THE REFLECTION OF WOMEN CONDITION THROUGH THE USE OF FIGURES OF SPEECH IN WILLIAM BLAKE'S POEMS

ABSTRACT
Ritfi, Izzuddin. (09.05.1.1.1.00072). The Reflection of Women Condition Through The Use of Figures of Speech In William Blake’s Poems. Thesis. English Study Programe of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences, University of Trunojoyo Madura. Advisors: (1) Dr. Suryo Tri Saksono, (II) Diva Wenanda, S.S, M.Pd.

The poems ”The Sick Rose” and “Earth’s Answer” by William Blake are the poems that contain the social meaning. The poems describe the women condition of England in eighteen Century. Thus this study discusses the reflection of women condition of England in eighteen century through the use of figures of speech in those poems. The aims of this study are to answer: (1) What kinds of figures of speech are found in the William Blake’s poems entitle “The Sick Rose” and “Earth’s Answer”?; (2) How do the figures of speech of “The Sick Rose” and “Earth’s Answer” reflect the women condition at that time?
New criticism theory that focuses on the text of work is used to analyze the figures of speech that reflect the women condition of England in eighteen century in both poems. All the lines of those poems that reflect to the women condition are as the data in this study. In line with the features of qualitative research, the data collection is done simultaneously with the data analysis. There are three related processes in the data analysis that is done together; reducing data, displaying data and making conclusion
From the study, the writer found the figures of speech in the two poems. They are apostrophe, imagery, metaphor and Symbol. From the interpretation of figures of speech, it can be concluded that both poems describe the women condition of England in eighteen century. In “The Sick Rose” poem, the lower class women described as the victim of men desire. In “Earth’s Answer” poem, the lower class women described as the workers. All of those conditions are the impact of the industrial revolution of England in eighteen century.

Keyword: Women condition of England in eighteen century, Figures of speech, Industrial Revolution, Blake’s poems.