ABSTRACT
This paper, Nature in D. Zawawi Imron’s Poems: An Ecocritical Study, deals with textual analysis on three selected poems in ecocritical framework with the employment of ecocriticism, a theory that relates literature and physical environment. The study is intended to find the representation of nature and its meaning constructed within the text. Based on the findings, it is reveled that the three selected poems represent nature as background images. It means that nature functions as physical setting. Furthermore, these images also create symbolical meaning to the poet in his position as man and as part of the environment. Nature becomes a self-reflection to the poet to worship The Almighty God.
Nature plays an enormous role in the human life. Everyone needs nature to survive as nature also needs people for its preservation—an interplay interaction of both nature and human. It cannot be denied that nature gives great influence to people and their activities. As a given entity, “nature affects us and which we can affect, perhaps fatally, if we mistreat it” (Barry, 2002). Hence, nature does need conservation so that it can long-last and, finally, save human and all the activities from extinction.
Ever since the beginning, nature has become an important part in literature. The evidence shows that lots of authors use nature as one of the inspiration in their works. A number of poets use the word ‘sea’, ‘forest’, ‘grass’, ‘rain’ and so on in his or her poem. But along with the development of the world, literature has changed, and so does nature. Thus, these two elements run as an integrated counterpart. Yesterday’s literature belongs to yesterday’s physical environment and today’s literature belongs to today’s physical environment. Literature needs nature for the inspiration while nature needs literature for its conservation tool (Nugraha, 2009).
Nowadays, in this world of globalization, earth conservation campaign has become a prime issue that is celebrated everywhere. The main reason, which also becomes people consideration all around the world, is derived from the phenomenon of global warming. As what Historian Donald Worster said in his Related Conference and Abstract as cited in ASLE (The Association for Study of Literature and Environment) that:
We are facing a global crisis today, not because of how ecosystem functions but rather because of how our ethical system functions. Getting through the crisis requires understanding our impact on nature as precisely as possible, but even more, it requires understanding those ethical systems and using that understanding to reform them. (The Wealth of Nature: Environment History and the Ecological Imagination [New York, Oxford UP, 1993])
Hence, environment conservation can no longer be neglected. It is a must for one to protect and maintain the physical environment, the nature, the earth. Thus, it is important to make an agenda, seminar, and workshop in order to stimulate people’s awareness upon the importance of nature. Considering this, one contribution has also developed from literary field, especially in literature and cultural studies.
Literary work is a human creation expressing feelings, opinions, and ideas. In other words, literary work is a reflection of an author based on his or her empirical experience in conveying the vision of life (Saini, 1993). A great literary work is universal one that is able to express the general truth about human life. It means that a great literature can only be appreciated if there is no limitation and difficulty for people to accept the work –apart from culture, region, and language. Additionally, literary work also holds ideology and tools to maintain its ideology (Culler, 1997). Of what we assume as ideology is a principle: that doing something right is wise; that helping a poor man is kind; that protecting nature is good, and so on. And this is what makes literature important, significant, and worthwhile.
Literary work as one of the human creation functions as documentation of life: man, their activities, and the interconnection between both. Furthermore, considering this, it comprehends lately to what we call as culture. In this context, literary work tries to document nature since, however, man still becomes part of the universe, both of them corporate and associate with this physical environment.
Based on the description, a study is conducted in a more comprehensive way. It connects literature and nature as the object. Two of the experts from its field Cheryll Glotfelty and Harold Fromm presented the idea of ‘ecocriticism’ through their descriptive essay The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology published in 1996. Within the essay, they try to employ ‘back to nature’ concept into literature by using earth-centered approach for the study. Ecocriticism itself can be defined as the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment (Glotfelty, 1996).
Ecocriticism or ‘green studies’ began in the USA in the late 1980s and in the UK in the early 1990s, and it is still an ‘emergent movement’ to date. Glotfelty who is also the co-founder of The Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE), publishes ISLE (Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment) journal in 1993 as ways to propagate the movement. However, it is different form other critical approach presents before this; ecocriticism has yet been a widely-known set of assumption, doctrines, or procedures which likely appear in academic margins. That is why ecocriticism seems to be the strongest in the universities of the West of USA, “away from the larger cities, and from the major academic power-centers of the East and West coasts” (Barry, 2002).
The urgency of ecocriticism can actually be conveyed from the questions such as: How is nature represented in the poem? What role does the physical setting play in the plot of a novel? Are the values expressed in a play consistent with ecological wisdom? How do our metaphors of the land influence the way we treat it? How can we characterize nature writing as a genre? In relation to race, class, and gender, should place become a new critical category? In what ways and to what effect is the environmental crisis seeping into contemporary literature and popular culture? (Glotfelty & Fromm, 1996). Besides, more questions consider the relationship between nature and literature. A basic foundation is that literary work, however, has connection with physical environment (nature). Thus, ecocriticism turns to bridge both of them.
For the ecocritics, nature really exists, out there beyond ourselves, not needing to be ironised as a concept by enclosure within knowing inverted commas …. Nature, then, isn’t reducible to a concept which we conceive as part of our cultural practice…. (Barry, 2002).
Considering ‘green’ in literary work and the ‘back to nature’ concept, William Wordsworth within his poem significantly deals with the beauty of forest, mountains, flowers, animals, and the sea. At that time, industrial revolution had strongly enough influenced every aspect of the people’s life (Frederik, 1988). And he comes with this concept along his poems. For him, who lived in a country most of his life, nature was considered more than as a source of spiritual influence, or of relaxation. “Tintern Abbey,” one of his poems, was able to contrast the depressing effect of city life with the kind of peaceful life among mountain and rivers:
Five years have past; five summer with the length
Of five long winters! and again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a soft inland murmur. –Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quite of the sky.
The day is come when I again repose
Here, under the dark sycamore, and view
These plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts,
Which at these season , with their unripe fruits,
Are clad in one green hue, ad lose themselves
‘Mid groves and copses. Once again I see
(Line Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey. Line 1-14. Cited in Frederik, 1988)
In a different way, the same expression is also presented from one of Indonesian poet that is D. Zawawi Imron. He can be classified as one of the authors who have strong inclination at nature in his poems. He wrote Tengah hari di bukit wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu. Aku tak tahu/ manakah yang lebih biru, langitkah atau hatiku?. (Midday upon the revelation hill I read Thy Poem. I don’t know/ which one is blue, is it skyscraper or my liver?) Is it possible the word “Puisi” (Poem) –with the capital ‘P’—interpreted as the God’s manifestation reflected through one of His creations? Kun!” perintah-Mu. Maka terjadilah alam, rahmat dan surga. (“Kun!” Thou command. Then, be the world, grace, and heaven). To look up the world ”langit” (skyscraper) as a referent, it is obvious what kind of meaning the author attempted to deliver.
Living in a small village Batang-batang in Madura, Zawawi Imron has strong connection with nature: grass field, coconut trees, and waterfall, palm tree and so on. Nature for him is not only a matter of God’s gift but also a matter of how it can be ways to praise God’s creation. Clearly he exclaimed and corrected Husni Djamaludin’s statement that actually he did not recite poem; “nature did” (Zawawi, 1999).
