A Thesis
Submitted to Faculty of Letters and Humanities in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Strata One (S1)
M MEDIA ADIMURTI
1110026000117
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES
ABSTRACT
M Media Adimurti, Eroticism in Katy Perry’s Song Lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock through Figurative Language, Thesis: English Letters
Department, Adab and Humanities Faculty, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2016.
This research discusses Katy Perry’s Song Lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat
and Peacock. The aims of this research are to find the figurative language and
examines how the figurative language reflects eroticism in the lyric. In this research, the writer uses qualitative descriptive method with figurative language theory of Laurence Perrine and concept of eroticism by Sitanggang.
Eroticism is reflected in both lyric through figurative language. The first lyric, Hummingbird Heartbeat portrayed a woman who has sexual desire to a
man, she asks the man to do a sexual intercourse, but the sexual content aesthetically hidden by the use of figurative language in the lyric. Similar to first lyric, in the second poem, figurative language used to cover sexuality. In Peacock
lyric portrayed a woman who has sexual desire, but in this lyric the woman’s fantasy only bring her to see a man’s genitals. The results shows that the use of figurative languages make the lyrics not contain obscenity or pornography which in line with eroticism concept by Sitanggang. The writer reveals that in both Katy Perry lyrics represent sexuality implicitly that make the lyrics categorized as erotica.
Key words : Lyric, erotica, eroticism, sexuality, lust.
my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institutions of higher learning, except where due to acknowledgement has beenmade in the text.
Jakarta, March 2016
M Media Adimurti
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful. First of all
the writer would like to thank to Allah SWT who has given the writer strength to
finish this thesis. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet Muhammad SAW and
all of his friends and followers. This thesis would not have been possible without
the guidance and the help of several individuals who in one way or another
contributed and extended their valuable assistance in the preparation and
completion of this study.
The writer would like to thank to these following people for their
remarkable contribution:
1. Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil, MA, the Dean of Adab and Humanities Faculty.
2. Drs. Saefudin, M.Pd, the Head of English Letters Department.
3. Elve Oktafiyani ,M.Hum, the Secretary of English Letters Department.
4. The advisors; Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum and Akhmad Zakky M.Hum, who
guide, support, and give suggestion throughout his thesis with their
brilliant ideas, knowledge, and patience.
5. The examiner; Inayatul Chusna, M.Hum and Ida Rosida, M.Hum
6. All of the lecturers in English Letters Department who gave their
experiences in Education to the writer.
7. All of the Librarians of Faculty of Letters and Humanities, the Central
Library of State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah, and The Central
Library of University of Indonesia.
Sundqvist, Aunt Keky, Uncle Andrew Davys, Aunt Isa, Uncle Purwanto,
Aunt Relo, Uncle Virgil, Aunt Dede, Uncle Yudo, Billy, Sally, Akbar,
Abrar, Ilham, Julia, Owen, Arien, Dieto and all the family in Sweden, and
US who gave the writer support and positive energy to make the writer’s
spirit on fire.
9. All of his friends who fill the days of his life and contributes brilliant
ideas; Gusti Prameshti, Rizky Nandia, Erlita Rizky, Anggraini Wulan, Siti
Fauziah, Nurul Haifa, Muhammad Noval, Septian Hega, Azhar
Sacawiruna, Silmi Dakhilah, Mega Andini, Sagita Deska, D Class,
Literature Class, and everyone who has great contribution that the writer
cannot mention them one after another.
The writer also hopes that this paper will be useful for some literary study
in advance and give a lot of benefits to the students of English Letters Department
particularly who wants to have a further research.
Jakarta, March 2016
The Writer
TABEL OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ... i
APPROVEMENT ... ii
LEGALIZATION ... iii
DECLARATION ... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. Background of the Study ... 1
B. Focus of the Study ... 4
C. Research Question ... 4
D. Significance of the Research ... 5
E. Research Methodology... 5
1. The Objective of Research ... 5
2. The Method of Research ... 5
3. The Instrument of Research ... 6
4. The Technique of Data Analysis ... 6
5. Unit of the Analysis ... 6
F. Time and Place ... 6
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ... 7
A. Previous Research ... 7
B. Figurative Language... 9
a. Metaphor and Simile ... 10
b. Personification... 12
c. Apostrophe ... 12
d. Synecdoche and Metonymy ... 13
i. Understatement ... 17
j. Irony ... 17
k. Allusion ... 18
C. Eroticism History ... 19
D. Eroticism Concept ... 21
CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDING ... 25
A. Description of Eroticism in Each Lyric ... 25
1. Hummingbird Heartbeat... 25
a. Data Description... 27
b. Data Analysis ... 27
2. Peacock ... 35
a. Data Description... 37
b. Data Analysis ... 38
B. Eroticism in Both Poems Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock ... 45
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 49
A. Conclusions ... 49
B. Suggestions ... 50
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... ix
APPENDICES... xi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study
Erotic literature is a global cultural expression represented in nearly all
literary forms from the ancient world to the present. Erotic literature is a universal
one, not a judgmental one, encompassing all fictional genres; the novel, poetry,
the short story, drama and some Eastern forms essays, autobiographies, treatises,
and sex manuals from a wide range of cultures. Erotic literature is defined here as
works in which sexuality and/or sexual desire has a dominant presence.1 A literary work which represents sexuality first of all need to present sex and sexual element
in it to be categorized as erotic literature.
Erotic literature has been existed in western literature history since 17th to 20th century. In the Classical era, eroticism presented in the genre of poetry in Greece and Rome such as Homer (850-800 BC), entitled The Iliad is regarded as
poetry because revealing erotic scene between Hera and Zeus. In Rome, the
famous author of among others, Virgil (70-19 BC) with Aeneid, Horace (65-8 BC)
with To a Randy Old Woman, Ovid (43-17) with Amores, and Catullus (84-54
BC). The characteristics of writing on this period were use of metaphors that
prioritizes the beauty of love and sexual desire.2
Eroticism reflected on many form of literature as Brullote explain above,
but writer will focus on one form; poetry. Poetry has no simple satisfactory
1Gaëtan Brullote and John Phillips,
Encyclopedia of Erotic Literature (New York: Routledge
Taylor and Francis Group, 2006), p.ix.
