Ilmu Budaya: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Budaya
Vol 10, No 1 (2026): Januari 2026

A semiotic analysis of Arthur’s King journey in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) film

Fauzi, Muhammad Nur (Unknown)
Tawakkal, Alamsyah (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jan 2026

Abstract

This research examined the symbolic meanings of Arthur's journey to becoming king in the film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) by Guy Ritchie. The background of this research highlighted the importance of symbols in culture and media, as well as the role of semiotic approaches in interpreting the implied meanings within the film. The purpose of this research is to analyze the signs that reflect Arthur's transformation into the rightful king. This research employed a qualitative descriptive method with a semiotic approach as proposed by Roland Barthes through the system of signification: denotation, connotation, and myth. Data were collected through the observation of visual, audio, and utterance elements in the film. The research findings indicated that there are 15 signs in Arthur’s journey towards self-discovery as king that are reflected through these signs, which consist of objects, animals, mental experiences, people, and myths that accompanied his emotional and spiritual transformation until he became king. The 11 main signs include The Sword in the Stone or Excalibur, Water, Street, Nightmare, Prostitutes, Eagle, The Darklands, Vision, Lady of the Lake, The Mage, and The Round Table. Additionally, there are 4 supporting signs: Snake, Giant Bat, Giant Rats, and Giant Wolf. These signs represent the concepts that shaped the entirety of Arthur's journey to becoming king. Arthur, who grew up on the streets, strives to free himself from the shadows of his dark past and the pressure of a destiny he has yet to understand.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

JBSSB

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences

Description

Jurnal Ilmu Budaya (Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Budaya) merupakan jurnal yang dikelola oleh Fakultas Ilmu Budaya sebagai media publikasi ilmiah hasil penelitian dalam bidang bahasa, sastra, seni, dan budaya, termasuk pengajarannya. Terbit sebanyak empat kali setahun, yaitu pada bulan Januari, ...