According to Abdul Wachid (2006), Zawawi’s poems always realize about the reality of nature. Reality, in turn, is not one that can only be touched by sensory tools and understood logically. Yet, it can only be understood if its existence is connected with the transcendental one. The reality of nature in Zawawi’s poems is the physical environment and the transcendental as showed by its reflective analogy.
Furthermore, nature as a reality is not merely a visible thing that appears and can be seen as only physical environment. Beyond that, nature shows its power through the occurrence of phenomena. Why do the phenomena, such as flood, dryness, or even global warming, happen? What does make them? By this, people try to seek and discover the cause and symptom in spite of having the solution of preservation and salvation. In the process, they translate and interpret the ‘language’ of nature. And Zawawi, within the poem, does exactly what people do. He translates and interprets nature. He speaks with nature; he reads the nature; and he also makes conversation with it. As a Moslem, he believes that there is a power beyond power, thing that stands behind nature: the Almighty God. Zawawi considers nature not only as an environment but also as God’s creation and manifestation. He wants to declare that God does exist, whether in transcendent feature or even in immanent one. Poem, therefore, becomes his endeavor to describe His greatness.
Alifmu yang Satu/ tegak di mana-mana (Thy only one Alif/ stands everywhere [Zikir, line 20-21]), Zawawi said. While, Jalaludin Rumi the philosopher wrote within his poem:
…
Aku bertanya kepada Ibnu Sina tentangnya;
Ia ternyata di luar jangkauannya.
Kuberanikan diri menuju ke “jarak dua busur”;
Ia pun tak ada di ruang agung itu.
Aku menatap hatiku sendiri;
Di sana kulihat Ia; Ia tidak berada di tempat lain.
…
(I ask Ibnu Sina about him.
Unfortunately, he is out of his reach
I brave myself to step the “two arches distance”;
Too, he is not in that room.
I stare on my own soul;
There He is; He’s not elsewhere.)
(Cited in Wachid, Semiotika Religiositas D. Zawawi Imron, Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra, 2006: 125)
Both of them attempt to represent and describe the mighty of God. The poems are written by the skill of the author, by his instinct and intellectual. Imagination, interpretation, and contemplation of the poet blend together through the words of the poem. Zawawi along with his poem and its characteristics comes with the idea of nature. Through nature, he wants to chant and worship God and admits His existence which also reaffirms his.
From the description above, this research as one of the turning point, attempts to investigate the problems. It is aimed to seek on how nature is actually represented on the three selected poems and what the meaning of nature is in D. Zawawi Imron’s poems.
II. FINDINGS
1. Nature in the First Zawawi’s Poem “Pemandangan” (The Scenery)
Pemandangan
Kubiarkan bakau-bakau di rawa pantai itu melanjutkan pesanmu,
awan jingga, langit jingga, angin jingga dan laut jingga
Riak air yang belas padaku mengiba sepanjang lagu, dahan-
dahan yang sudah mati kembali menari-nari menyambut
embunmu senjahari
Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya, aku sangat ingin ke sana
Tapi terasa dengan sampan seribu tahun aku tak sampai
Dengan keharuan, mungkinkah cukup satu denyutan?
1978
The Scenery
I let mangroves in the sea swamp carry out thy message
red cloud, red sky, red wind, and red sea
The ripples of water that mercy me pity along the melody, the
dead branches dance once again welcoming
thy daydusk dew
In the middle of the sea thy name plays light, I wish to go there straight
Yet with a thousand year sampan I cannot reach
With an affection, is it possible enough one pulsation?
1978
[Translated by Firman Nugraha]
To analyze the representation of nature in the first poem, it is important to firstly recognize the elements of the poem which henceforth leads to the meaning of the whole. It intends to find how the mechanism of the poem works whether from the usage of diction, figurative language, or even imagery. In addition, the analysis also considers the explanation of the general meaning of the poem.
In general, the poem is about seashore scenery (“Pemandangan”) which is depicted by the single speaker within poem. Specifically, it tells about how he interacts with nature and makes nature as media to deliver his idea to the second speaker. This statement clearly appears in the first line of the poem: Kubiarkan bakau-bakau di rawa pantai itu melanjutkan pesanmu. It also appears in the third to fifth line when /Riak air (yang) belas/ to the speaker of the poem, /mengiba sepanjang lagu, and dahan yang sudah mati kembali menari-nari menyambut/ embunmu senjahari. Here the elements of nature (i.e. mangroves, the ripples of water, and branches) represent the ideas of the single speaker which is his wish or expectation to meet the second speaker as he intends.
This idea can be seen in the sixth line of the poem: Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya. This is also believed as the core of the poem which leads to his attitude in reading the sign of God as The Almighty creator. In other words, the speaker in such manner worships his God through His creation of nature and its element that functions as mediator in delivering the signs of power of God. Hence, “Pemandangan”, in this circumstance, can be connotatively assumed as a space that must be achieved in order to release something anxious felt by the speaker of the poem.
The first impression emerges toward the poem is seashore scenery, as what the title “Pemandangan” shows. It can be seen from the presentation of the elements of nature as its dictions, such as bakau-bakau (mangroves), rawa (swamp), pantai (seashore), awan (cloud), langit (skyscraper), angin (wind), laut (sea), air (water), dahan (branch), embun (dew), senjahari (day dusk), and cahaya (light). Below is the list of dictions in the poetry “Pemandangan.”
Table 4.1 List of Diction in the Poem “Pemandangan”
Diction in The Poem “Pemandangan” | Line | |
The elements of nature |
| 1 2 3-4 5 6 |
Considering the elements of nature for its diction as what has assumed in the beginning, the words evoke the reader to sense by sensory perception a set of place of seashore. However, the usage of dictions toward the poem has the characteristic of imaginative rather than descriptive. Through the elements of nature, the single speaker of the poem does not really explain the scenery of seashore within the poem as what has intended by him. Substantively, the single speaker creates his imagination and impression for the diction is rather connotative than denotative.
Despite of the usage of the elements of nature, figurative language as one of the intrinsic element of the poem also contributes the achievement of the meaning of the poem. The most figurative language that emerges in this poem is metaphor and personification. Others are repetition, rhetorical question, and hyperbole. This regards with dictions used by the speaker that makes the poem strong for it employs concrete words of nature. For example: bakau-bakau di rawa pantai itu melanjutkan pesanmu (mangroves in the sea swamp carry out thy message); riak air yang belas padaku mengiba sepanjang lagu (the ripples of water that mercy me pity along the melody); dahan- dahan yang sudah mati kembali menari-nari menyambut/ embunmu senjahari (dead branches dance once again welcoming thy duskday dew); and di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya (in the middle of the sea thy name plays light).
Above all, by taking a closer look the verb of the sentences; it makes as if the elements of nature really personifies human. In this manner, nature is being regard as a person. The table below shows the list of all figurative language and rhetorical expression that appears in the poem.
