the poetry the higher its value. Shahnon Ahamad's in

Pradopo (2008) emphasis that imagination in poetry

serves to express thoughts so that those who are not

memorable become memorable. Imagination is the

poet's skill in comparing something with the

surrounding natural environment.

Bramberger (2015) suggests that poetry can

connect intelligence with emotions, to be able to

express language as a form flexibly. Poetry is also

considered a form of conveying experience. Another

opinion expressed by Stephanie, et al (2018) that

poetry is a form of artistic discourse investigation.

Thus, if viewed from the opinion it can be concluded

that poetry can describe emotional expressions that

are supported by the nature of art.

2.3 The Concept of Ecosystems in the

Study of Metaphors

External world can be divided into: (1) the physical

phenomenon or facts that can be seen, heard, and

touched by the individual, and (2) the meaning, not

visible from the phenomenon, the power and the law

that covers scientific, economic, political, moral, and

spiritual (Stanton, 2012). Therefore, culture as a

creation or inheritance of community life is the

result of the creativity of its people in order to

interact with its ecology and the main driver of

cultural evolution (Poerwanto, 2005; Zapf, 2010).

What is the relationship between Haley's scale as

social science and metaphorical research? This

theory says that one's existence can also be known

by what he often communicates and connects. This

study explores any natural objects used by the poet

in expressing his feelings, not only natural objects

but also phenomena that occur in life.

ICELS 2019 - International Conference on Education, Language, and Society

546

In this study the metaphors will be parsed and

analyzed based on the Haley’s concept for tracking

the Semiotic Ecosystem consisting of:

Table 1: Results of the metaphor analysis of haley

concept.

Category

Noun

Prediction

Being

(existence)

Truth, love,

honest

exist

Cosmos

Sun, moon,

earth

Use space

Energy

Light, wind, fire

In motion

Substance

Gas

Inert

Terrestrial

Mountain, river,

sea

Stretched out

Object

All minerals

Broken

Living

Flora

Grow

Animate

Fauna

Walk, run

Human

Humans with

their behavior

Integrated,

thinking

3 RESEARCH METHOD

This research is qualitative research using content

analysis. Content analysis according to Krinpendorf

in Emzir (2010) that a research technique for

making replicable and valid inference from teks (or

other meaning full matter) to the contexts of their

use. Thus, content analysis is a method used to

understand the symbolic message of discourse or

text, in this case poetry. The approach used is a

semiotic approach using the scale of the Haley

ecosystem.

The steps in this study are: (1) reading and

understanding the poetry to be studied; (2) marking

metaphorical expressions in the form of phrases,

clauses or sentences contained in the poetry; (3)

grouping metaphors based on Haley's (1980)

ecology; and (4) analyzing and interpreting.

4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Result

4.2.1 Being

This level emphasizes similarities with something

abstract. In the poetry analyzed here there were 12

data which consisted of: Death (2), shame (1),

corpse (2), sweet (1), bitter (1) sick (2), friendly (2),

and disappointed (1).

4.2.2 Cosmos

The similarity of humans who occupy this universe

or space accessible with human senses: sun (1),

moon (3), and stars (1).

4.2.3 Energy

Similarities associated with human perception by

something that moves like: clouds (2), white clouds,

bonfires, lion's eyes and water (2), and wind.

4.2.4 Substance

Something that moves requires space and is brittle.

4.2.5 Terrestrial

Namely earth-bound stretches including something

hard, sharp and dangerous tools such as corals,

daggers etc. In the extract of the poetry it was found

words like sea (2), land, shroud, far, near, and cliff.

4.2.6 Object

Which is all minerals and everything that is easily

broken down like the eyes, bones, and liver. In this

study no findings of such were found.

4.2.7 Living

This element is associated with something that can

grow and is usually associated with the world of

flora. This study found: grass and gray hair (2).

4.2.8 Animate

Metaphor that is associated with the world of Fauna.

In this poetry, words like dogs, lion’s fang, and bird

were found.

4.2.9 Human

Beings are associated with humans including verbs

for human but are attached to non-humans. Words

like thief, beautiful princess, Jhiizah, and smiling

were found.

From above data, it can be perceived that

Mutanabbi is more focused on making metaphor of

life about divinity, death, graves, and abstract things.

He can imagine the arrival of death like the arrival

of the thief. Not a little bit can be predicted. The

second category that is mostly found in the poetry is

energy. Everything is to give power to human. For

example metaphor that uses the sun. Mutanabbi

takes the highest wisdom from the sun. The sun

gives it light to everything on earth, this symbolizes

generosity. It means that before being used into his

poetry, of course Mutanabbi is familiar with the

hidden meaning behind the sun. Likewise,the

metaphor of "wind" is to foster human creativity. Do

not be static but innovative. Never give up for

success. The findings of this study are based on

relevan research which also examines the meaning

of metaphoric formers in the book of poetry Diman

Iman Syafi’iy which portrays the moral and advice

of the state society at that time (Arianto, 2018).

There isi as similarity of studies in Arianto research,

with the analysis stage using the Haley concept.

Metaphors in Mutanabbi’s Poetry as a Description of the Ecological Community of the Arabic: A Literary Ecology Study

547

Such is the creative process of Mutanabbi in

creating his poetry through deep constellation that

enables readers to understand it properly. The beauty

contained in his poetry can be considered as a work

of literature that is beautiful and useful. This concept

is in line with the view expressed (Abadi, 2019) that

metaphors do not only serve as a comparison of

texts, but metaphors are born from the experience

and observations of poets the surrounding

environment.

4.2 Discussion of the Metaphors

To analyze the metaphor in 30 of Mutanabbi poetry,

the Haley model is used according to the

classification stated in Chapter II. According to

Haley, human interaction in this life can be seen

through the use of metaphors.

