Symbols of Human Values in Maleficent (2014): A Semiotics and Deconstruction Approach

Abstract

Maleficent (2014), directed by Robert Stromberg, is a reinterpretation of the classic fairy taleSleeping Beauty, revived to highlight the other side of a character long perceived as a villain. This studyaims to explore the key symbols found in the film Maleficent and to understand the meanings theyconvey. The research focuses on how these symbols represent human values. A descriptive qualitativeapproach is employed, using Charles Sanders Peirce’s concept of symbols and Jacques Derrida’s theoryof deconstruction. Primary data are taken from the film’s visual and verbal elements, while secondarydata come from relevant literature. The findings reveal that the symbols in Maleficent reflect humanvalues such as compassion, virtue, truth, and peace. These symbols include her wings, the curse, flowers,the kiss, the thorn wall, the crown, the term beastie, and Diaval shape shifting each illustrating humanvalues. The film challenges the conventional notion of an absolute boundary between “good” and “evil.”This study concludes that Maleficent strategically employs symbolism to deconstruct traditional moralbinaries through the use of symbolic elements.