Table 4.2 List of Figurative Language in the Poem “Pemandangan”
Figurative Language in The Poem “Pemandangan” | Line | |
Metaphor | 1. bakau-bakau di rawa pantai itu melanjutkan pesanmu 2. Riak air yang belas padaku mengiba sepanjang lagu 3. dahan- dahan yang sudah mati kembali menari-nari menyambut embunmu senjahari 4. Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya | 1 3 3-5 6 |
Personification | 1. bakau-bakau di pinggir air di rawa pantai ini melanjutkan pesanmu 2. Riak air yang belas padaku mengiba sepanjang lagu 3. dahan-dahan yang sudah mati kembali menari-nari menyambut embunmu senjahari 4. Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya | 1 3 4 6 |
Table 4.3 List of Rhetorical Expression in the Poem “Pemandangan”
Rhetorical Expressions in The Poem “Pemandangan” | Line | |
Repetition | awan jingga, langit jingga, angin jingga, dan laut jingga | 1 |
Rhetorical question | Dengan keharuan, mungkinkah cukup satu denyutan? | 8 |
Hyperbole | Tapi terasa dengan sampan seribu tahun aku tak sampai | 7 |
Indirectly, the usage of figurative language also affects the occurrence of imagery of the poem. Those imageries are visual, auditory, and most of them are kinesthetic. In other words, that figurative language does influence the result of imagery. Basically, imagery is literary written or stated in the poem; it obtains from the concrete words that evoke the reader to see, to feel, to hear, and sense the building image in the realm of imagination of their mind. The effect is so that reader can imagine the background images of the poem.
The poem creates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic imagery as the most visible one. Visual imagery of the poem presents a time where the sun sets in the west that is twilight. Within the poem, it depicts by the words “jingga.” However, the word “jingga” attaches with other words that apparently have connotative meaning as shown in the line two: awan jingga, langit jingga, angin jingga dan laut jingga. In this order, the words emerges its own-different images which associates with old age. Thus, “jingga” is words of symbol representation. Besides, this imagery also occurs in the third to forth line and also in the sixth line.
In addition, other imagery is auditory and kinesthetic. In this manner, the reader can mostly feel that certain elements of nature within the poem apparently become alive. Through these imageries, one can sense how mangroves move and deliver a message, how the water ripples, and how the dead branches dance. Besides the words evoke the reader to imagine a certain set of place, imagery in this circumstance also draws an exact association for the concrete words occupy as symbolical meaning. Clearly, it shows in presentation of the line six which in forth distract the interpretation of the poem as merely a descriptive one. Below is the table.
Table 4.4 List of Imagery in the Poem “Pemandangan”
Imagery in The Poem “Pemandangan” | Line | |
Visual | 1. awan jiingga, langit jingga, angin jingga, dan laut jingga 2. dahan-dahan yang sudah mati 3. Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya | 2 3-4 6 |
Auditory | Riak air yang belas padaku mengiba sepanjang lagu | 3 |
Kinesthetic | 1. Kubiarkan bakau-bakau di rawa pantai ini melanjutkan pesanmu 2. dahan yang sudah mati kembali menari-nari menyambut embunmu senjahari 3. Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya 4. Riak air yang belas padaku mengiba sepanjang lagu | 1 4 6 |
To sum up, nature in this poem presents as background image or setting that has symbolical meaning. Though the title is “Pemandangan,” apparently it is not the actual theme of the poem. The poem does not talk about natural existence. Scenery is merely symbol or narrative treatments that occur to be a vehicle in delivering speaker’s idea as shown in the first four lines. Though, nature plays significant role in obtaining the speaker’s idea which likely has special position for the speaker. The speaker senses that nature possesses the power which indirectly shows the greatness of its creator. Thereby, the main theme of the poem is the expectancy of the single speaker that wishes to meet his God as the second speaker within the poem.
2. Nature in the Second Zawawi’s Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu” (Upon the Revelation Hill)
Di Bukit Wahyu
Tengah hari di bukit wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu. Aku tak tahu
manakah yang lebih biru, langitkah atau hatiku?
“Kun!” perintah-Mu. Maka terjadilah alam, rahmat dan sorga.
Bahkan di hidung anjing Kaubedakan sejuta bau.
Dalam jiwaku kini hinggap sehelai daun yang gugur.
Selanjutnya senandung, lalu matahari mundur ke ufuk timur,
waktu pun kembali pagi. Di mata embun membias rentetan riwa-
yat, mengeja-eja desir darahku. Ada selubung lepas dariku,
angin pun bangkit dari paruh kepodang di pucuk pohon
kenanga.
1979
Upon The Revelation Hill
Midday upon the revelation hill I read Thy Poem. I don’t know
which one is bluer, is it skyscraper or my liver?
“Kun!” Thou command. Then, be the world, grace, and heaven
Even in the nose of a dog thou differ a thousand scents.
Alight in my heart now fall a sheet of leaf
Hence a hum, then the sun sets to the east horizon,
Time reverts to dawn. In the dew eye reflects a series of
tale, spells my hissing blood. There’s a veil loose from me,
the wind rises from oriole’s beak in the tip of
Kananga tree
1979
[Translated by Firman Nugraha]
The poem entitled “Di Bukit Wahyu” which was written in 1979 shows mood felt by the single speaker at a certain time. The speaker uses “Bukit” or hill as an index of place to deliver his idea in environmental surroundings of his existence. It seems that the title is connotative since hill as a place an sich are bound with the word ‘revelation’ that generally has something to do with divinity for it also belongs to abstract noun. However, in this occasion, it may presume that “Bukit” is merely a set of place or background of the poem.
However, the poem in general is not about the hill, but rather than about mood of the single speaker that occurs toward the hill. The mood itself emerges through the reading by the speaker. Obviously, the activity of reading itself is done rather contextually than textually. The evidence shows in the first line that Tengah hari di bukti wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu (Midday upon the revelation hill I read Thy Poem). The reading turns out to present speaker’s inability in deciding his senses (line 2) toward “Thy Poem” which is blue. The single speaker, in this manner, does not really know which one is bluer, is it skyscraper of his liver? Though, it is better to explain the might of Thy rather than nature –represented by skyscraper—for his action.
Furthermore, the single speaker depicts the might of Thy (line 3-4). In this case, it seems that we have to coupe with certain context of culture that is Islam. The word “Kun!” is intertextually connected with one of the verse of Koran. People of this religion believe that their God has His own will to make something happens by only saying “Kun!” (Koran, 36: 82; 23: 17; and 33: 33). This belief apparently exists in the single speaker as a Moslem. God’s will, by the single speaker, is also described after the line of three and four: Maka terjadilah alam, rahmat dan sorga (Then, be the world, grace, and heaven). The speaker seems want to emphasize that His mercy and beneficence covers all: Bahkan di hidung anjing Kaubedakan sejuta bau (Even in the nose of a dog Thou differ a thousand scents).
