Abstract

Semiotics, also referred to as semiotics or semiology, is the science of investigating signs and uncovering their meanings within a text. It was established in modern times by the Swiss linguist and philosopher Ferdinand de Saussure and the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce. From this theory, various methodologies have emerged, providing critics with tools to understand and interpret the essence of texts. One of the most important methodologies derived from this field is Michael Riffaterre's approach, which examines a text through two readings: The Exploratory Reading: This focuses on issues related to the surface of the text. The Retroactive Reading: This involves decoding the text's symbols and ambiguities to clearly determine its meaning. In this second reading, concepts such as descriptive systems, cumulative expressions, the hypogram, and the structural matrix are analyzed .This study, using a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on Riffaterre's methodology, examines the poem (Elegy to the Sun of June) by the poet Abdul Wahab Al-Bayati. The poem is characterized by its heavy use of satire, exposing the hypocrisy of rulers and deceivers .Key findings include the following: In the exploratory reading, the poet employs techniques like inversion to highlight the significance of certain meanings. He also uses both metonymy and metaphor to create excitement and evoke enthusiasm in the text .In the retroactive reading, the accumulations focus on themes such as (displacement and destruction), (conflict and animosity), (empty claims), and (hypocrisy and complacency). The descriptive systems address themes such as (verbal warfare) and (responsibility). These themes ultimately lead to the hypogram and the structural matrix, which form the semantic network of the text.
 
Keywords: Semiotics, Riffaterre, Abdul Wahab Al-Bayati, Elegy to the Sun of June
 
Extended summary

Introduction

Semiotics, or the science of signs, in contrast to structuralism, which is confined to the text and rejects everything outside it, is a reaction against this confinement adhered to by modern approaches. It makes every sign a signification tha t helps in understanding the text and comprehending the idea. This science is based entirely on three elements: the signifier, the signified, and signification. Several methodologies have emerged from the heart of this science. One of the most prominent is Michael Riffaterre's methodology, which believes that every text can be studied through two readings: The first is called the heuristic reading by this linguist, which is concerned with analyzing the text and understanding it primarily without delving into what is beyond the text. As for the second reading, it is called the retroactive reading, in which the accumulations, descriptive systems, hypograms, and structural matrix are processed. Through this last reading, the critic seeks to reach the depths of the text until he can summarize it, in the end, into a single phrase or a specific and compressed sentence called the structural matrix.

Materials & Methods

This study aims, through the descriptive-analytical approach and relying on Riffaterre's methodology, to study the poem "Elegy to the Sun of June" by the contemporary Iraqi poet Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati. Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati addresses in this poem the roles of intellectuals in society and how they betrayed the national cause after they laid down their arms and began to be satisfied with talk, arrogance, and mouthing words that are not supported by sincere actions.

Research findings

From the heart of semiotics emerged Michael Riffaterre's theory, which relies on two forms of reading to study the text: the first is heuristic reading, which cares about the apparent and does not go beyond it, and the second is retrogressive reading, and this last reading goes beyond the apparent to reach what is deeper until it analyzes the text in harmony with the semiotic approach. "Riffaterre's method is one of the methods that rely on structuralism. It seeks to examine the signs within the text to create an interconnected network of signs and a coherent framework that provides criticism and analysis of poetry. The basis of this theory is to discover the semantic network of the poem based on the interpretation based on the literary ability of the reader and trying to identify the origin of the text through the sub-maps spread in it and on the internal coherence of the text despite the existence of linguistic changes that occur in the transition from the heuristic reading to the retrogressive reading retroactively." Based on this, Riffaterre believes that the message of the text cannot be discovered except after subjecting the text to two stages in which it passes from the apparent to reach the depths and hidden secrets behind the thresholds and patterns.

Discussion of Results & Conclusion

One of the most important semiotic features used by the poet is metaphor in its two forms: transferred and metaphorical, to instill excitement and enthusiasm into the atmosphere of the text. Likewise, symbolism and non-grammaticalities represented by fronting and delaying. As for the semiotic characteristics in retroactive reading, they are all accumulations that revolve around topics: (displacement and destruction), (conflict and grudges), (empty claims), and (hypocrisy and betrayal). As well as the descriptive systems that highlight (the war of words) and (officials) to reach, through these issues, the hypogram that is embodied in the following circles: the fake intellectual, empty claims, loss of determination, weakness and humiliation, starvation and extreme poverty, death for free. As for the semiotic characteristics in retroactive reading, they are all accumulations that revolve around topics: (displacement and destruction), (conflict and grudges), (empty claims), and (hypocrisy and betrayal). As well as the descriptive systems that highlight (the war of words) and (officials) to reach, through these issues, the hypogram that is embodied in the following circles: the fake intellectual, empty claims, loss of determination, weakness and humiliation, starvation and extreme poverty, death for free. The movement of this matrix from top to bottom starts from lies on the tongue of those who claim understanding and culture and want to correct the distortions in society, and ends with the fact that, contrary to what appears, he drags the masses of the people to humiliation and death for free. As for the core of the poem, which Riffaterre calls the structural matrix, it is covering up defeats with false promises so that the public sees them as victories, portraying abject failure, as well as exacerbating crises.