Sia - Sia Karya Chairil Anwar: Kritik Sastra Mimetik

Abstract

This study examines the poem "Sia-Sia" by Chairil Anwar through the lens of mimetic literary criticism to uncover representations of social and existential realities within the work. The poem "Sia-Sia" was selected as the research object because it reflects both individual and social turmoil during Indonesia’s independence revolution. The research employs a qualitative descriptive method with a mimetic approach, focusing on the dialectical relationship between literary texts and historical-social reality. The findings reveal that "Sia-Sia" represents the existential condition of Indonesians during the political and cultural transition of the 1940s. Themes of death, emptiness, and the search for meaning in the poem reflect not only the poet's personal struggles but also the psychological state of Indonesian society grappling with uncertainty in the post-independence era. Through distinctive diction, structure, and stylistic choices, Chairil Anwar transforms individual experience into a universal representation of the human condition within a complex historical context. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of literature’s function as a medium for representing social realities and highlights the continued relevance of classic Indonesian literary works in contemporary contexts.