Considering the mood of the single speaker; however, it is concentrated in the fifth line: Dalam jiwaku kini hinggap sehelai daun yang gugur (Alight in my heart now fall a sheet of leaf). The sentence indicates disquiet and insecurity of the speaker. Even so, his anxiety is not meant to be his surrender because then “senandung” (hum) is what occurs deep inside his heart. The speaker is optimistic to what has happened and to what will happen. This feeling is not literally stated; it is stated by description of time: lalu matahari mundur ke ufuk timur,/ waktu pun kembali pagi (then the sun sets to the east horizon,/ time reverts to dawn). In other words, God’s optional is obvious for He holds the time. Besides, there shall no fear come upon one who believes His right. Of helplessness, the speaker always deals it with optimism: carpe diem (seize the day!).
This poem is the same as the first poem which also deals mostly with elements of nature. The title is obvious; others are langit (skyscraper), alam (nature), daun (leaf), matahari (sun), embun, (dew), angin (wind), kepodang (oriole), pohon kenanga (Kananga tree). The use of elements of nature as its diction substantively supports the poem as a whole. In this order, it is not only made the poem beautiful in such way, but also cohesive and comprehensive in another way.
The choice of words in the poem or in literary work in practical is subjective rather than objective. It regards with the author intention or process of the achievement of literary work as his or her product. In this case, the elements of nature plays significant role within the poem and one that makes the poem has its own characteristic. That is what we finally called as the aesthetics of poem. In addition, the employing of diction of nature makes the poem clear in constructing its background of imagery. The words of nature are effective, and effectively evoke the reader to imagine the setting of the poem.
Table 4.5 List of Diction in the Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu”
Diction in The Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu ” | Line | |
The elements of nature |
| 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9-10 |
Hereafter, some figurative languages lay within the poem, though not the entire sentence has it. There is metonymy (Tengah hari di bukit wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu, line 1), and most of them are personification (Dalam jiwaku kini hinggap sehelai daun yang gugur, line 5; Lalu matahari munduk ke ufuk timur, line 6; Mata embun … mengeja-eja desir darahku, line 7-8; and angin pun bangkit dari paruh kepodang, line 9 (See table 4.6 for details)). Thus, nature that is represented by leaves, sun, dew, and wind make the poem alive. It leads reader to sense directly the ambience of the surroundings of the poem through imagination. However, this effect also triggers the rise of various imagery of the poem.
Table 4.6 List of Figurative Language in the Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu”
Figurative Language in The Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu” | Line | |
Personification | 1. Dalam jiwaku kini hinggap sehelai daun yang gugur. 2. lalu matahari mundur ke ufuk timur, waktu pun kembali pagi 3. Di mata embun… mengeja-eja desir darahku 4. angin pun bangkit dari paruh kepodang | 5 6-7 7 9 |
Metonymy | Tengah hari di bukti wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu | 1 |
As part of figure of speech, some of the sentences of this poem also show its rhetorical expression. Rhetorical question is represented within the first to second line. Then, hyperbole comes in the line four. The speaker uses the word ‘sejuta bau’ (thousand scents) in the sentence Bahkan di hidung anjing kaubedakan sejuta bau. The last would be the sentence in line six and seven. As notification, this sentence belongs to enumeration. Enumeration is one of the figures of speech consist of expression or short sentence in order to give dynamical image as the effect of the poem and to clear the image into concrete one. Likewise, it emphasizes statement or condition –in this matter is the speaker condition of his mood—intensively. Below is the table of the list of rhetorical expression in the poem “Di Bukit Wahyu.”
Table 4.7 List of Rhetorical Expression in the Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu”
Rhetorical Expressions in The Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu” | Line | |
Rhetorical question | Aku tak tahu manakah yang lebih biru, langitkah atau hatiku? | 1-2 |
Hyperbole | Bahkan di hidung anjing kaubedakan sejuta bau. | 4 |
Enumeration | Selanjutnya senandung, lalu matahari mundur ke ufuk timur, waktu pun kembali pagi | 6-7 |
In addition, the poem produces almost imagery in each line. There are visual, auditory, smell, and kinesthetic imagery. The visual imagery is visualized in the first line until the forth, so too the seventh, and ninth and ten. The auditory only explains by the third and sixth line. Line four maybe one of the imagery belongs to the smell. Finally, the last imagery that is kinesthetic elaborates within line five to nine (See Table 4.8). It seems that the author uses imagery effectively within this poem in order to evoke the reader so that they can feel, see, and hear manifestly. Furthermore, the use of images also contributes in building special atmosphere, clarity, and local color of the poem, and mood of the poet. However, it depends on how the author processes the words he gets from the surrounding environment.
Table 4.8 List of Imagery in the Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu”
Imagery in The Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu” | Line | |
Visual | 1. Tengah hari di bukti wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu. 2. … manakah yang lebih biru, langitkah atau hatiku? 3. Maka terjadilah alam 4. Bahkan di hidung anjing 5. waktu pun kembali pagi 6. paruh kepodang di pucuk pohon kenanga | 1 2 3 4 7 9-10 |
Auditory | 1. “Kun!” perintah-Mu 2. Selanjutnya senandung | 3 6 |
Smell | … kaubedakan sejuta bau. | 4 |
Kinesthetic | 1. Dalam jiwaku kini hinggap sehelai daun yang gugur 2. … matahari mundur ke ufuk timur 3. Di mata embun membias rentetan riwayat, mengeja-eja desir darahku 4. Angin pun bangkit dari paruh | 5 6 7-8 9 |
From the table above, it can be inferred that the strong use of concrete words, in this case is diction of the elements of nature, still dominates the poem. Figurative language that uses mostly personification turns alive on the poem. In addition, imagery presented by concrete words from beginning till the end of the line triggers the reader to sense the background images reveled by the speaker.
Above all, the poem tells us about the feeling of the single speaker in a certain occasion. The speaker is in his sadness. Yet, it is made well after he does the reading of the sign of God through His manifestation (nature) upon the hill. In this manner, the speaker is touching and henceforth having new spirit in living life. He is, again, enthusiastic. The position of the speaker in this poem is one that senses the essence of nature and by which he worships the creator that is God. It must be noted that one that makes the poem special is when speaker takes lesson from natural surroundings and gives meaning to it. Thus, it can be concluded that God and His bless and power is the main theme of the poem.
3. Nature in The Third Zawawi’s Poem “Sungai Walannae” (Walannae River)
Sungai Walannae
Apa yang kau bawa
dari hulu selain kebeningan?
Aku merasa
tapi bukan mengerti
Selebihnya
ada yang tersisih
dan mengalir ke dalam mimpi
Warna coklat yang kau hilirkan
seperti hidupku juga
akan mendangkalkan dasar danau
Hingga air di sana tak biru lagi
Sebutir embun
yang jatuh di pusat lubukmu
seperti tak punya arti
Hingga umur
bau apak di ketiak jamur
Berdiri di tepimu
seperti melihat ke dalam hati
bimbang antara pemandangan indah dan ngeri
Daun-daun pohonan di tepian
memejamkan matanya
ketika aku turun dan mandi
Dingin airmu
bagai setia seorang sahabat
menjauhkanku dari karat atau kesumat
O, Walannae!
sehabis mandi
mataairmu kubawa pergi
ke mesjidku dekat muara
Dan saksikanlah
harimau dan bulan berciuman
di puncak bukit hatiku
1987
Walannae River
What did thou bring
from the upriver except clearness?