2 Yuki Anggia Putri,
Erotisme Dalam Novel Motinggo Busye (Depok: Universitas Indonesia,
2009), p. 34
1
definition, it is one of literary arts; literary because it uses words as its medium of
expression; art, because it is something in which man tries to give lasting form to
an experience which seems to him important.3 There are several kinds of poetry, writer will focus on one form; lyric poetry. It is a relatively short poem concerning
itself mainly with the speaker’s feeling; sometimes specifically a poem to be
sung.4 Nowadays lyric poetry has grown to be an interesting thing for people. It can be seen in many music industries around the world. Lyric poetry also acts as a
great media to express something, especially to express feeling, and delivering
message to people.
An author usually uses one of several intrinsic elements called
figurative language, to expresses their feeling, delivering message or even
telling a story in a lyric poetry. Fussel and Moss5 state in their journal that figurative expressions may serve to succinctly capture these diverse components
of emotions. A figurative language cannot be taken literally. As a result, to
translate it into different languages may cause misinterpretation. If it is translated
literally, word-for-word, onto a second language, it will often be completely
misunderstood.
Figurative language has been widely examined by linguists in the study of
literature in recent years. It is because figurative language has the essence of style
and beauty. Figurative language often provides a more effective means of saying
3A. H. Hewitt,
Coming to Terms With Poetry, Scientific Publication, (Sydney, Scientific
Publication, 1965) p. 3.
4Richard Ellmann&Robertt O'Clair.
Modern Poems: An Introduction to Poetry.(New York, Norton
& Company, 1976). p. 1.
5Susan R. Fussel and Mallie M. Moss,
Figurative Language in Emotional Communication
(1998).Human-Computer Interaction Institute. Paper 82. p. 1.
3
what we mean than direct statement as it paints a picture in words. In the specific
sense, figurative language may take the form of figures of speech.
In writing poetry, every author has their own characteristic or signature to
show their works, as we know Robert Frost is known with his romantic works,
Emily Dickinson known with her death poem and etc., in lyric poetry author also
has signature. Nowadays we can see Katy Perry, as a popular singer and also song
writer. Almost all of her song became “Top Forty” hits in the music chart. Her
works have style; she always uses figurative language to tell the story or message
of the lyric. We can see from her work; Hummingbird Heartbeat, Peacock, Firework, Pearl, Dark Horse and much more. As reflected from the example of
Katy Perry’s songs title we can see that she always uses figurative language in
lyric writing.
In Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock lyric we can see eroticism that
can be understood word by word between the figurative languages. In the two
lyric, eroticism reflected through figurative language. In Hummingbird Heartbeat
lyric we can see a story about a woman lust to a man who have love relationship
story, it describes sexual activities using figurative languages to make the lyric
sexual description aesthetically hidden. In Peacock lyric the speaker tells the
readers about her innuendo fantasy to see a man’s genitals. She guesses the shape
of the man’s genitals in the story. She tries to ask the man to show her several
times. In the lyric the speaker uses figurative languages, it make the sexual
we need to use figurative language theory, after we found it in lyric we can
continue to see how eroticism described in the lyric with the concept of eroticism.
Katy Perry is not the only artist who put sexual content in the lyric. There
are number of artists’ put some sexual content in their lyric; but much of them not
using the rule of eroticism in writing in their lyric, i.e. Gorilla by Bruno Mars, Push Up On Me by Rihanna, Move Like Jagger by Maroon 5, and much more, but
Katy Perry’s lyric differ with those lyric mentioned, she append sexual content in
lyric but with the rule of eroticism.
From the explanation above, the writer thinks that it is necessary to
analyze Katy Perry’s song lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock based on
figurative language theory, and describe the eroticism that covered by figurative
languages that can be found on the lyric to make the reader fully understand
about eroticism and also understand the distinction between eroticism and
pornography.
B. Focus of the Study
The focus of this research will be on analyzing Katy Perry’s song lyrics
Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock written by Katy Perry both taken from
Teenage Dream album.
C. Research Question
Based on the background and the focus of the study above, the research
would like to analyze “Eroticism in Katy Perry’s Song Lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock through Figurative Language” Therefore, the writer is
5
1. What kinds of figurative language exists in the two Katy Perry’s song lyric
Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock?
2. How do the figurative languages reflect eroticism?
D. Significance of the Research
Authors usually use figurative languages to make their works more
beautiful. In writing literary works, especially dealing with eroticism authors has
their own way to deliver the ideas to the reader. Through this research, the writer
hopes can develop our knowledge and understanding about song lyric meaning
especially dealing with figurative language using the theory of figurative language
and the concept of eroticism.
E. Research Methodology
The research methodology consists of several important elements namely
the objective of research, the method of research, the instrument of research, data
analysis, and the unit of analysis.
1. The Objective of Research
The aim of the research is to know the figurative language and the
meaning of Katy Perry’s song lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock also
describing how eroticism described in the lyric.
2. The Method of Research
The method that is used in this research is qualitative descriptive.
Qualitative descriptive does not need statistic analysis and has to analyze
based on the methods, theories or relevant approaches.6 Qualitative method is
6Muhammad Farkhan,
able to give the detail of complexity about phenomena that is hard to be
revealed by quantitative method.
3. The Instrument of Research
The writer is the instrument of this study. Reading, analyzing, and paying
attention in the lyric carefully is the writer’s way to get the information and
explanation about what the figurative language and its meaning of the lyric.
4. The Technique of Data Analysis
In this research, the writer uses qualitative technique by giving explanation
about data in Katy Perry song lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock. To
get the information about figurative language, reading the lyric is the first step,
and then paying attention, understanding, and underlining every line in the
lyric that has figurative language and implemented concept of eroticism.
5. Unit of the Analysis
The unit analysis of this research is lyrics of an American singer,
songwriter and musician Katy Perry; a single hit song Hummingbird Heartbeat and a non-single song Peacock; they are written by Katy Perry
taken from Teenage Dream album released on 2010 which is has sold more
than six million copies worldwide and earned seven Grammy Award for the
album and the songs.
F. Time and Place
The research begins in 2014 at English Letters Department UIN Jakarta,
library of Adab and Humanities Faculty, main library of UIN Jakarta, and any
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Previous Research
The writer has read various related research before this research
began. Figurative language aplenty used by Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic
University students in their research, however when this research implemented
none of them discuss about eroticism, the writer also attempt to find related
research by doing library research in another university library. The writer found
at least three researches related to this research.
The first research is the analysis of women portrayal in Katy
Perry’s selected song lyrics; Fingerprints, Hot n Cold, I Kissed a Girl, If You Can Afford Me, I’m Still Breathing, Lost, Mannequin, One of the Boys, Self Inflicted,
and Thinking of You. Amelia Lisara’s (2013) aims in this research is to know the
portrayal of women in the selected song lyrics and attempts to reveal gendered
messages in Katy Perry’s selected song lyrics as viewed in post feminism
perspectives. This research uses qualitative descriptive method; the discussion of
the present study is framed within gender studies and theory of post feminism.
