Th Semiotics of Death in Ibrahim Al-Ḥārthi’s Play Na’sh (Coffin)

Abstract

Semiotics of Death in Ibrahim Al-Ḥārthi’s Play Na’sh (Coffin)

Jaber Mohammed Yahiya Al-Najadi

Assistant Professor

Department of Arabic Language

University College, Al-Laith

Umm Al-Qura University

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

jmnajadey@uqu.edu.sa

Abstract. The primary goal of this study is to examine the theme of death in Ibrahim Al-Ḥārthi’s play Na’sh. The study also aims to uncover the implied meanings, symbols, and connotations related to death by using semiotic tools, particularly employing Greimas’s theses to analyze surface structures and narrative programs. This approach seeks to reveal the deeper connotations and inherent meanings through the factorial model and the semiotic square. The study includes a theoretical framework that gives a brief overview of the concept of death and explores the relationship between theatre and semiotics. It is divided into four sections: the first focuses on the title’s threshold, and the second on the introduction’s threshold. The interest in thresholds is due to their close connection to the main text and their role in clarifying intended meanings and providing interpretation for the reader. The third section discusses the development of individual diegesis and their reflection on the relationship between the self and the subject. It also explores the hierarchical transformations within narrative programs. The final section examines the semiotic square with its oppositional binaries and its impact on uncovering the underlying semantic structure of the text. The study concludes with a summary of the main findings and recommendations, followed by a bibliography of sources and references.

Keywords: Seme (semantic term), Death, Theater, Saudi, Na’sh (Coffin).