I felt
but didn’t understand
Rest
there’s a part
and flowing to a dream
Brown color that thou streamed
as my life too
will shallow the bottom lake
till the water is no more blue neither
A dew
that falls to the depths
seems meaningless
till age
is musty in fungus armpit
Standing by the edge
as if I looked to the deep heart
worried between beautiful and horrifying scenery
The leaves of tree in the edge
close their eyes
when I gone down and bathe
Your cold water
as if a faithful friend
estranged me from corrode and hatred
O, Walannae
After a bath
I took your wellspring
to the mosque near estuary
And watch
tiger and moon
smooch
on the top of my heart
1987
[Translated by Firman Nugraha]
The title of the poem “Sungai Walannae” (Walannae River) is assumed to be one of the rivers located in Sumenep Madura, East Java –the place where the author lives. This poem describes the experience of the single speaker deals with the river. The speaker uses Walannae as reference to deliver his mutual closeness with the river that stands as a background of the poem. A conversation holds between the single speaker and the river. Likely, the speaker takes Walannae as instrument in doing (ritual) activity.
Hereafter, the analysis will deal with structural element of the poem. This poem “Sungai Walannae” is obviously different from those two in the beginning from topographical perspective. The poem consists of eight verses or couplets in which each couplet includes one to two sentences. The lines and also the couplet are in forth arranged into 33 lines of the poem. In such way, the poem looks like and reverts to old and conventional one. Even though it is attached by couplets, it is not so bound by pattern of rhyme. Moreover, the rhyme is instead free pattern though not entire poem. However, still, the poem is pronounced in a narrative way in the same manner as the first and the second poem.
For some reason, the arrangement of dictions still play significant role beside the use of daily words within the poem. Personal supposition and association done by the single speaker (the author) also makes the poem peculiar and prominent. The use of particular words such as “kebeningan”, “warna coklat”, “pusat lubuk”, “bau apak”, “ngeri”, and other specific word creates exclusiveness within itself, which also emerges lots of various possibility of interpretation. Anyhow, the tone of poem no longer rumbles like a distant thunder like the first and the second poem. Below is the list of diction of the poem.
Table 4.9 List of Diction in the Poem “Sungai Walannae”
Diction in The Poem “Sungai Walannae” | Line | |
The elements of nature | § hulu (part of the river) § dasar danau § air § embun § jamur § daun-daun pohonan § mata airmu § muara § harimau, bulan § bukit | 2 10 11 12 16 20 28 29 31 33 |
This poem also contains figurative language that highly dominates other, that is personification (five sentences) and simile (4 sentences). The rest figure of speech are metaphor (2 sentences), simile (2 sentences), metonymy (1 sentence), synecdoche (2 sentences), and rhetorical question (1 sentence) (See table 4.10). Walannae that is personified by the single speaker is made likely as a person that really chats with him. Tough we know that it is one way communication, in this manner the speaker likely wants to state that nature does speak in its own way. The sentence Daun-daun pohonan di tepian/ memejamkan matanya/ ketika aku turun dan mandi (sixth verse line 20-22), for example, becomes so peculiar for the speaker puts one part of the body (eye) linked up to the leaves. In addition, the usage of simile emphasizes that between speaker’s life and the river is not authentically different at all. Both of them are just the same in certain way.
Table 4.10 List of Figurative Language in the Poem “Sungai Walannae”
Figurative Language in The Poem “Sungai Walannae” | Line | |
Metaphor | 1. Ada yang tersisih dan mengalir ke dalam mimpi 2. Hingga umur bau apak di ketiak jamur | 6-7 15-16 |
Simile | 1. Warna coklat yang kau hilirkan seperti hidupku juga 2. Dingin airmu bagai setia seorang sahabat | 8-9 23&24 |
Personification | 1. Apa yang kau bawa dari hulu selain kebeningan? (and also as rhetorical question) 2. Ada yang … mengalir ke dalam mimpi 3. Daun-daun pohonan di tepian memejamkan matanya 4. Dingin airmu…menjauhkan dari karat atau kesumat 5. Harimau dan bulan berciuman | 1-2 6-7 20-21 23&25 32 |
Imagery apparently will be the last discussion over the poem. It is found that there are three imageries in this poem. Most of them are dominated by visual and kinesthetic, while the rest is smell and tactile imagery (Table 4.11). The visual imagery dominates the poem by which the reader –using sensory perception of eye—sees the exact river meant by the single speaker. His description and so to his comprehension over the river has succeeded in evoking the reader to do the same. Kinesthetic also makes the poem alive and tickles reader’s sensory tools. Last but not least, the dictions, figure of speech, and imagery, in certain case, create symbolical meaning for the poem itself. This is undeniably relates to personal expression delivered by the speaker.
Table 4.11 List of Imagery in the Poem “Sungai Walannae”
Imagery in “Sungai Walannae” | Line | |
Visual | dari hulu selain kebeningan Warna coklat yang kau hilirkan Air di sana tak biru lagi Sebutir embun yang jatuh ketika aku turun dan mandi mataairmu kubawa pergi | 2 8 11 12 22 28 |
Tactile | Dingin airmu | 23 |
Smell | bau apak di ketiak jamur | 16 |
Kinesthetic | Apa yang kau bawa/ dari hulu selain kebeningan Ada yang … mengalir ke dalam mimpi Warna coklat yang kau hilirkan Daun-daun pohonan di tepian/ memejamkan matanya Dingin airmu/ menjauhkanku dari karat | 1-2 6-7 8 21 23 & 25 |
Finally, the poem tells us about one of the single speaker’s experience in his interaction with the river. “Walannae” for some reason stands not only as speaker’s index that build ambience of the poem, but also function as medium for the speaker to reflect to. The speaker learns from the river and takes the lesson from it. Thereby, it can be inferred that the existence of the speaker in that occasion is strengthened by the existence of the river. The speaker’s conviction of faith as a Moslem is represented toward his attitude after takes a bath and takes water to pray in the mosque near the estuary. This ritual praying is just what reaffirms his reflection over the river. Thus, the poem even though describes mostly about the river as the elements of nature; one for sure, it tells us about on how the speaker takes the lesson from the river, and by which the speaker made it as a witness for his submission toward the All Mighty God.
III. DISCUSSION
1. The Construction of Nature in the First Poem “Pemandangan”
Based on the analysis presented above, the findings refer that those three poems support the idea of different usage of nature. Through the use of diction in spite of the elements of nature, figurative language, and imagery, nature functions as medium, background, and subject matter. Besides, nature portrayed within the poems share a similarity which present as background images that has symbolical meaning.
In the first poem “Pemandangan”, nature stands as medium in delivering ideas or thoughts between the single speaker and the second speaker of the poem. This assumption goes to the evidence of the first line of the poem: Kubiarkan bakau-bakau di rawa pantai itu melanjutkan pesanmu (I let mangroves in the sea swamp carry out thy message). However, the core of the poem which also distracts the attainment of meaning of the poem lies in the sixth line that is Di tengah laut namamu bermain cahaya (In the middle of the sea thy name plays light). This sentence apparently conducts the explanation in describing the second speaker that is God. This interpretation is done by analyzing the addressee through characteristics attached to Him as in the word “pesanmu” (line 1), “embunmu” (line 6), and “namamu” (line 7). The addressee ‘mu’ or the second speaker, then, is not a person or thing; it is God for light is one of His characteristics (Wachid, 2006). In addition, by considering light as a symbol, Cirlot (1962) within his book says that light is pertinent to the spirit in which its whiteness alludes to such a synthesis of the All (God).
