The Semiotic Structure of Dialogue Patterns in the Play Mourning Becomes Antigone

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the semiotic structure of dramatic dialogue in Riyad Ismat’s play Mourning Becomes Antigone, by tracing the semantic dimensions of dialogue—whether external, taking place between characters, or internal, manifested through stream of consciousness, soliloquy, and monologue. The research focuses on the semantic functions performed by dramatic discourse in revealing the psychological, social, and existential structures embedded in the characters’ language and expressions.

The study explores how meaning is formed through the deconstruction of linguistic signs and the binary oppositions that organize the interactions between characters. Through a close reading of the dialogue segments, it becomes clear that dialogue transcends its traditional role as a mere tool of dramatic communication and becomes a means of exposing transformations of consciousness and the interwoven conflicts that govern the progression of the dramatic event.

The study also highlights the vital role of the multiplicity of dialogue patterns in enriching the text. This diversity contributes to the creation of multiple levels of meaning, enabling a deeper reading of the characters’ development and transformation. Furthermore, dialogue helps produce a complex dramatic discourse in which psychological, political, and social dimensions intertwine, and voices and modes of expression overlap. This reveals the complexity of the semiotic structure of dialogue and