The result of the research shows that most of women in One of the Boys album
(2008) are portrayed women’s physical appearance, women as sexual subject,
women’s passive behavior, and women’s attitudes to cover their dependency on
men. These portrayals support patriarchal ideology in which women are in
accordance with patriarchal society’s expectation. The present study also
discovers that gendered messages in most of song lyrics in One of the Boys do not
show the notion of post feminism by being passive and dependent to men.
Nevertheless, several songs explore the theme of sexuality as one of feminism
values.
The second research is analysis of advertising industry in Indonesia
which uses women and its sensuality as an element in ads. Muhammad Ridho
(2014) finds out how advertisers show woman and its erotic side in some ads from
different product category. Ridho uses content analysis method in this research, he
analyze the meaning or message that delivered in the ads. He takes an example of
several ads from different product, analyze, and find the relation between the
product, the woman, eroticism that used by the advertisers, and the context that
stick to the ads. The result shows that there is still many advertisement that use
women, its symbol, and its sensual side, in many ways. It comes from both of
product that not related to gender issue, and the product that relate. This
phenomenon happened because the presence of women is expected to make the ad
more interesting and, in the end, boost the sales of the product.
The third research is analysis of eroticism in Motinggo Busye’s novel.
Yuki Anggia Putri (2009) analyzing four novels of Motinggo Busye which
published in 1963 and 1978. The aim of this research is to describe the sexuality
and eroticism on the novel and to ascertain whether the eroticism was
categorized in pornography or not through intrinsic element analysis. From the
analysis of four Motinggo Busye’s novel Beirut, Neraka Lampu Biru, Jeng Mini,
9
Busye‘s novels has met aspects of erotic literature and does not contain
pornography. This evident reflected on the results of the analysis of themes,
characters, and characterizations. In this analysis, it is revealed that sexuality and
eroticism in Busye’s novels used as elements that have an organic unity, it can be
seen from its function as an idea that supports the story. It also shown that
sexuality and eroticism in Busye’s novels contains moral message that can be
used as a source of learning in human life.
From the brief explanations above, the writer wants to make this research
different from the previous research. The writer uses theory of figurative
language and concept of eroticism to give something different to the readers.
Through this research, the readers can see how eroticism described in Katy
Perry’s Song lyric Hummingbird Heartbeat and Peacock through figurative
language. This research also can be considered as a reference for next
researchers.
B. Figurative Language
Language can be classified as either literal or figurative. When we speak
literally, we mean exactly what each word conveys; when we use figurative
language we mean something other than the actual meaning of the words.8 From the statement it can be concluded that figurative language is language cannot be
understood literally, it is innuendo.
8 Robert DiYanni. (2003),
Literature; Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, (New York,
McGraw Hill Press, 2003). p. 709 c
Perrine explains figure of speech is any way of saying something other
than the ordinary way.9 Figures of speech often provide emphasis, freshness of expression, or clarity.10However, clarity may also suffer from their use as any figure of speech introduces an ambiguity between literal and figurative
interpretation. In poetry the use of figurative language is to make it more
interesting, a figurative language tells much more than its single word, the words
written make a beautiful picture reflected in the poem. Further details of figurative
languages explained as follow:
a. Metaphor and Simile
According to Perrine metaphor and simile are both comparison between
things essentially unlike. The only distinction is that in simile the comparison is
expressed, by the use of some word or phrase such as like, as, than, similar to, or
resemble. In metaphor the comparison is implied, the figurative term is substituted
for or identified with the literal term.11 Concisely, simile is referring to only one characteristic between two similar things, and metaphor in comparing two things
without connective word like in simile; both metaphor and simile are replacing the
word or name for one object with another.
The example of both, simile and metaphor will be explained below;
firstly metaphor example from William Blake’s poem The Sick Rose as seen
below;
O Rose, thou art sick!
9 Laurence Perrine,
Sound, and Sense An Introduction to Poetry / Third Edition, ed. Thomas R.
Arp (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1969), p. 65
10 X.J. Kennedy,
Messages: A Thematic Anthology of Poetry (Boston: Little, Brown & Company
Limited, 1973), p. 373.
11 Laurence Perrine (1988),
11
The invisible worm That flies in the night, In the howling storm,
Has found out thy bed Of crimson joy,
And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy.
In the poem The Sick Rose above, we can see that the speaker use
metaphor to tell the ‘Rose’ incur ‘the invisible worm’. Worm is poison for rose
here in the poem, the speaker use this metaphor to tell the ‘rose’ here is sick.
The second example is simile; here is the example of this kind of
figurative language seen on Frances Darwin Cornford’s poem The Guitarist Tune Up;
With what attentive courtesy he bent Over his instrument;
Not as lordly conquerer who could Command both wire and wood
But as man with a loved woman might, Inquiring with delight
What slight essential things she had to say Before they started, he and she, to play.
From the poem above we can see that Cornford uses simile and put word
‘as’ in the poem to represent when the speaker bent over his instrument not as
lordly conquerer who could, command both wire and wood, but as man with a
b. Personification
Personification consists in giving the attributes of a human being to an
animal, an object, or an idea. It is really subtype of metaphor, am implied
comparison in which the figurative term of comparison is always a human
being.12
The example of this figurative language shown on James Stephen’s poem
The Wind;
The wind stood up and gave a shout He whistled on his fingers and Kicked the withered leaves about
And thumped the branched with his hand And said he’s kill and kill
And so he will and so he will
From the example we can see that James Stephen uses personification to
describe the wind like a human; it has fingers, hand, and leg, just like normal
human have parts of body.
c. Apostrophe
Apostrophe is figure of speech which consists in addressing someone
absent or something non-human as if it were alive and present and could reply to
what is being said.13 Apostrophe make poem live, sometime speaker talking to someone non-human.
Here is the example of apostrophe taken from John Keats’ poem Bright Star. From the poem below Keats uses apostrophe in Bright Star poem; the
speaker talking to the star like it is alive, the fact is star cannot talk to human, but
12
Ibid, p.67 13
Ibid, p.67
13
the speaker talking to the star like it can talk back to the speaker until the speaker
want to be the star in the end;
Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art — Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like Nature's patient, sleepless Eremite, The moving waters at their priest like task Of pure ablution round earth's human shores, Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors — No — yet still stedfast, still unchangeable, Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast, To feel for ever its soft swell and fall, Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath, And so live ever — or else swoon to death.
d. Synecdoche and Metonymy
Perrine give explanation that synecdoche is the use of part of a thing for
the whole; and metonymy is the use of something closely related for the thing
actually meant. They are alike in that both substitute some significant detail or
aspect of an experience for the experience itself.14 Synecdoche and metonymy are looks alike, we need more attention while distinguish between them, and the latter
term is increasingly coming to be used for both.