However, the main point reveals in its relative clause of the sentence which is aku sangat ingin ke sana (I wish to go there straight). The expectancy of the single speaker that really wants to meet The Light is predicted as the main idea of the poem. In other words, the single speaker wants to meet God. It indicates that God’s power (“pesanmu”) exists through the elements of nature that stand as His Verse (“bakau-bakau”). In this manner, nature is viewed as possessing all the knowledge that man needs to know. The existence of nature in this case emphasizes the existence of the single speaker. This is in line with ecocritical perspective which states that nature is the name under which we use the nonhuman to validate the human, to interpose mediation able to make humanity easier with itself (cited in Barry, 2002).
Besides, other interpretation goes that nature becomes social construction only after humans see, feel, and embed the relevance of existence of nature with them so that nature and all of its elements play as a narrator about human. In this other eco-perspective point of view, nature is a given entity in which human’s role stands just as the part of this great macrocosm. This is what actually speaker does toward the sea as the transitional and meditating agent between the non formal (air and gasses) and formal (earth and solids) (Cirlot, 1962). Thus, nature is not seen as the source of life but also its goal. Finally, on behalf of the single speaker, ‘to return to the sea’ is ‘to return to its creator’, that is, to God.
Henceforth, nature apparently is not the actual theme of the poem. The poem does not talk about natural existence. Scenery is merely symbol or narrative treatments that occur to be tools or medium in delivering speaker’s idea (line 1-4). Thereby, nature in this poem functions as mere physical setting. In other words, the scenery is just a set of place. Though, nature plays significant role in obtaining the speaker’s idea. It likely has special position for the speaker, since he senses nature as things that possess power which indirectly shows the greatness of its creator. In this way, the speaker seemingly wants to say that “nature is great for it is made by The Great (God)”. There is a spirit of place presented by the single speaker. This place absorbs the spirit as part of his identities which is integrated within the poem, and inevitably it becomes part of the work that flows from his creativity.
2. The Construction of Nature in the Second Poem “Di Bukit Wahyu”
Furthermore, nature in this second poem functions as medium for the single speaker to learn to, to take lesson from, and to run the meaning up to the Almighty God. However, as what also occurs in the first poem, nature in the beginning of the poem is represented as a background of setting in which the single speaker coupes with his empirical experience in certain circumstances. In other words, nature is depicted as the background of the poem that creates images and ambience toward sensed-poem to the reader.
In this way, the single speaker gives the message of the poem in way of describing condition where he belongs at. It is the same as the title of the poem that the single speaker is upon the hill seeing skyscraper of the Thy Poem which is blue (Tengah hari di bukit wahyu kubaca Puisi-Mu/ Aku tak tahu/ manakah yang lebih biru, langitkah atau hatiku? line 1-2). His literal sight seeing and/or textual reading carries out comprehension of internal spiritual experience. Though the speaker is in his element of sadness and anxiety; through the reading, he can finally able to affirm his principle, that God is beneficent and merciful beyond His will (“Kun!” perintahmu. Maka terjadilah alam, rahmat dan sorga, line 3). Thus, the speaker felt enthusiasm after reading the sign of his God. This message of the poem is done by carrying out the empirical experience –his connection with the reality of nature—into the spiritual one –his endeavor in creating meaning after nature—of the speaker. It reveals for what is finally called as metaphysics anxiety that calls for transcendental one between the speaker and his God (Kleden, 2004). These two main themes are essentially presented in most of Zawawi’s poem.
Figurative languages of personification and association and the use dictions also strengthen nature in its representation. The use of words bukit, alam, daun, matahari, embun, angin, paruh kepodang, and pucuk pohon kenanga as concrete words clearly depicts the background of the place within the poem that can be easily imagined by the reader. Besides, these personified words change nature as a narrator on behalf of the single speaker rather stands as mere physical setting. Therefore, nature through its position and peculiar treatments is much more pedagogical than de facto prescriptive. It is, then, made by the speaker as reflection whether to ask, to attach his feeling, or to assert his existence in the universe that in forth brings it all back to God. This statement can be seen from interrogative sentence Aku tak tahu/ manakah yang lebih biru, langitkah atau hatiku? (line 1-2).
Additionally, beyond its textual meaning of the poem, nature possesses transcendental attribute from its characteristics form. The interpretation toward the poem which has symbolical thought in such way is triggered by the use of certain culture that is the single speaker’s religion (Islam). The use of capital in the word “Mu” and the word “Kun!” slightly reflects this idea. The sentence such as Bahkan di hidung anjing Kaubedakan sejuta bau (line 4) or lalu matahari mundur ke ufuk timur,/ waktu pun kembali pagi (line 6-7) likely states that nature is a matter of God’s optional. In other words and also in Islamic version it is called as Sunnatullah –the absolute law of nature: that sun will remain rise in east and set in west; sky will always be blue; and so on. Therefore, Hill is just an index of place where the lesson is achieved by the speaker. Natural surrounding where the speaker deals is only tools to conduct his feelings and ideas, and his reading (lesson) toward nature.
The implication of this interpretation leads the acquisition in correlating it with the basic definition of ecocriticism which states that:
“Ecocriticism is not just the studies of nature in literature; ecocriticism has distinguished itself, debates notwithstanding, first by the ethical stand it takes, its commitment to the natural world as an important thing rather than simply as an object of thematic study, and, secondly, by its commitment to making connections” (Rigby, Introducing Criticism at the 21st Century: 2002)
Ethics emerges in this poem is when the single speaker uses nature as medium to bring himself nearer to God. In this case, nature is not only a matter of object. It is moreover than way to achieve (God) knowledge through nature as one of the signs of God manifestation for His throne includes the heavens and the earth (Koran, 002: 255). Indirectly, it indicates contemplated-experienced led by the single speaker over the achievement of the knowledge. Thereby, the comprehension of this achievement is what actually meant by the word ‘revelation’ in the title “Upon the Revelation Hill”. For exact, “alam” or nature is not simply as an object. In this occasion, the existence of nature becomes meaningful since the single speaker gives meaning through reconstruction toward nature.
This thought also leads to another perspective of ecocriticism that human accountability to the environment is part of the text's ethical orientation (Buell in Cohen, 2004). Apparently, it means that humans cannot really separate from their surrounding of natural environment in which they live.
