The Actantial Structure in The Broken Wings by Kahlil Gibran

Abstract

This study explores the actantial structure in Kahlil Gibran's The Broken Wings, examining its contribution to the construction of characters, events, and narrative meaning. Adopting a semiotic approach based on Greimas's actantial model, the research analyzes the relationships of desire, communication, and conflict to reveal the underlying dynamics governing the narrative. The analysis demonstrates that the relationship of desire centers on the narrator's and Salma's aspiration for love and spiritual fulfillment, an aspiration ultimately thwarted by social conventions and material power. The communication relationship reflects the deep emotional and spiritual connection between the protagonists, which is disrupted by Salma's marriage and transformed into a tragic experience. The relationship of conflict emerges as the dominant narrative force, ending with the victory of opposing social powers and the protagonists' inability to realize their shared desire. Furthermore, the study shows that Gibran's extensive use of natural symbolism enriches the novel's emotional and semantic depth by contrasting images of love and hope with those of sorrow and loss. It concludes that Greimas's actantial model provides an effective framework for interpreting the novel's narrative organization and recommends further studies employing additional semiotic levels to uncover deeper aesthetic and interpretive dimensions.