The example of synecdoche reflected on a piece of Frank Stockton’s
short story The Lady or The Tiger, he use word ‘faces’ to present people in the
story as seen below;
“His eye met hers as she sat there paler and whiter than anyone in the vast ocean of anxious faces about her.”
14
Ibid, p.69
The example of metonymy can be seen on John Dyer’s poem Grongar
Hill, he uses metonymy to mention ‘birth’ and ‘death’ using ‘cradle’ and ‘grave’
word as reflected below;
A little rule, a little sway, A sunbeam in a winter’s day, Is all the proud and mighty have Between the cradle and the grave.
e. Symbol
Perrine explains that symbol may be roughly defined as something that
means more than what it is.15 Image, metaphor, and symbol shade into each other and sometimes difficult to distinguish. In general, however, an image means only
what it is; a metaphor means something other than what it is; and symbol means
what it is and something more too. Symbol is the richest and also the most
difficult figurative language; it is represents something else, a symbol may be rich
in its meanings make it necessary that we use the greatest tact in its interpretation.
William Wordsworth’s uses symbol in his poetry My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold. He symbolizes rainbow ass hope and good things that are coming
as shown below:
My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky
Spring and daisies means youth in Sara Teasdale’s “Wild Asters”: In the spring, I asked the daisies
If his words were true,
And the clever, clear-eyed daisies Always knew.
Brown and barren means growing old in Sara Teasdale’s “Wild Asters”: Now the fields are brown and barren,
Bitter autumn blows,
Bitter autumn means death in Sara Teasdale’s “Wild Asters”:
15
Ibid, p.83
15
Now the fields are brown and barren, Bitter autumn blows,
And of all the stupid asters Not one knows.
f. Allegory
Allegory is a narrative or description that has a second meaning beneath
the surface one.16 Although the surface story or description may have its own interest, the author’s major interest is in the ulterior meaning. Allegory has been
defined sometimes as an extended metaphor and sometimes as series of related
symbols or even symbolic meaning with abstract ideas described on character,
figure, or event.
The Faerie Queene is Edmund Spenser’s work with moral and religious
allegory. The good characters stand for the various virtues, while the bad
characters represent vices. The Red-Cross Knight represents holiness. Lady Una
represents truth, wisdom and goodness. Her parents symbolize the human race.
The Dragon which has imprisoned them stands for evil. The mission of holiness is
to help the truth, fight evil, and thus regain its rightful place in the hearts of
human beings. The Red-Cross Knight in this poem also represents the reformed
Church of England fighting against the Dragon which stands for the Papacy or the
Catholic Church.
16
Ibid, p.91
g. Paradox
Paradox is and apparent contradiction that is nevertheless somehow
true.17 It may be either situation or a statement. The value of paradox is its shock value. It seeming impossibility startles the reader into attention and, thus, by the
fact of its apparent absurdity, it underscores the truth of what is being said.
Emily Dickinson uses paradox in her poem My Life Closed Twice, in her
poem the speaker’s life closed twice before it close, as we know human will die
once not twice, in the poem Dickinson represent the speaker is experienced pain
through losing someone loved.
My life closed twice before its close— It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil A third event to me
So huge, so hopeless to conceive As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven, And all we need of hell.
h. Overstatement
Overstatement or hyperbole is simply exaggeration but exaggeration in
the service of truth.18 It may be used to express strong feeling to build strong emphasis impression. Hyperbole often used in poetry; sometimes also used in
casual speech. Here are several example of hyperbole;
1. ‘The bag weighed a ton’ means the bag really heavy.
2. ‘You could have knocked me over with a feather!’ means someone
knocked his door too hard because it disturbing.
17
Ibid, p.109 18
Ibid, p.110
17
3. ‘I’ll die if I don’t pass this exam’ means something unwanted will
happen if he did not pass the exam.
i. Understatement
Perrine explain that understatement or litotes is saying less than one
means, it is may exist in what one says or merely in how one says it.19 It makes effect the situation seems less than the actual it is used to reducing the severity of
the situation. The example of this kind of figurative language can be reflected on
the expressions below;
1. ‘He is not too thin’ while describing an obese person.
2. ‘Deserts are sometimes hot, dry and sandy’ while describing deserts of
the world.
3. ‘It is a bit cold today’ when the temperature is 5 degrees below
freezing.
j. Irony
Irony has meanings that extend beyond its use merely as a figure of
speech.20 It is subtle; sometimes irony is the most effective for good reader, sometimes reader misunderstood but the reader will goes away with the opposite
idea from what the user meant. Perrine divided irony into three as explained
below;
1. Verbal irony, saying the contradiction of what one means, it is always
implies the opposite of what is said. For example you are in the
situation is actually very poor but you saying ‘Oh, fantastic!’
19
Ibid, p.111 20
Ibid, p.112
2. Dramatic irony, this form of irony is more complex than verbal irony
and more complex response from the reader, audience do not know
about present and future situation. This type of irony used not only to
convey attitudes but also illuminate character. For this form of irony
example reflected on Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet story, Romeo
finds Juliet in deep and drugged slumber, assumes her dead, and he
kills himself ignorantly before Juliet wakes up, discovers her dead
lover and kills herself.
3. Irony of situation, this is needed when there is a discrepancy between
the actual circumstances and those that would seem appropriate or
between what one anticipates and what actually comes to pass. The
example of this irony reflected on these situation below;
• A fire station burns down
• The marriage counselor files for divorce
• The police station gets robbed
k. Allusion
Allusion is means of reinforcing the emotion or the ideas of one’s own
work with the emotion or ideas of another work or occasion. Because they are
capable of saying so much in so little, for poet it is very useful. Allusion can be
explained as referring something from previous works, symbolizing from previous
literature, shortly it tells more than it says.
Here is example of allusion taken from Katy Perry’s lyric Pearl, in the
19
and Joan of Arc, if we explore more about the lyric, we can know the person who
described by speaker in the lyric by finding who is liberty, John of Arc, what are
their background, etc.