In addition, in spite of spotlighting the single speaker as the main character of the poem and of his relationship toward nature, it first must be noticed that there are impact between both. Based on the exploration, it can be inferred that nature is benevolent for the single speaker though it states that Dalam jiwaku kini hinggap sehelai daun yang gugur (line 5). It emphasize the statement of what Barry explains that nature affects us and which we can affect (Barry, 2002). In other words, nature is then believed as something that has a good aim. It conveys the sign of God and also teaches human kind. The role of nature is then the representation that incorporates a dominant vision of nature, or, to put in another way, a different metaphorical conception of the world” (Livingstone, 1995). This explanation directs us to recognize the poet position in his interaction with nature through ecocritical reading as an approach in analyzing this literary work.
However, because literature is about human expression, all theories of representation must be about human strategies and therefore "anthropocentric." Ecocritics constitute an interpretive community whose work focuses primarily on literature, not "nature." This deliberation also emphasizes the statement that man is the measure of all things (Barry, 2002). The single speaker in this manner and within the poem seems to deal with this measurement that can be recognized in the line five to ten of the poem. The lines represent on how he coupes with the grandeur of nature that possesses special characteristic: matahari mundur ke ufuk timur and waktu pun kembali pagi. Henceforth, in metaphorical way, the speaker makes his relation toward nature as seen in the seventh to eighth line: Di mata embun membias rentetan riwa-/yat, mengeja-eja desir darahku. Ada selubung lepas dariku. It infers that human interest cannot be understood to be the only legitimate interest (cited in Cohen, 2004).
Finally, worshiping God through His creation is the main theme of this poem. It is done by reading the sign of the Almighty God toward nature surrounds him. As the speaker belief that nature as a given entity, apart from human’s treatment, cannot escape from its primordial potential that is God’s right. In general, the poem always firstly describes the background of setting where the speaker takes place. This kind of style also occurs toward the first poem of the research. However, the poem is about the portent of God which is depicted by the single speaker using nature and its elements and characteristics attached to it. Nature is then pedagogical tools to the single speaker as he also obtains his knowledge from God’s signs of manifestation of nature.
3. The Construction of Nature in the Third Poem “Sungai Walannae”
From the analysis of the findings above, it can be inferred that nature is presented through the description of the river of Walannae. This achievement is done by employing the part elements of nature in Walannae surroundings. Surprisingly, and what makes different from the first and the second poem is that nature in this manner functions as subject matter. Nature represented by the river not only shows as the title of the poem “Sungai Walannae” but also alludes within entire poem. Hence, nature becomes the main issue as well as background’s delineation of the poem.
The poem truly speaks about “Sungai Walannae”, its characteristics, and its influence to the single speaker. However, one that makes the poem peculiar is on how does the single speaker constructs his relationship to the river. It explains by the first couplet: Apa yang kau bawa/ dari hulu selain kebeningan? (line 1). In this case, the speaker apparently makes the river as the second speaker within the poem. However, the first couplet can be considered as an introduction of the connection conducted by the speaker. Afterwards, of the description done by the single speaker, it depicts in the second to the fifth line of the poem. It can be seen form the expression such as: ada yang tersisih/ dan mengalir ke dalam mimpi (line 6-7); Warna coklat yang kau hilirkan (line 8); Sebutir embun/ yang jatuh di pusat lubukmu (line 12-13); and Dingin airmu (line 23) as its keywords for the the description of the river.
Besides, the relation employed by the speaker toward the river can be recognized on how he relates his life over the river. This can easily be found from the word of comparison within the lines: seperti hidupku juga (line 9); seperti tak punya arti (line 14); seperti melihat ke dalam hati (line 18); ketika aku turun dan mandi (line 22); bagai setia seorang sahabat (line 24). The words ‘seperti’ (as if or like as) is true act of the speaker in conjoining his life through the characteristic of the river. In this manner, the river exists and becomes alive in the speaker’s mind instead of lying as mere water. Furthermore, it indicates that the speaker reflects himself and his life toward the river and the river, in this instance, gives lesson to the single speaker.
The use of other elements of nature surrounds the river emphasizes the role of the river as the subject matter of the poem. “Sungai Walannae” then functions (1) a set of place, (2) issue, and also (3) theme of the poem. Considering river as a symbol, Cirlot (1962) explains that it is an ambivalent symbol since it corresponds to creature power both of nature and of time; it stands for the irreversible passage of time and, in consequence, for a sense of loss and oblivion. Indeed, the third couplet of the poem brings the evidence of this statement. Furthermore, the parable made by the speaker indicates the condition of the single speaker or the essence of speaker’s existence linked with the existence of the river.
Regarding the speaker’s attitude toward nature, there is symbiosis concept presents within the poem. In this case, the single speaker in his certain circumstances stands in the edge of the river (line 17). Moreover, the river affects him in such situation in way of constructing his thoughts. In other words, the speaker an also the river is living together in such condition. Again, it emphasizes one of the basic principles over ecocentered reading that is nature that nature affect us and that we can affect (Barry, 2002). Obviously, the single speaker counts river as part of his life. He makes river as source of life that helps speaker fulfill his need whether as tool for praying or even reflecting. The single speaker pictures to live peacefully around the river as part of his surroundings. In this manner, river interacts with the speaker and one that speaker interacts with.
However, the speaker is still the measure of all things since the speaker praises the river as precious thing that gives ‘life’ for him. This interaction is what then called as ecocentric interaction. In addition, on the employment of ecocritical perspective, it focuses outside rather than inside. It uses ideas of energy, entropy, and symbiosis. Thereby, the use of nature stands not only as background but also as its natural existence.
By all means, this interpretation elicits some of the methods in the application of analyzing this poem; those are (1) reframing the text, (2) revaluing nature writing, and (3) regrounding the language. The first, for instance, states that “world is no longer a passive recipient of human interventions and projections but an active participant in the formation and transformation of human culture and society” (Rigby, 2002). The second, as relates to the characteristic of environmental oriented work, pronounces that the non-human environment presents not merely as a framing device but as a presence that begins to suggest that human history is implicated in natural history (Buell in Rigby, 2002). While the third explains that nature is not silent; it testifies the abundance of signifying systems in the natural world (Rigby, 2002). In addition,
“human language takes its place alongside, and in communication with 'the language of birds, the wind, earthworms, wolves, and waterfalls--a world of autonomous speakers whose interests… one ignores at one's peril” (Christopher Manes in Rigby, 2002).
In other words, language is shaped by environment. Those statements above apparently can be employed for analyzing other literary work in its relation to nature as what has been proofed over three selected Zawawi’s poem.
Therefore, Zawawi’s poem present nature as it was; it has been contaminated, and contaminating. Nature along his is still pure and clean. This purity and cleanness circumstances is essentially the true of nature, and it becomes the reflection’s speaker. If there is a contaminated nature, the author will state his attitude as what shows in other poem entitled “Bukit Rengas Berduri” (Thorny Varnish Hill) in the same anthology:
di sini bukan kayu yang diangkut
ke kota dengan truk
tapi tulang-tulang nenek moyang
burung-burung menjadi sulit
menyongsong denyut pagi
(It is not wood that transports
to town by truck here
but rather ancestors’ bone
birds then difficult
to carry out morning beat)
[Tranlated by Firman Nugraha]
For exact, nature represented by The River of Walannae indeed possesses kindness that gives the speaker lesson about life. The river together with its characteristics brings the parable that conducts on how the single speaker reflects his life to it. Afterwards, this manner also changes the speaker’s attitude through the given-testimony of speaker over the river (couplet 7-8). Frankly, it emphasizes the core of the poem which also appears in lots of comparison between what the speaker feels and the river shows. However, nature is successfully pictured by depicting its elements that conjoin with single speaker’s condition. The river is then preserved in the mind of the speaker through analogical way over his reflection of life.
