CaLLs : Journal of Culture, Arts, Literature, and Linguistics
Special Issue "SESANTI 2025"

From structure to ecology: Interpreting Greimas’s actantial model in the Anthropocene

Max, Jonathan Irene Sartika Dewi (Unknown)
Ariani, Setya (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
24 Nov 2025

Abstract

This study looks at how Greimas' actantial model, ecocriticism, and interpretive research come together to analyze indigenous stories from Southeast Asia in the context of the Anthropocene. While previous applications of the actantial model have focused on heroism, obedience, and resistance in Indonesian folklore, they have not engaged directly with ecocritical perspectives. This research seeks to bridge this gap using interpretive research guided by Ricoeur's hermeneutics. This study explores how indigenous myths construct non-human agency, positioning nature as an active participant rather than a submissive site. The actantial model is applied to narratives such as The Origin of Paddy, The Myth of Batoq Ayau, and The Legend of Hudoq Kawit, and an academic article, Circular Commoning of Dayak Bahau, revealing how actants shape environmental discourse. Additionally, this study reinterprets transitivity, expanding its scope beyond conventional constraints to position environmental actants as central figures in narrative structures. Findings indicate that integrating Greimas' narratology with ecocriticism increases one's knowledge about human-environment interdependency, offering a fresh ecocritical perspective that challenges anthropocentric ideologies. By reframing narratives to reflect mutuality between human and non-human entities, this study contributes to sustainable ecological stewardship, reinforcing the ethical responsibility essential for environmental resilience in the Anthropocene.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

calls

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences

Description

CaLLs (Journal of Culture, Arts, Literature, and Linguistics) published by Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Universitas Mulawarman and published in June and December. CaLLs welcome articles and research reports utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of culture. The object materials of the study ...