“She could be a statue of liberty She could be a Joan of Arc
But he's scared of the light that's inside of her So he keeps her in the dark”
C. Eroticism History
Erotic literature is interesting thing to be discussed. According to Mills,
in Great Britain; on transition period from classical era to modern era which led
by Queen Victoria (Victorian Era) in 1837 to 1900, human relations emphasis on
hard work ethic and acts of worship. Sexuality is taboo and not prevalent. Human
sexual appetite should be curbed because they can cause negative effects for the
spirit work and worship, church doctrine perceive it can barrier relationship to
God. The issue of sexuality discussed only in the context of human reproduction.
In 1857, the government announced the “Obscene Publications Act”, the
regulations concerning about publishing literature containing sexuality. The
regulation sets that police confiscated erotic books though the court has not
declare these books should be confiscated and destroyed.21
The most famous erotic works found from medieval and Renaissance era
is the poem The Romance of the Rose (1230), written by Jeande Meun (France)
and Venus and Adonis (1593) written by William Shakespeare (United Kingdom).
Shakespeare’s book is the first erotic literature published in England. Geoffrey
Chaucer (UK), St. Gertrude (Germany), Giovanni Boccaccio (Italy), Pietro
21Yuki Anggia Putri (2009),
Aretino (Italy), and François Rabelais (France) is also another well-known author.
The interesting thing in this era is the emergence of homo sexual themes. The
appearance of Christianity to Europe make many people read the Bible, they see
the intimacy between David and Jonathan reflected in 2 Samuel1: 26. This is what
inspired the author to discuss same-sex relationships.22
Mills explain that in the17th and 18th century, numbers of famous erotic literature writers appear namely John Dryden (UK), Alexander Pope (UK),
Samuel Richardson (England), John Cleland (UK), John Wilkes (UK), François
Voltaire (France), the Marquis de Sade (France), J.W. von Goethe (Germany), and
Friedrich Schlegel (Germany). Erotic literature experienced golden age in this
century. Eroticism is not only expressed in the literature; poetry, novels, and
plays, but appears also in books and medical science. The term for this age is no
longer as the Enlightenment (Age of Enlightenment), but Age of Eros. The works
that appear in this age is called anti-religious erotic literature as having a satirical
style and intended to satirize the church life.23
The famous erotica authors in the 19th century was John Keats (UK), Thomas Hardy (British), Oscar Wilde (UK), George Thompson (USA), Leopold
von Sacher-Masoch (Austria), Charles Baudelaire (French), Honoré de Balzac
(France), Émile Zola (France), and Guy de Maupassant (France). At this time,
romanticism is growing and takes part in literature. 24
In the 20th century, famous erotic writers was Federico Garcia Lorca (Spain), Rainer Maria Rilke (Austria), Georges Bataille (France), DH Lawrence
22
Ibid, p.34 23
Ibid, p.35 24
Ibid, p.35
21
(UK), Henry Miller(USA), Nicholson Baker (USA), Octavio Paz (Mexico), and
Nadine Gordimer (South Africa). Erotic literary works that developed in this era
inspired by sexuality expressed by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). The issue of
censorship over literature was also a lot going on these days. Mills mentions that
France, Germany, and Italy are the safest country for works publishing of erotic
literature. Therefore, many British writers who deliberately moved to the country
to publish their works. Then, Western literature is already accustomed to the
presence of erotic literature as the author come from the already well-known
writers.25
D. Eroticism Concept
Eroticism cannot be easily defined, before explaining about eroticism,
first of all, writer need to explain about sex, sexual, and sexuality because each of
it connecting one another.
Sex is the state of being male or female;26 it is natural division of human in life. Sex is the main element that supports the intercourse between men and
women, it is very important; if sex does not exist we cannot continue to the next
stage which called ‘sexual’.
Sexual is a matter or event between male and female (biological
relationship). Referring to Oxford Dictionary sexual is connected with the
physical activity of sex. Sexual is physical activity between men and women who
is constituted by the libido27 and aims to get enjoyment. Thus, sexual intercourse
25
Ibid, p.35 26
Ibid, p.21
not only supported by sex, but also by the libido; it is connected automatically one
another.
After we know sex and sexual definition, we can continue discuss about
sexuality, because sexuality can come out from our thought after sex and sexual
exists. Weeks explain that sexuality is not given; it is a product of negotiation,
struggle and human agency.28 Sexuality is something which society produces in complex ways. It is a result of diverse social practices that give meaning to human
activities, of social definitions and self-definitions, of struggles between those
who have power to define and regulate, and those who resist.
Sexuality is the base instinct, the most natural thing, and that the relations
between men and women are laid down for all eternity, like fingerprints in
concrete, by the dictates of our inborn ‘nature’. Sexuality is a historical
construction, which brings together a host of different biological and mental
possibilities, gender identity, bodily differences, reproductive capacities, needs,
desires and fantasies which need not be linked together, and in other cultures have
not been.29 From the explanation we can conclude that sexuality is a characteristic, the attribute of the role of sex, sex desire, and sex life associated
with sexual intercourse.
Sexuality is closely related to eroticism. Mills explains that word ‘erotic’
firstly entered the English language in the 17th century. The word is from the
French uptake, namely érotique. Érotique word derived from the Greek ‘erotikos’
28 Jeffrey Weeks,
Sexuality (New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2006), p.18 29
Ibid, p.5
23
derived from the word eros.30 Muller explains as cited by Darmojuwono that eros is an intermediary between the world of the senses with the world that is open
only to the ratio (the world of ideas). Eros is the drive to achieve the knowledge of
ideas that can only be found in the world that is open to the ratio related to
aesthetic; it covers the body, soul, morals, knowledge, and aesthetic itself. From
the word ‘eros’, erotic appeared in the broadest sense means any form of
expression of love between men and women, between the same sex (homoerotic),
and the love of self (auto-erotic). In a narrow sense, erotic does not just mean
more carnal sexuality, but also includes mental aspects of sexuality and the
development of stimuli generated by sexuality. It can be expressed in various
forms, such as in the arts, fashion, advertising, and others.31
The explanation giving conclusion that a literary work which represents
sexuality first of all need to present sex and sexual element in it to be categorized
as erotica.32 Eroticism and pornography is far from similar, eroticism in literature should not give the impression of obscene or pornographic. According to David
Steinberg as cited by Sitanggang there are three groups in erotic literature. The
first is a literary work that shows the relationship of men and women with an
emphasis on spiritual and intellectual aspects. The second is the work that
featuring intimate physical relationship expressed covertly. The third is a work
that presents sexuality in a more interesting, but not the core of the story. The
third category called a porn literary work because of sexuality depicted detailed
and aims to stimulate and arouse sexual desire. Sitanggang also explains that the
30 Yuki Anggia Putri (2009),
op.cit. p.23 31
Ibid, p.23
eroticism element can consider as containing literary value if the sexual
description can aesthetically hidden.33 Sitanggang also utter that to be categorized as erotica, a literary work (lyric in this matter) which contain sexuality shown
meet three aspect; aesthetic, thematic, and moral from the works itself.