Human thinks, as a thinking being human

perceives the similarity of what they see, what they

want, and what they experience with their natural

environment. To express that similarity they are

compelled to use the phrase metaphor. Given the

limitations of space and time, the following is part of

the Mutanabbi metaphor and the Haley Scale.

Table 2: Mutanabbi metaphor and the Haley Scale

Excerp of Poetry

Translation























 

Bagaikan rembulan kala

dia melirikmu,

(Like a moon when he

glances at you)

Bagaikan laut yang

dermawan

Untuk yang dekat dia

berikan mutiara

Untuk yang jauh dia

kirimkan awan hitam

(Like a generous sea

For the one near he gave

pearls For the far away he

sent black clouds)

Bagaikan matahari di

jantung langit,

Sinarnya menebar di

seluruh alam dari timur

sampai kebarat

(Like the sun in the heart

of the sky, The rays spread

throughout the nature

from east to west)

Analysis:

In the poem excerpt above, there are three words used

by Mutanabbi in conveying the generosity of

someone/something, namely the moon, the sea, and the

sun.

1. The moon. How is the moon used to describe

someone's generosity? Certainly by understanding

the character of the moon. It radiates light for all

natural objects on earth including humans. From

the fine sand on the beach until the high

mountains will receive its light, equally.

2. The sea.Likewise, the poet uses the word “sea” to

describe someone's patience and generosity. In

terms of patience, the sea sincerely accepts

whatever sent to him including dirts and rotten

carcasses. While the character of the sea that

depicts generosity is by allowing humans nearby

to take pearls and fish from it. Meanwhile, for the

far away area, the sea sends black clouds that

bring rain to the arid places.

3. The sun.The sun is also a metaphor used by the

Mutanabbi to describe generosity, namely giving

its light to the beings that live on earth, human,

plants, and animals. It is because of the sunlight

that all beings can grow, it is called blessing.

Without the sun, the fish, the tree, and even human

will die.

In the Halley category, the moon and the sun

belong to the cosmos category with predictions of

using space, while the sea belongs to the terrestrial

category with predictions of spreading out















Ucapan Mutanabbi saat

raja akan bepergian untuk

waktu yang lama:

Hendak kemana engkau

pergi, Tuan? Kami ibarat

rumput di tepi tebing

sementara kau adalah

awannya

(Mutanabbi words when

the king will travel for a

long time:

Where are you going, Sir?

We are like grass on the

edge of a cliff while you

are the cloud)

Analysis:

The use of "like grass on the edge of a cliff” is to

illustrate the helplessness of someone who will wither

and die without the help of clouds. So clouds are also

metaphors that describe someone who is a protector. If

in the Haley classification, grass on the edge of the cliff

is a living category with the predictions of grow and

silence. While clouds belong to the energy category

with "in motion" predictions.









Pujian Mutanabbi

terhadap Kafur:

Bila aku mendapatkan

kasih sayangmu, harta

ICELS 2019 - International Conference on Education, Language, and Society

548





kupandang kecil, bahkan

semua yang di atas tanah

adalah tanah.

(Mutanabbi praise for

Kafur:

If I get your love, my

treasure is small, even

everything on land is

land.)

Analysis:

The second word "land" is a metaphor for something

worthless even something that is considered

despicable. The word "land" for the metaphor it

represents belongs to the terrestrial category with a

prediction of something spread out.

  







  



Saat Mutanabbi

menangis:

Maut itu tak ubahnya

bagaikan pencuri..,

mencabut tanpa telapak

tangan, berjala ntanpa

kaki

(When Mutanabbi cries:

The death is like a thief,

pulling out without the

palm, walking without

legs)

Analysis:

The word "thief" is a metaphor for death. Why is the

death likened to a thief? Because it is not known when

it is arrived. If it has a hand, human can certainly push

it aside when itwants to take our lives. Likewise if it

has legs, of course its steps will make a sound and

human can fight it. Thieves belong to the Human

category with predictions of life and thinking.





 





 



Mutanabbi dalam memuji:

Tercipta puisi ini sangat

pantas untuk mereka

berdua bagaikan

pantasnya seuntai kalung

di leher putri jelita.

(Mutanabbi praising:

This poem is created

suitable for the two of

them like a necklace

around beautiful

princess’s neck)

Analysis:

A beautiful poetry for its creator is like the beautiful

necklace around the neck of a beautiful princess. The

metaphor of “a beautiful necklace around the princess’s

neck” depicts the beauty of poetry suitable for war

which is praised in the poem. Beautiful princess is

included in the human category with predictions as life

and thinking.

  

Suatu yang terbaik bagiku







adalah kau tunda

pemberianmu itu…

Bukankah awan yang

paling cepat jalannya

adalah awan putih

(The best for me is you

postpone your gift ...

Isn't the fastest cloud is

the white clouds?)

Analysis:

The description of the gift that is given immediately

when somebody is asking for it will be obtained as is.

If someone asks for a postpone, it is a rare thing. But

that becomes possible if it is described by the

metaphorical expression that the fast-moving clouds

are white clouds which have no water in them. While

the black clouds will move slower because it carries

more water. Mutanabbi uses the word “white cloud” as

an expression of metaphor is in the category of energy

with prediction in motion.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Metaphorical expression cannot be understood when

read only at a glance, cannot be understood easily,

even when we have understood it not necessarily we

are able to internalized it. From the results of the

study, it is concluded that understanding metaphors

in Mutannabi’s poetry is similar with understanding

how we give meaning to life. Mutannabi implicitly

invites human to perceive this life with awe.

Everythingcreated by God is nothing in vain. All can

give metaphorical meaning to the ummah (people).

Metaphor in poetry has more meaning than in

scientific books.

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