Symbolic Structures in Al-Khansāʾ’s Poetry: A Semiotic Analysis and Character Values

Abstract

This study explores the symbolic structures embedded in the elegiac poetry of Al-Khansa through Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotic theory. The focus is on analyzing the poem “al-Majdu Ḥillatahu” from Dīwān al-Khansāʾ, examining the relationship between signifiers and signifieds in symbolic expressions that reflect emotional, religious, cultural, and gendered meanings. The findings reveal that symbols such as tears, the eye, time, journey, and the brother figure not only represent personal grief but also convey collective and spiritual meanings rooted in pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arab culture. These symbols embody character values such as bravery, resilience, loyalty, and hope, offering a foundation for character education through Arabic literature. The study also emphasizes that semiotic analysis enriches the field of classical Arabic literary criticism and provides a methodological basis for integrating moral values into contemporary Arabic language education.