Accordingly all kind of lyric represent sexuality without obscene impression can
consider as erotic lyric, and lyric containing obscenity or pornography consider as
porn poem.
33 Sitanggang, S.R.H.,
et. al. Unsur Erotisme dalam Novel Indonesia 1960-1970-an (Jakarta: Pusat
Bahasa Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 2002), p.3
CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDINGS
In this chapter the writer tries to find out the answer of the research
questions using data description as the first step. Data description describes data
collected for the use of this research. Through this phase, the two song lyrics that
will be analyzed Hummingbird Heartbeat (HH) and Peacock exposed along with
their background while the sentences that contain figurative language and
eroticism content found and listed in the table as corpus data. Here are the
following data descriptions as reflected below;
A. Description of Eroticism in Each Lyric 1. Hummingbird Heartbeat
You make me feel like I'm losing my virginity The first time, every time when you're touching me I'll make you bloom like a flower that you've never seen
Under the sun we are one buzzing energy 4
Let's pollinate to create a family tree This evolution with you comes naturally Some call it science, we call it chemistry
This is the story of the birds and the bees 8
Even the seasons change
Our love still stays the same 10
You give me that hummingbird heartbeat Spread my wings and make me fly The taste of your honey is so sweet
When you give me that hummingbird heartbeat
Hummingbird heartbeat 15
Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat
Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat 17
I've flown a million miles just to find a magic seed A white flower with the power to bring life to me You're so exotic, my whole body fluttering
Constantly craving for a taste of your sticky sweet 21
Always on the brink of a heart attack
You gave me life and keep me coming back I see the sun rise in your eyes, your eyes
We've got a future full of blue skies, blue skies 25
Even the seasons change
Our love still stays the same 27
You give me that hummingbird heartbeat Spread my wings and make me fly The taste of your honey is so sweet
When you give me that hummingbird heartbeat
Hummingbird heartbeat 32
Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat
Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat 34
You love me, you love me Never love me not, not, oh no When we hear a perfect harmony
You make me sound like, like a symphony, oh 38
Spread my wings and make me fly The taste of your honey is so sweet
When you give me that hummingbird heartbeat
Hummingbird heartbeat 42
You give me that hummingbird heartbeat Spread my wings and make me fly The taste of your honey is so sweet
When you give me that hummingbird heartbeat
Hummingbird heartbeat 47
Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat, hey, yeah Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat, hey, yeah Oh, oh, hummingbird heartbeat
27
a. Data Description
No Corpus Data Figure of
Speech Line
1
You make me feel like I'm losing my virginity The first time, everytime when you’re touching me I'll make you bloom like a flower that you've never seen Under the sun we are one buzzing energy
Simile, overstatement and metonymy
1-4
2
Let's pollinate to create a family tree This evolution with you comes naturally Some call it science, we call it chemistry This is the story of the birds and the bees Even the seasons change
Our love still stays the same
Metaphor, metonymy, and
overstatement 5-10
3
You give me that hummingbird heartbeat Spread my wings and make me fly The taste of your honey is so sweet
When you give me that hummingbird heartbeat
Metaphor, overstatement,
and metonymy 11-14
4
I've flown a million miles just to find a magic seed A white flower with the power to bring life to me You're so exotic, my whole body fluttering
Constantly craving for a taste of your sticky sweet
Metaphor, overstatement, and metonymy
18-21
5
Always on the brink of a heart attack
You gave me life and keep me coming back I see the sun rise in your eyes, your eyes We've got a future full of blue skies, blue skies
Overstatement 22-25
6 When we hear a perfect harmony You make me sound like, like a symphony, oh Metaphor and Simile 37-38
b. Data Analysis
HH is a song written and produced by American singer Katy Perry for
her third studio album Teenage Dream released in August 2010, under label
Capitol.35
The lyric contains fifty one lines. It literally compares the feeling of
being in love to the speed of a hummingbird's heartbeat. The lyric tells about a
35
Katy Perry. Hummingbird Heartbeat. Retrieved from:
woman and a man who have love relationship story, it describes sexual activities
using figurative languages to make the lyric sexual description aesthetically
hidden. That occurs almost in every line. The first occurrence is in line 1 to 4,
when the speaker describes her love to her lover figuratively:
You make me feel like I'm losing my virginity The first time, everytime when you’re touching me I'll make you bloom like a flower that you've never seen Under the sun we are one buzzing energy
(Hummingbird Heartbeat: 1-4)
The quotation above tells the readers that the speaker represents her lust
feeling when she was doing sexual relationship with her lover. The speaker is
going to make her lover to the top of his sexual relationship like he never felt
before. In the lyric, the speaker represents how she felt when her lover touched
her, the speaker uses simile by using word ‘like’ in line one to compare her
feeling in the phrase ‘like I’m losing my virginity’ when her lover touch her for
the first time, the speaker also use exaggeration in line one to two to make the
erotic lyric looks excessive. In line three, the readers can find simile and
overstatement used to represent the situation how the speaker treats back her
lover, she uses simile by using word ‘like’ in line three to compare her lover’s
amaze expression with a blooming flower to shows the reader both of them give
enjoyment each other, the speaker wants to treat her lover like he never felt before
and speaker also uses exaggeration in the same line to make the lyric excessive. In
line four, the speaker emphasizes that the speaker and her lover are talking about a
very large number of things in the story by using the phrase ‘under the sun’, in
29
of the whole story, this make the sexual description in the lyric hidden to
substitute indecent word. According to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary,
buzzing is a continuous sound like the one that a bee, buzzer, or other electronic
devices make, and energy is the ability to put effort and enthusiasm into an
activity, work, etc. Therefore, the speaker makes the lyric sexual description
aesthetically hidden about her sexual relationship with her lover.