Finally, this poem indicates lesson as same as nature gives the lesson for the speaker and for those who are willing to learn. Besides, the poem also indicates the speaker’s submission as a Moslem to his God according to his belief. The last is that the poem shows the speaker’s testimony to the river about his sincerity to his followed religion. The poem does tell about Sungai Wallanae as subject matter since it also tells about the single speaker’s experience in his interaction with the river. The last presumably would be the main theme of the poem. However, the significant role of nature obtained by the poet indicates his dominant view of text within himself. Thus, it can be concluded that nature along these three selected poems is represented as the manifestation of God for one of the might of Him lays in nature as His signs.
IV. CONCLUSION
Having done the analysis of the three selected poems of D. Zawawi Imron using ecocriticism, it can be inferred that the poems support the idea in suggesting the representation of nature. Based on the findings and discussion in the previous chapter, the study reveals that nature is represented through the choice of words, figurative language and imagery functions as background images which emerges symbolical meaning in each of the poem. The impact then exposes three different kinds representation of nature described as follow.
In the first poem, nature represents as medium in spite of delivering the message of the speaker in the poem. In this manner, nature plays significant role in obtaining the speaker’s idea. Mangroves that deliver a message; the dead branch that dances welcoming the dusk, and; the sun that reverts to the east horizon, all of them have successfully evoked the single speaker to comprehend fully to The Almighty God as the creator of the nature and of the universe. This attitude can be seen in the way the speaker juxtaposes the empirical and the transcendental experience in the form of analogy in the text. In other words, the speaker “reads” the sign of God through the reading of the phenomena that radiate cosmic message in his surroundings.
The poet learns from nature, and thus nature teaches the poet valuable lesson. This idiom of the nature becomes symbol for his ideas and religious thoughts. Hence, nature is viewed as possessing all the knowledge that man needs to know. The existence of nature in this case emphasizes the existence of the single speaker. This is in line with ecocritical perspective which states that nature is the name under which we use the nonhuman to validate the human. Nature and surrounding environment in author’s poem and mind prove the existence of God so that God exists in immanent (in the form of the sign and manifestation of His creation) and transcendent form: one that cannot be reached in the level of banality rather than in the level of conviction. Thus, the conviction of faith or belief clarifies the existence of nature and also the existence of God as the creator.
The second poem, nature apparently has same function that is as a medium that provides knowledge for the poet in worshiping the Almighty God. Its peculiar disposition makes nature much more pedagogical treatment than de facto prescriptive one. The personified words change nature as a narrator on behalf of the single speaker rather stands as mere physical setting. Nature is then made by the speaker as reflection whether to ask, to attach his feeling, or to assert his existence in the universe that in forth brings it all back to God.
This implication leads an interpretation in correlating nature with the basic definition of ecocriticism in order of ethical connection. The single speaker seems to consider nature not only a matter of object, but rather as as medium to bring himself nearer to God. In this case, nature becomes way for the speaker to achieve (God) knowledge through nature as one of the signs of God manifestation. In this occasion, the existence of nature becomes meaningful since the single speaker gives meaning through reconstruction toward nature. In eco-perspective manner, a text by which ethical orientation stands, takes human accountability as part of the environment. It means that humans cannot really separate from their surrounding of natural environment anywhere they live.
The last poem, nature has different function from those two poems. In “Sungai Walannae”, nature stands its function as subject matter. It means that the single speaker does talk about “sungai” or river as part of nature. However, though river is the object of the discussion, it represents the function as the speaker’s reflection between both river and his life. Additionally, the use of other elements of nature surrounds the river emphasizes the role of the river as the subject matter of the poem. “Sungai Walannae” then functions (1) a set of place, (2) issue, and also (3) theme of the poem. However, river as part of nature is a benevolent which is nurturing the creation of God and His power. Besides being an element of detail regarding the physical environment within his poems, nature was used to represent an element of purity—just as emotion, memory, childhood experience, and the real language of men.
This parable made by the speaker indicates the condition of the single speaker or the essence of speaker’s existence linked with the existence of the river. In this case, there lays a symbiosis concept within the poem, that speaker and also the river lives together in such way. The single speaker counts river as part of his life. He makes river as source of life that helps speaker fulfill his need whether as tool for praying or even reflecting. The single speaker pictures to live peacefully around the river as part of his surroundings. In this manner, river interacts with the speaker and one that speaker interacts with. It is just as same as ecocritical basic principle that nature affect us and that we can affect.
This presence of nature with its characteristic along the poems finally has its own function. Implicitly, there is an exclamation to preserve nature as human’s dwell within the author’s poem: “back to nature.” Thus, there is also ethics orientation and commitment in firming ecopoetic value of the author’s poems. Indeed, in considering human as part of the community, it is not an exaggeration if man possesses lots of epithet in his or her position as multidimensional beings, such as homo ecologies (based on ecological approach), homo religious (based on religion approach), homo homini lupus (based on social interaction), and so on. The first epithet means that in performing his or her life as one of the parts of ecosystem, man is one that has intention to try to understand his or her environment. Nevertheless, the ecology potential care in the level of actualization is determined by their mind and intellectual. For this reason, it also works to Zawawi’s poems.
In addition, the analysis also proves the notion of the basic principle of ecocriticism which states that nature is not socially and/or linguistically constructed. Thus, nature is not simply as an object of the thematic study rather than by the ethical commitment to the natural world. Nature in the poem reflects the speaker’s attitude as a part of the element of environment which is influenced by the surroundings where he lives.
From the ecocritic perspective, it can be concluded that nature as shown in the three selected poems, construct culture in such manner. Through the method of reframing the text, revaluing nature writing, and regrounding the language, it can be inferred that (1) world is no longer a passive recipient of human interventions and projections but an active participant in the formation and transformation of human culture and society; (2) nature pronounces that the non-human environment presents not merely as a framing device but as a presence that begins to suggest that human history is implicated in natural history; in other words, nature is used as the nonhuman to validate the human; and (3) nature is not silent; it testifies the abundance of signifying systems in the natural world. Thus, language is shaped by environment. Those statements apparently have been proved based on the analysis over three selected poems regards to its relation to nature.
Finally, due to revaluing nature through how nature is represented in the poems depicted by analyzing and interpreting the text, it can be considered that the poem as “ecocritical writing” and are is classified as “green literature.” The analysis has proved that nature gives meaning to the single speaker, also to the author, or to the people generally. In this case, the poem becomes way to the single speaker to express his gratitude toward Almighty God. Nature is then represented as the manifestation of God for one of the might of Him lays in nature as His signs. Besides, in literature perspective, poem always imitates nature as one of the inspiration by which the poet build meaning after meaning in spite of aesthetical manners.
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