In line five to ten, the speaker uses metaphor and metonymy as reflected
below;
Let's pollinate to create a family tree This evolution with you comes naturally Some call it science, we call it chemistry This is the story of the birds and the bees
Even the season change Our love still stays the same
(Hummingbird Heartbeat: 5-10)
From the quotation above the speaker tells to the readers that she ask her
lover to continue their sexual relationship to make a small family by doing
reproduction.36 Their love feeling has been grown and will never change from long time before and the speaker tells that the lyric will tell the story about a
sexual relationship between man and woman. In line five, speaker uses word
‘pollinate’ to replace obscene word, the speaker tries to ask her lover to make a
family tree, as we know to make a family tree human need to do a reproduction,
the sexual description in this line completely hidden because the use of metaphor
in the lyric. According to Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, pollinate is to put
36
Refers to Cambridge Dictionaries Online reproduction is the method of producing plants, animals, and people in which a male seed or sperm cell and a female egg join.
pollen (fine powder, usually yellow) that is formed in flowers and carried to other
flowers of the same kind by the wind or by insects, to make those flowers
produce seeds. Inline six of the lyric the speaker uses metaphor by using word
‘evolution’. According to Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, evolution is the
gradual development of plants, animals, etc, over many years as they adapt to
changes in their environment. In this line speaker tells the readers that she has
built the relationship from long time ago, and their feeling comes naturally to do a
sexual relationship. In line seven the speaker uses metaphor to compare their
intimate love with phrase ‘science and chemistry’, refer to Oxford Advance
Learners Dictionary science is a system for organizing the knowledge about a
particular subject, especially one concerned with aspects of human behavior or
society, and chemistry is the relationship between two people, usually a strong
sexual attraction, in this line the speaker tells the readers about her sexual
relationship desire without obscene impression. In the next line the speaker uses
metonymy in phrase ‘Birds and the bees’, this idiom refer to Oxford Advance
Learners Dictionary which means the basic facts about sex especially as told to
children in which the parents explain what sexual relationship are. In the lyric;
fifth to eighth line from figurative languages used, the readers can see how the
speaker describe her story with subtle word to make the lyric’s sexual description
aesthetically hidden without improper explanation. From the cited lyric above the
speaker also uses overstatement to tell the readers that her love to her lover will
31
In line eleven to fourteen, the speaker represents her sexual relationship
story with her lover, as seen in the text below:
You give me that hummingbird heartbeat Spread my wings and make me fly The taste of your honey is so sweet
When you give me that hummingbird heartbeat
(Hummingbird Heartbeat: 11-14)
The quotation above represents that the speaker doing sexual relationship
with her lover, and he makes the speaker and her lover reach to the top of her
intimate relationship desire, until the speaker can taste her lover ‘honey’. The
speaker uses metaphor to substitute obscene word, the use of metaphor in line
eleven is to describe something else, in a way that is different from its normal use,
the speaker uses word ‘hummingbird heartbeat’ to describe her and her lover’s
sexual desire, the used of metaphor in this line makes the lyric not containing
improper word. Hummingbirds are tiny; but their productivity in this case heart
rate can reach as high as 1,260 beats per minute, a rate once measured in a
blue-throated hummingbird with a breathing rate of 250 breaths per minute.37 The speaker uses hummingbird in the lyric to show the readers that the sexual
relationship in the lyric is a big thing come in small package that represents the
speaker’s desire. The speaker also tells the readers that she reach to the top of her
sexual desire with metaphor and also overstatement in line twelve by describing
the situation with sentence ‘spread my wings make me fly’. The speaker
completely describes herself and her lover as a hummingbird who pollinate a
flower, this makes the lyric can be enjoyed aesthetically without obscene
37 Jean Cole.
'The General' dominates hordes of hummingbirds in Embarrass . Retrieved from http://goo.gl/SFRfvZ. Accessed January 18 2016, 20.00.
impression in the surface. Inline thirteen of the lyric the speaker describes her
lover also reach to the top of his sexual desire or libido by using word ’honey’.
According to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary honey is a sweet sticky
yellow substance made by bees foraging nectar38 from flowers. The speaker describes the semen or male reproduction cell using metonymy by mentioning
‘honey’ to tell the readers about her sexual relationship. If the speaker uses the
actual word, the lyric will be not considered as an erotic lyric referring to
Sitanggang, because an erotic lyric containing literary value if the sexual
description can aesthetically hidden.
In line eighteen to twenty-one the speaker tries to describes that she is
really serious with her intimate relationship, the situation represents in the
quotation below:
I've flown a million miles just to find a magic seed A white flower with the power to bring life to me You're so exotic, my whole body fluttering
Constantly craving for a taste of your sticky sweet
(Hummingbird Heartbeat: 18-21)
From the quotation above speaker tries to tell the readers that she has
found the one she will spend her life with after searching for a long time, the one
that give a power to her life, that makes her cannot leave the lover because she is
already craving for her lover “honey”. In line eighteen the readers can see that the
speaker builds a serious relationship, she is looking for a real love for so long to
have her own ‘family tree’ with overstatement impression using sentence ‘I’ve
flown a million miles just to find a magic seed’. In the next line the speaker uses
38
Nectar, sweet, viscous secretion from the nectarines, or glands, in plant blossoms, stems, and
leaves. It attracts fruit-eating bats, hummingbirds, and insects, who aid in effecting pollination by transferring from plant to plant the pollen that clings to their bodies.
33
metaphor to describes her lover as ‘a white flower’. White signifies purity and
innocence.39 The speaker tries to tell the readers that the one she built a relationship with is the perfect one for her; he can bring and give power and pure
love to her life. In line twenty, the readers can see that speaker describing her
lover with metaphor by using word ‘exotic’ to tell the readers her lover makes her
exciting. Refers to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary exotic is something
from or in another country, especially a tropical one; seeming exciting and
unusual because it is connected with foreign countries. The speaker also
describing she is ‘fluttering’ because of her lover in the same line, to inform the
readers about her respond because of her lover, flutter is a word uses for a bird,
according to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary it means the wings move
lightly and quickly up and down.40 In line twenty-one the speaker using metonymy to tell the readers that she is addicted to her lover by describing she is
craving41 for her lover sticky sweet or ‘honey’.
In the next line, the speaker tries to describe about her feelings as
reflected in line twenty two to twenty five below:
Always on the brink of a heart attack
You gave me life and keep me coming back I see the sun rise in your eyes, your eyes We've got a future full of blue skies, blue skies
(Hummingbird Heartbeat: 22-25)
The quotation above shows that the speaker always got a heart attack but
her lover give life to her, she believes that she will have a happy future life with
39 Whitney Smith.
Flag of the United States of America. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-United-States-of-America. Accessed January 18th 2016, 19.00.
40 A bird normally flutters when attracted to something. 41 Craving is a strong desire for something
her lover. In line twenty two to twenty five, the speaker uses overstatement to tell
the readers how she loves her lover in the story, the overstatement in this part help
the readers to know the personality of the speaker, because she always uses
overstatement to describe her feeling to her lover. She cannot live without her
lover, because every time she brinks of a heart attack, she will always return to
him because he is her life, the speaker tells the readers that she believes that her
lover that she describes in the lyric is her the true love, as she mentions in
twenty-fourth line of the lyric that she sees the sun rise in her lover eyes. According to
Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, sun is the star that shines in the sky during
the day and gives the earth heat and light, sun is important for human on earth the
same like the love is important for the speaker. In twenty-fifth line the speakers
believe that she got a perfect future with full of blue skies with her lover, as we
know blue skies only appear in the earth when the weather dazzling and bring
happiness, the same like the lover to the speaker.
In the end of the lyric the speaker tells the readers about this intimate
relationship story. It ended beautifully using metaphor and simile by the sound
come out from both of them as the speaker describes from the quotation below:
When we hear a perfect harmony
You make me sounds like, like a symphony, oh
(Hummingbird Heartbeat: 37-38)
In the thirty-seventh line the speaker uses metaphor to describe this
intimate story ended with a “perfect harmony”, referring to Oxford Advance
Learners Dictionary harmony is state of peaceful existence and agreement. In the
35
speaker sounds like a ‘symphony’, according to Oxford Advance Learners
Dictionary symphony is a long complicated piece of music for a large orchestra.
In this part word ‘symphony’ really helps the lyric to make it does not look
obscene, the use of ‘symphony’ word represents the sexual relationship story in
the lyric between the speaker and the lover which have reached to the top of their
libido, the sexual description here aesthetically hidden.
2. Peacock
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock Your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock
Your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock 4
Word on the street, you got something to show me me Magical, colorful, Mr. Mystery
I'm intrigued for a peek, heard it's fascinating
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 8
Words up your sleeve, such a tease, wanna see the show In 3D, a movie, heard it's beautiful
Be the judge and my girls gonna take a vote
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 12
I want the jaw dropping eye popping, head turning, body shocking Oh, ay, oh, oh, oh, ay, oh
I want my heart throbbing, ground shaking, show stopping amazing
Oh, ay, oh, oh, oh, ay, oh 16
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? Don't be a chicken, boy, stop acting like a beeotch I'ma peace out if you don't give me the payoff
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 20
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? What you're waiting for, it's time for you to show it off Don't be a shy kinda guy, I'll bet it's beautiful
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 24
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock
Your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, I wanna see your 28
Skip the talk, heard it all, time to walk the walk Break me off, if you bad, show me who's the boss Need some goose, take it loose, come on take a shot
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 32
I want the jaw dropping eye popping, head turning, body shocking Oh, ay, oh, oh, oh, ay, oh
I want my heart throbbing, ground shaking, show stopping amazing
Oh, ay, oh, oh, oh, ay, oh 36
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? Don't be a chicken, boy, stop acting like a beeotch I'ma peace out if you don't give me the payoff
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 40
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? What you're waiting for, it's time for you to show it off Don't be a shy kinda guy, I'll bet it's beautiful
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 44
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock
Your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock 46
Oh my God, no exaggeration
Boy, all this time was worth the waiting I just shed a tear
I am so unprepared 50
You've got the finest architecture End of the rainbow looking treasure Such a sight to see
And it's all for me 54
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? Don't be a chicken, boy, stop acting like a beeotch I'ma peace out if you don't give me the payoff
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 58
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? What you're waiting for, it's time for you to show it off Don't be a shy kinda guy, I'll bet it's beautiful
37
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock Wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock Wanna see your
Come on, baby, let me see what you're hiding underneath 67
a. Data Description
No Corpus Date Figure of Speech Line
1 I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock Metaphor 1
2
Word on the street, you got something to show me me Magical, colorful, Mr. Mystery
I'm intrigued for a peek, heard it's fascinating
Come on baby let me see what you’re hiding underneath
Metaphor and
overstatement 5-7
3
Words up your sleeve, such a tease, wanna see the show In 3D, a movie, heard it's beautiful
Be the judge and my girls gonna take a vote
Come on baby let me see what you’re hiding underneath
Metaphor and
overstatement 9-12
4
I want the jaw dropping eye popping, head turning, body shocking
Oh, ay, oh, oh, oh, ay, oh
I want my heart throbbing, ground shaking, show stoppingamazing
Oh, ay, oh, oh, oh, ay, oh
Overstatement 13-16
5
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? Don't be a chicken, boy, stop acting like a beeotch I'm a peace out if you don't give me the payoff
Come on baby let me see what you’re hiding underneath
Metaphor and
simile 17-20
6
Skip the talk, heard it all, time to walk the walk Break me off, if you bad, show me who's the boss Need some goose, take it loose, come on take a shot Come on baby let me see what you’re hiding underneath
Metaphor 29-32
7
Oh my God, no exaggeration
Boy, all this time was worth the waiting I just shed a tear
I am so unprepared
Overstatement 47-50
8
You've got the finest architecture End of the rainbow looking treasure Such a sight to see
And it's all for me
b. Data Analysis
Peacock is a song written and produced by American singer Katy Perry,
taken from her third studio album, Teenage Dream released in 2010. Despite not
being released as a single, the song entered several music charts worldwide.42 The lyric contains sixty seven lines. The speaker of the lyric tells the
readers about her innuendo fantasy to see a man’s genitals. She guesses the shape
of the man’s genitals in the story. She tries to ask the man to show her several
times. In the lyric the speaker uses figurative languages, it make the sexual
description aesthetically hidden like in the first line as reflected below:
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock, your peacock, cock (Peacock: 1)
The quotation above tells the readers that the speaker shows her sexual
desire; she wants to see the man’s genitals figuratively, she uses metaphor to
describe it as “peacock”. According to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary
peacock is a large male bird with long blue and green tail feathers that it can
spread out like a fan. The peacock is a possessor of some of the most admired
human characteristics, and symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve
when we endeavor to show our true colors.43 The speaker uses peacock to tell the readers that the one who mentioned in this lyric is a male or a man, because
peacock itself is stands for a male, the sexual desire description in this line
successfully hidden.
42Katy Perry.
Peacock. Retrieved from: http://www.katyperry.com/songs/peacock/. Accessed
March 1st 2015, 21.00.
43 Avia Venefica.
Peacock Symbolism and Meaning . Retrieved from http://goo.gl/xaJSVt.
Accessed February 21 2016, 20.00.
